32 THE JOURNAL

&o&q.m 6&,ua£««&a$4.PP 9 IWith Ease And Much Pleasures

THE ARTS AND CRAFT SALE IN OUR MUSEUM Nov.30, Dec.]- 2 - 3 - 4 and5, 1972 AND

uniQUE GIFTS MADE BY LOCAL CRAFTSMEN FOR SALE I N THE MUSEUM SHOP

ti'nLt{.(} S!:l.if,s )!a:t.{-'} IUZ .!}.t tills'?a:'l ? ::*: COME AND ENJOY A NEW

FRED WARING SHOW THE IN THE MAGNIFICENT SE'LYING OF OUR NEW WILLIAMSPORT HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM JOURNAL

Tuesday, December 5, 1972 OFTHE 8:15 P. M. RESERVEDSEATS ON SALE AT 858 W. 4th STREET Lycoming Clounty Historical Society (BEGINNING MONDAY, OCTOBER30, 1972) VOLUME Vlll FALL NUMBER TWO 1972 Benefit: Lycoming County Historical Society and Museum JOU R NAL MUSEUM S'TAFF of the Director Andrew K. Grugan LYCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Assis alt to D ec£or Anne Gstalder Pwbtisbed Semialtllaall] in Willie sport, Pei nsTlvaizia A m % s native Aide Jean Laylon Museum Office - 858 West Fourth Street Bltilding Custodian Ralph Wikstrom Telephone (Area Code 717) 326-3326

BOARD OF TRUSTEES RALPH R. CRANMER A. F. BEIGHLEY MUSEUM VOLUNTEER STAFF WAI.TER J. HEIM Wn.nAM E. NICHOL.S, JR., ESQ. MICHAEL LAGANA CHARLES E. NOYES, SR. CURRENT SOCIETY PRESIDENT Geneato gist Mrs. Donald Carson

Resist a ion Committee Miss June Foresman, Chairman BOARD OFGOVERNORS Miss Ethel Excel Mrs. Frederick Snell CHARLES E. NOYES, SR., PRESIDENT EDWARD J. DURRWACHTER, 3RD. VICE PRES. Mrs. Fred Foresman DR. SAMUEL LONG, IST. VICE PRES. MRS. DONAI.D M. CARSON, SECRETARY F4.+le Arts Program Co?nmittee Dr. .JuneE. Baskin, Chairman DONAI.O M. CARSON, 2ND. VICE PRES. HAROLD B. TAYLOR, TREASURER Samuel Dornsife Roger Shipley 1971-1973 TERM 1972-1974 TERM C. Robert Schultz Andrew K. Grugan MRS. JOHN LINDEMUTH MRS. JOHN W. BITNER MRS. ALLAN YOUNG, JR. MR. SAMUEL J. DORNSIFE MRS. GUY M. BALDWIN MR. WILLARD A. SCHELL Ot)eratiol} MwseKm Mrs. Allan Young, Jr MRS. NORMAN INGERSOLL MR. ROBERTD. SMINK Pabticit] and Pz+btic Relations CharlesE. Noyes DR. LORING B. PRIEST Cwratoria Departments

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS Gelterat Cwfct or Andrew K. Grugan

MIDS. ALLAN YOUNG, JR., REPJ{ESENTATIVE Arcbaeology .dames P. Bressler, Chairman JUNIOR LEAGUE OF WILL]AMSPORT Willard Schell W'illiam Turnbaugh MR. ANOREW K. GRUGAN - PRESIDENT A cb es an& Records THE GREATER WILLIAMSPOltT COMblUNITY ARTS COUNCIL Miss Gladys 'l'ozier, Chief Miss Jean Little Mrs. Robert Nevel SOCIETY STAFF Mrs. .JohnHolland Mrs. Joseph Stewart EXECUTIVE SECRETARY MRS. KATHRYN J. CI.UTE Ed cittio Andrew K. Grugan VOLUME Vlll FALL Fi?&e Af£f Dr. June E. Barkin NUMBER TWO 1972 11 zlstry Francis Maneval

EDITOR Minerals Lewis Harper MRS. EDITH L. WRIGHT Textiles Mrs. Norman Ingersoll Mrs. Edith Wright Dr. Samuel Wiersteiner Extra Copies of The Journal Seventy-Five Cents Each 5 CONTENTS 1972-1973 MEN[BERSHIP MEETING PROGRAM Page LYCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY Membership Meeting Program 5 You are cordiallyinvited to attend our regular membershipmeetings which will Your County Museum Today by Andrew K. Grugan 6 be held on the third Thursday of each month. We will meet at the Museum except as noted in Septemberand March. Severin Roesen and His Family by Dr. MauriceA. Mock 8 September21, 1972 (6:30 p.m.) Curious Cuscorns by Katharine Bennet 12 MR. WILLIAM TURNBAUGH. former Vice President of the Society and

14 currently a doctoral candidatein archaeologyat Harvard University, will present Williamsport's Musical Heritage by Mary L. Russell an illustrated talk on "ArchaeologyHere and There" at a dinner meeting at the Warrensville Fire Hall Along the Susquehanna 17 PHOTO -- Dr. Thomas Lyon 18 October19, 1972(8:00 p.m.) Fif ty-one Years: A Pmcticing Physician in WiJliamsport 18 MR. MAX E. AMEIGH,Instructor in Arr, LycomingCollege, will give a demonstration and explanation of pottery making Early Sports by Katharine Bennec 2 1 November16, 1972 (8:00 p.m.) 23 Indian Trails of Lycoming County by Virginia Trowbridge MISS ELIZABETH WARNER, of Hughesville,who is a former school teacher A Brief History of RoseValley by Olive Srrouble 27 and a "birthright Quaker," will give a ERIKon Quakers in Lycoming County

Early Horticulture by Katharine Bennec 28 DECEIN4BER21, 1972(8:30 p.m.) 29 A CHRISTMAS MUSIC PROGRAM by the GesangVerein Harmonia and Lincoln's Violin by Glenda Hessler the Damenchor(Women's Chorus) under the direction of Mr. David M. Flooded Newspaper:s Smith of South Williamsport.

A Plea for Nathaniel Greene Papers 31 January18, 1973 (8:00 p.m.) DR. MAURICE A. M00K, of Penn Slate and Lycoming College, will speak on recent discoveriesabout the life of Severin Roesen in Williamsport.

February15, 1973 (8:00 p.m.) DR. OTTO L. SONDER, Dean of Liberal Arts of the Williamsport Area Y Community Co[[ege,wi]] speak on ''A Social Psycho]ogyof Local History. Mai:ch15, 1973 (6:30 p.m.) A symposium on antique and modem WEDGWOOD JASPERWARE put on by a Wedgwood Company represenrarive and Ralph B. Grimmer, Inc., at a dinner meeting in the ballroom of the Lycoming Hotel COVER PICTURE -- Copy of an engraving of the United ScaresHotel, 17-19 West Third Street, Williamsport (the present location of the Fidelity National Bank) April 20, 1973(8:00 p.m.) It is stated char ''He (Severin Roesen) took his meals, rather irregularly, at OPERATION MUSEUM JUNIOR LEAGUE VOLUNTEERS, under the leader- the old United StatesHotel." The engravingwas taken from the borden:of ship of Mrs. Allan N. Young, Jr., will present their program on ''100 Years of a map of the city of Williamsport in 1857by Mckinney and Bonwill. Changing Scenes in Lycoming County." This will be the annual business meeting of the Society Mrs. John Bitter, Program Chairman

IMPORTANT NOTE: Reserve December' 5, 1972, for the benefit concert by Fred Wiring and his Pennsylvaniansat the new High SchoolAuditoriuila 6 THE JOURNAL 7

EXHIBIT OF THE MONTH September20, 1972 The Beauty and Utility of Wood April 15 May 15 Dear Members A Lamp unto My Feet May 15 June 15 Fou.th of J"iy June 15 - July 15 Your Boardof Governorshas askedme to becomeyour President,which I have Hand W'eapons July 15 - August 15 Little League accepted with great humility. August 15 September 15 The Arc of Penmanship September 15 - October 15 I have a very real interest in our Historical Societyand all that it stands for. I am The Cobbler's Art October 16 - December 1 aware that today's events become tomorrow's history. Expanding our exhibits and Christmas Special December 2 - January 15 enlargingour resources,financial and otherwise,should always be our goal.Our A liar for My Lady January 16 February 28 Museumis one of the finest anywhere,and with your continuedcooperation we can Sir Walter's Weed March 1 - Api:il 15 enhance its value. A Bookworm's Delight April 16 - May 30 Sincerely, COLLECTOR'SCORNER Charles E. Noyes, Sr. President Ladies' Fans May 1 - June 1 Men and Women's Jewelry Ju'.e 1 - July 1 Rocks and Minerals July 1 - August 1 Current and Coins August 1 - September 1 19th Century Toys September 1 - October: I Political Campaigns October 2 November 15 Silver and Plate November 16 - December 31 Handkerchiefs January 1 - February 15 YOUR COUNTY MUSEUMTODAY Railroad Memorabilia February 16 March 30 Postage Stamps April I May 15 Since the appearance of the last Journal, your Museum has acquired many valu- able and interesting items for the collections. I think it would be interesting to mention LARGE SPECIAL EXHIBITS some of them. Misses Pauline and Elsie Faber donated to the Museum a variety of Maps and Documents May 1 - June 16 textiles and clothing, and some excellent genealogicalbooks for the archives. From Here Come the Brides Tune 16 - July 31 the estate of .john J. burr we received several books on history for the archives, includ- Photos from the Archives July 31 - September 16 ing a set of Pennsylvaniahistory books by Godcharles,"Chronicles of Central Penn- Leather September 16 - October 31 sylvania," 1944, of which volume three is missing. If any member would happen to Let's Make Music November I December 15 know of a copy of Ehethird volume of this set, it would be an important addition for Old FashionedChristmas Gifts December 16 January 16 our resources.A gallery instrument and tripod (an 1883 portrait camera) was given Some More Quilts January 17 - March 15 by Mi:. and Mrs. Roy E. Fullmer along with a handmadespinning wheel chair that was Tradition of Local Pottery March 16 - Api:il 30 used with the camem in the 1880's. A complete set of World W'ar I nurse's uniforms, that had been worn by Mrs. Catherine StearnsNuts, was given by Dr. and Mrs. Charles PICTUREOF THE MONTH F. Cipolla. Omer recent additions were textiles from Mr. and Mrs. George Bittner; a handsome Victorian needlepoint and beaded fireplace screen from Dr. and Mrs. William 'JaneC. Brandon" John F. Francis June I June 30 Brink=and two canalmarkers, one from Mr. William Umsteadand the other from Mr 'Battle of Gettysburg" - Lithograph July 1 - July 31 and Mrs. Arthur Hollen, who also gave us a very old pine desk. 'Children Buying Candy'' Frances We arealways happy to receiveitems of specialinterest, or quality,for the Tiproti Hunter August 1 - August 31 Portrait of J. G. Rachmell September 1 - September 30 Museum co]]ections in order to fi]] in areas that have a special need. Also, we are always anxious to have items with particular family connections, or historical con- 'Chickens Feeding" - S. S. Fryer October I October 31 nections, in the county. 'Henry Clay in Congress" LithographNovember I November 30 'Philadelphia Snow Scene" M. H. We would urge our membersto frequent the Museum during checoming months Pancoast December 1 - December 31 so that they can see many, many objects that have been in storage for some time and are being shown in specialexhibits in the lobby area of the building. Also, since April of this year, we have opened several permanent exhibits in the Museum gal- In all pr obability it will take from two to three years to explore all the facets leries, such as a colonial living room and a colonial kitchen, a series of handmade of the varied and interesting collections in storage.We urge everyoneto come in and dioramas in the lumber gallery, and a Pennsylvania Canal exhibit. enjoy these special shows. The following special exhibits have been in progress since April, and will continue Andrew K. Grugan through May of next year: Museum Director 8 THE JOURNAL 9

SEVERI N ROESENAND H IS FAM ILY from Dr. David H. W'allace. See also who painted predominantly flower paint: GeorgeC. Groce and David H. Wallace, ings in New York from 1848to 1857 and 1.be New-York H storicat Society'sDic- predominantly fruit paintings in Williams- There has been a brisk traffic in the sale rhe first Williamsporr city directory in tionary of Xing icon Aflisfs, 1 564- 1 860. New port from 1862 to 1872. (1 am here using of the still-life paintings by Severin Roesen which Roesenis listed at all, although tra- Haven,1957, p. 543. ;he terminal dates of his dated paintings during the last severaldecades, in spite of dition has it that he cameto Williamsporc in the New York City and Williamsport which fact a large number of his more than aboDE 1858") . The Williamsporc Directory Fourteen signed and dated Roesen paint- periods of his painting activity). one hundred known paintings remain in for 1869-70,however, identifies him as ings have been located to date, nine of the Williamsport area. Most of the local 'S. Roessen," and that of 1871-72 lists the which are dated from 1848 to 1857 and Another quite lively oral tradition in the were thereforepainted during the period Williamsport area has been the belief that owners of hts paintings, and Other inter- name as "S. Rosen." Mistakes in the spel- Roesenwith his wife and childreninigrared ested persons as well, have herod many ling of names are frequently met will in of his residencein New York City. Eight storiesrelating to the life of this mysterious early city dir-ectories,but the losetwo list- of these are sigrled ''S Roesen" and one to America from Germany in the late 18- 40's. The 1895 newspaper article already artist. ings conf orm to the way the artist usually is signed "S. Rosen", retaining the German signed his paintings. In a catalogue of 132 umlaur spelling of the name. There are five aced flatly saysso: ''He came[o this conne- It is a truism among historians that tm known dared paintings of his Williamsporr ry wish his wife and family and lived foJ ditions may or may not be historically cor- ot his paintings, published in 1951, 111 of choseare signed by the arcisc,and of these, period, all of which are signed, and Cher sometime in New York City". This was rect. It is a rule in histoi:ical investigation date from 1862 to 1872. Four of these are acceptedas a fact in this areauntil a living 68 are signed "S. Roesen", 40- are sigiaed that a tradition may not be accepted as hisror}, Roesen", and three are signed "SR"i signed ''S Roesen", and one carries the (fol descendant of Roesen (one of his five until it is proved to be correct by indepen- Roesen) unusual signature"Roesen, Artist ' great-grandchildren still living in this dent pz07z-traditional evidence. In the case In 1847 an artist named Severin Roesen country) visited our city and advisedus dif- of the family history of SeverinRoesen it During the past several years descendants ferently. This descendant's research has es- had a flower painting in an art exhibition tablished the f act that Roesen married Wil- is now possible to sepamte truck from some in Cologne, Germany. A contemporary pub- of the artist living in this country havebeen of the legends,and it is thepurpose of lication identifies che artist as a porcelain heard from, one of whom is an energetic helmina Ludwig who was bom December genealogist. She is a great-grandaugh- 25, 1832, in the village of Altsei, which this paper [o try and do so. painter residing in thad city ("maier zu ter of the artist who has meticulously re- is located in the Rhine River valley near One of the mysteries concerning Roesen Rain") at the time of the exhibit. He also may have been born there (J. J. Mello, searched primary historical records available Cologne. We have see]] that Roesen was has been some uncertainty as [o his first in New York City. She writes me as fol- living in Cologne in 1847, but Wilhelmina name. A newspaper article which appeared Kw#J/ z/zd K zl//ef f# Ko/#, Kiln, 1850, lows: "As to the name of the artist. there p. 349) . The monumental Thieme-Becker would have been only 15 years old in that in the .june 27, 1895 issue of the W'f//fam- is no middle name listed in a#J/ of the rec- fexZco/z lists the artist by che same first year ;Pof/ Sz/ z a/zd Baz /zef is entitled "Hz/g I/ ords, including the U. S. Census of 1850. name and identifies him as a painterof Roesen, Ai:bst: An Interesting Williamsport Just Seveff z Roesen" is recorded. It has been reported by Ehemother of Genius Recalled by His Works" (empha- flowers on porcelain and enamel. (.4ZZgeme- one of Roesen's living great-grandchildren sis mine). This article was based upon >nes Lwcicol} der Bildelldem Ktintsler, So one can dow conclude with confidence that Wilhelmina was brought to this cournt- tradition as it had been transmitted by "a Leipzig, Vo1. 28, 1934). A French publica- that the painter's Christian name was Sev- ry by her family when she was 16 years large number of our older inhabitants (of tion of 1924 lists him as Severin Rosen erin--not August, or any thing else.It also old. She would have been 16 years old on Williamsport, among whom) there are Peintre sur porcelaine et sur email, spec- is improbable than August may have been Christmas day 1848. This is also the year few who will not recall the genial ialisre de ]a fleur. Cologne, vets 1847 his middle name, and has been suggested when Roesen is thought to have come to German who made Lycoming County his (Henri Clouzot, Dfc;/fogz/zz;fe deJ 2Wf#a- by Stone (p. ll). In this connection it is New York from Cologne. home'' during the last decadeor so of his /z/ril ei .r//f Enz.zf/. Paris, Editions Albert interesting that Wolgang Born, the first life. Most of the facts in this newspaper Morance, 1924). author to mention Roesenin a history of But if the Roesen family tradition i-es- pecting Wilhelmina's arrival in New York account seem to be correct. and it should American painting, accepted Severin as the also be pointed out than, although Roesen This German ageistthen disappearedfrom artist's Christian name and implies char City with her family is to be even tentat- left WilliamsporEin the early 1870's,this the Europeanart world. One year after the Cologne was his birthplace, substantiating ively accepted, it would have to be conclud- Cologne exhibition he appeared in New ed that Rosen and his future wife came article, written twenty-some years later, is York City andrecords sho;' that from 1848 his assumption (he seemsto think) by sta- rhe nearestthing to a contemporaryaccount ting that "Severin is a common name in to New York independently of each other that has yet been found in nineteenth-cen- to 1850 he sold elevenworks, eight of and while they were still unmarried.He Cologne, since St. Severin was a popular must have soon married her.. however, and tury statements concerning this mid-nine- which were flower paintings, to the Amer- saint there" (Slit!-Life Painting i% America, undoubtedly while she was still a teen-age teenth century man. ican ATE Union. (The Art Union was an 1947, P. 25) organization formed to encourageAmerican girl, for it is known thad their daughter Consonant also with the given name of artists and to sell their works. To the Union For the sakeof the f actualrecord it Louisa was born February 1, 1851. Wil- August is the fact char the Williamsporc an artist was American if he resided in this shouldbe statedthat we do not know thad helmina would then have been in her nine City Directory for 1866-67lists "A. Roesen, country, irrespective of where he was born Roesen was born in Cologne; we only know teenth year. Severin Roesen's birthdate is anise", who is indicated as boarding at or how long he had lived in the United that he was living there in the middle unknown, but Scone (p. 13) by a series of the old and now defunct U. S. Hole! States). He is also listed as S. Roesen in 1840's. It does seem certain. however. that perceptive deductions concludes that he which was locatedin the first block of New York city directories from 1848 rhe Cologne porcelain painrei: of 1847 is may have been born czz.1816. This is per- West Third Street at that time. (This is through 1857(Personal communication also the German-American still-life painter haps little better than a guess, bur it at 10 THE JOURNAL 11

least suggests that Roesen may have been identity was characteristic of the German in- (New York) about 1850 and went back of R. Hoe and Company at least 15 yearsalder than his wife was. [o their home in Europe." This has been habitants of Manhattan a century ago and Oscar Roesen was not only financially mere was accordinglya strong feeling of accepted until recently in Williamsport It is well remembered by living descend- successful;he also is reported to have made fellowship among the members of the con- Erudition, and it was also accepted by Rich- ants that Severin and Wilhelmina Roesen ard. Stone. who has written the most expen- substantial contributions to the development had two daughtersand one son. No record gregation. The church on Madison Street of the printing press in America. His obi- still stands, but due to the displacement sive monographwe have on the artist. hasyet been found of the name and birth- of the formerGerman inhabitants of this However, Stone misinterpreted the 1895 tuary notice in rhe New rofl 7'frei (May 15, 1921,p. 22, co1.3) scaresthat he had dateof oneof the daughters,but it is area, it is now used as a synagogue. newspaper statement when he said that known that she becamethe wife of a Dr. the first date for Roesenin the United installed mole printing presses than any omer man in the world. It called him "one von Duering who practiced medicine in One of the l

We have seen that several "facts" deriv- I gratefully acknowledge the generous Chimney sweepswere familiar wander- United States, was then in the heyday of its ing fmm oral tradition are incompatible help of Mrs. EdnaL. Hazeltonof New York ers on the highways of rhe valley sixty or popularity.B. Moore,a druggisEof Milton, wih historical records of the Roesen f em- City, without whose assistancethis paper more years ago. They were usually small advertised that he kept constantly for sale ily. Several other folkloric bits of misin- could not have been written. I also wish negro boys in charge of a man or pared)r lottery tickets on the lowest germs,and J.B. formation concerning the artist have been to thank Mr. SamuelJ. Dornsife and Mr. who announced their vocation with a sort Landis and Co., of the same place, wel:e consideredin a recently published essayby Andrew K. Grugan for helpful leads and of Tyrolean yodeling song, ''Sweep-ho, agents of che Union Canal lottery, which che present author which deals with the ideas. Sweep-ho,Sweep-ho." This song was replac- they advertised as a place where all per- sons should come who were desirous of painter's artistic itctivities and accomplish- MauriceA. Mock ed when rhe sweep issued from the chim- ments while residing in Williamsport. Professor of Alathropology ney. Chimneys were swept spring and fall making money by the heap. Harmony (Z.ycozmfg Co//ege sgaz£7ze,Spring Issue, Lycoming College and by careful housekeepersonce a month. Church of Milton was build by meansof 1972) Williamsporr, Pennsylvania If a chimney swept so often took fire,. the a lottery. Capital prizes of $1500, $1000, man in charge of the sweepsguaranteed to and $600 were offered and the drawing 1. '1'he catalogue here referred to is on pp. 33-37of Richard Stone's ''i-lot Quite Forgotten", A lasted three days. Nor were the good people study of The Williamsport Painter, S. Roesen. Proceedings and Papers No. 9, Lycoming HlistoricaJ. pay a fine. society, Williamsport, Pa., Novem.ber,1951. Although it is frequently assumedthat this m.onograph of Mi[ton the on]y ]ibera] patrons of this is out'of print, approximately 50 copies are still available at $3.00each, plus tax The tides of itinerant workmen,who surg- means of raising money. Even the Quak- ed up and down our early country i:oads,at- ers, who kept themselves "unsported from tracted to the highways strangelocal charac- the world," did not alwaysobject to the CURIOUS CUSTOMS ters who wanderedaround without any lottery, and there are instanceswhen special purpose. One of these peculiar indivi- many Quakers took chances. duals was Tom Morton. whose official resi- (From STORIES OF WEST BRANCH VALLEY by Kalbariwe W. Benwet.) Though newspaperswere few, and pub- dence was supposedto be Williamsport, buE lished but twice or three times a week, they who was at home anywhere in the valley he The itinerant lawyers, pi:eachers, and ter of record that BronsonAlcott, the great chanced to take off his hat. Tom was a bit were much used for personal items. and in curious details exceedthe agony column of school teachers who traveled the early philosophical writer, passed up a Yale ed- touched" and therefore rreared kindly by today. S. Coleman of Williamsporr on March highways shared the road wi-th a queer as- ucation to become a peddler of tinware and everyone who knew him. His one accoln- 8, 1809, issued a request to an unscrupulous sortmerLtof characters of vai.ying occupa- almanacs.Stephen Girard, one of the great plishmen.t was spelling. Of ten where crowds book borrower in the following manner: tions. Among the most picturesque of these shipping princes of his day, began as a gatheredin country scores,Toon would be old-time wandererswa; the Yankee ped- riverway peddler of bottled cider and claret asked to spell such words as stove pipe, The personwho has the first dler. From the early 19th century until after on the Delaware. P. T. Barnum. a Con- snapping turtle, which he accomplishedin volume of a novel entitled 'The the Civil W'ar these vendors of assorted necticut Yankee, afterwards the famous cir- a sing-song manner, followed by a sharp Daughter of Adoption,' lent by waresfrom New Englandfollowed. the re- cus man, begarl as a peddler of molasses whistle after each syllable. For his perfor: the subscriber, will oblige him by mote highways, seeking out isolated farms candy, gingerbread, and cherry rum on mance, a small cash contribution was given. returningit to him at his lod and villages. Training Days. ging. Likewise a book entitled One of the most popular ways of raising The Ladies Library ' lent three At first only vei:y young men followed In our own valley Hezekiah Noble, one money was by lottery. This method which is years ago, he would thank the rhe road, which was often a tracjdess way, of thepioneer merchants of Muncy,left now classedas gambling, and therefore de- person who has it in his posses- with long stretches of wilderness between h-isnative Windsor:,Connecticut, as a ped- clared illegal in both Great Britian and the sion to return it as above downs in which dwelt fearsome beasts and dled:of brooms; and Moses Ulman. when treacherousIndians. Buc with the building a lad of eighteen,migrated from Manheim, of national turnpikes, peddling became a GerLnany,and from a peddlingtour accu- businesswith men of parts and almost every mulated enough to give him a start as a commodity was vended from house to clothing merchant at Liberty, Pa., a business house. whichhe ti:ansferredto Williamspoi:csix THE NEXT FLOOD LI KE TH IS YEAR'S years later. The trunk peddlerplayed an important par-t in the life of the fronriei:. A-t this Currency was scarce and in irs place the Colonel John Morgan, who is on his way of evaporation, and rainf alls cannot all peddler received rags, old rubber, old iron, time, he was something more than a pur- home fmm Boston, is a guest at the Hepburn meet together in less than the time named. veyor of the necessitiesof life. He brought and soLnetimes grain. After the vendor Then, as Bella Wilber said to her ma, "Oh, stoppedthe road and becameproprietor of House. He has a scientific theory of the late news of .the outside world and gossip from a little store. he often received these articles flood in the SusquehannaValley, which may Lor,' let's us be comfortable. distant neighbor:hoods.A trip fi:om New in trade. In 1808. Fahnestock and Brindle. soon be given to the public, than will con- Englandto Pennsylvaniaat that earlyday vince everybody that olli like it cannot, by .Taker from tbe Semi-weekly Gazette alta excited more local comment than a journey of Pennsborough, Francis Fargus of Dunns- any possible occurrence, happen again for Bz4,LLetin,WiLLiam sport, Pa., FTidaT, ]wly 19, burgh, and Thomas McClintock of .jersey to the North Pole would today. Shore all advertised that "Cash or Store at least 631 years. The state of the atmos- 7889.) phere, the currents of wind, the amount Many men of national no-te answered Goods will be given for clean Linen and at one time the call of the road. It is a mat- Cotton Rags. 14 THE JOURNAL 15

irs 126th anniversaryof unbroken existence penses were an occasional lunch. As the WILLIAMSPORT'S MUSICAL HERITAGE and distinguished service to Williamsporc- big elections approached, and as political rallies began, members of these bands lit- Famed Repasz Band Plays at Two Presidential Inaugurations erally thrived on lunches. FISK MILIT.ARY BAND AND IMPERIAL TETtQUES Perhaps the most fascinating chapter in One of the band's earliest triumphs came Headquarters for the Sips Band was on in 1841 when it accompanied the Pennsyl- T GAIN STATEWrIDE, NATIONAL the history of music in Williamsporc is Mulberry Streep near East Jefferson Streep rhe Story of the nationally famous Repasz vania Whim delegation [o Baltimore, mak- PROMINENCE on the secondfloor of an old frame build- Band. Not only was ic the first brass band illg the rnp in a canalboat. There they 4 The 19th century was an era of bands. ing used as a carriage shop. There members in the city, but it claims the distinction of played during the convention which nom- of rhe band would sic about on paintkegs being one of rhe two oldestbands in con- inated Henry Clay for President. Fhe town band played a large part in vil- lage life, accompanyingrhe troops to the and buckets to practice rhe ''airs" they tinuous service in the United States, the knew. other being the Allenwood Band. wars, leading parades f or patriotic cele- With Daniel Repaszas leader and Wil- brations, and giving summer evening con- Organizedin 1831 before Williamsport certs on the village green. liam N. Jones as &uln major, the band Although tile Billy Sips Bzuld never ac- passed from a borough indo nab?nwide enlistedin a body at the outbreakof the prominence as a lumber:ing city, the Repasz Shortly after the establishment of the quired national or state fame, it was a f actor Band has survived to this date. It is often Civil War in April, 1861. It was attached Repasz Band in 1831, the Excelsior Band in aJI torch light parades and events of first to the llth Regiment, Pennsylvania was formed. It lasted only a shore tilde, like character for many years. referred to affectionately as the ''Grand Volunteers. however.At about the sametime. the daddy of American Bands.' Emmet Band came into existence.Com- The Boars had their headquartersin the After serving three months the band re- Ci:edie is given to Jacob L. Mussina for prised principally of membersof the Hib Old ScarBrewery on Market Streetnorth enlisted with the 29ch Regiment. It went of rhe town. The band was composedot organizing the musical unit which was orig- through the war from start to finish and, ei:nia lire (,o., ic, too, did not exist for inally called the Williamspon Band. Mr: long. from four to eight members. Mussina was made the first leader, and as the band of tile 8ch Pennsylvania Caval- #+#+ ry, was at Appon)attox when Gen. Robert The HammerBand held rehearsalsin during the fii:sc few years of the band's E. Lee surrendered. the old tannery on rhe southeast col:her of existenceChristopher Lawrence, L. W. Hy- In 1852 the five Scoppei:bi:others ani- Cours and Church Srreers. Organized by man. and A. K. Mabie served in that In 1903it becamethe official band of ved in Williamsporr from Germany. They George Hammer, the musical colltingenr capacity. the Nacional Guard, serving three enlist- formed their own band in 1859 under:the came under: the dii:ecrionof John Hazel ]nenES and rearing in 1912. During those leadership of Fred Stopper. They enlisted in 1883. In April of than year, the Gazette years the band scored many of its greatest in the 106th Regiment, Pennsylvania Vol- and Bulletin said: "Membersare becoming Original membersin 1831 were Mr. successes.It headed the Pennsylvania Guard unteers, and served one year. During the proficient musicians,and under their new Mussina, William Grafius, John S. Hyman, in New York City at the centennialof the time they were in camp in Civil War leader will soon rank with the best brass Jacob D. Hyman, William Coulter, Henry inauguration of George Washington as days, they were known as the Silver Comet bands in the scale. president; it led che guardstnen in March, Band. D. Hellman, Reuben Ruch, Samuel Spray- Omer bands of the middle 1800's which er, George Slate,J. Hyman Fulmer, Chris- 1905, at the inauguration of President Theo- ##+ assisted in the successof many political topher Lawn:ence, A. ]<. Mabie, Abraham dore Roosevelt,and played again in 1909 Roehrock,and John Rorhrock at the inauguration of President William In the 1880's Williainsporc boasted of rallies and paradeswere rhe StokesBand, Howard Taft. three rather unique bands made up of a Negro musicalunit, the City Greys,and the Smith Band. musicians who played mostly "by ear' the Billy Sips, the Boars, and the Hammer: A pi:ominent musical organization of the It was in 1838 thad rhe young man who One of rhe most colorful figures of Repasz Bands. lacEer19ch century was the Fisk Military was destined to bring this band into nat- Band. Organized in 1879 in South Wil- Band history was William Kilpatrick, for Most of the tunes these bands played ional pmminence came to Williamspoi:t many years its drum major, who lager liamsport, the band of seven members was Daniel Repasz, a resident of Muncy, came were picked up fmm hearing the little Ger- gained international prominence when he man bands which came to Lawn several originally known as the South Side Band to Williamsport to teach music and dan- toured Europe with McCadden's Circus ##+ cing. He joined the band in 1840 and be- times each summer. An article in the Gaz- came its leader. He introduced new and ette and Bulletin of Charday desci:ibid the A year pacerthe band securedas its dir- In 1917 the Repasz Band again volun- members as ''clad in fiery red unifonns, improved instruments, and under his skill- ector Lyman J. Fisk who was then playing ful leadership the band attained promin- teered its services. and offered 60 musicians puffing away on their big brass horns, with the Repasz Band. Changing ics name enceas it travelled about the country. Mem- for service in France under Col. John P resembling lobsters lush after being boiled in hot water. [o the Fisk Military Band, the organization ber:s of the band were so appreciative of 'Wood, commander of a Pennsylvania Ca- increased to 22 members and in 1886 Mr. Repasz' accomplishmentsthey renamed valry Regiment the band in his honor in 1859. The bands played oi] street corners, pas- moved [o Williamsport. Here the band Now known as the Elks-Repasz Band, the sing the har to take careof expenses.Since becameone of rhe leading musical groups musical organization will observe this year no music was ever purchased;the only ex- of Cenrrat Pennsylvania. 16 TH E JO-URNAL 17

Over a period of about 15 years, the The story of the name of the band is In May, 1915,the following noticeap- Band was the Docked family -- five sisters group made many trips out of town ac- an interesting one. Having Scarredout as peared in a music publication: and two nieces of Mrs. Fred DeCanio. companying local organizations. Hii:ed by the ''Triple Tongued Quartet," the group 'Lincoln's Ladies' Band of Williams Seeing the possibility of gathering his talen- the Knights Templar as its private band, changed its name to the TTQ Band as the ted family togetheras a performinggroup, membership increased. Finally it became port, Pennsylvania, under the dii:eccion jeremiah M. Docked formed the Docked the organization traveled to Washington, of Harry J. Lincoln;took the town by Boston;. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and many the Imperial Teteques. storm. when ic made its initial bow Family Band. Brothers, nephews, and other cities in Pennsylvaniawith Baldwin #+# cousinsjoined the girls, bringing the mem- 11 Commanded:y. to the public. Thousands of people bership to 15. The band of 40 members was one of filled the streetto get a glimpse of Concerns in the parks were one of the Ehefirst KnightsTemplar bands in the the lady musiciansas they headedthe (These are the second and third instaLl- band's contribution to local residents' en Memorial Day Parade.' inencs in a seriesdescribing the history of country. joyment. Mention was made in the Gazecre music in Williamsporcas compiledby Mrs. and Bulletin of July, 1895, describing one The Teteques were forEunacein having Glen Russell, of the Lycoming College such concert at Vallamont when "3,000 an interested and generous godfather in The nucleus of the Lincoln's Ladies' music faculty.) people heartily enjoyed a host delightful the personof J. Walton Bowman.Known affair.' as the "dean" of the f amour organization, Mr. Bowman saw that uniforms. instru- The Fisk Band enjoyed a distinguished career until 1904 when it disbanded. ments, and music were supplied. An item which made headlineswhen it was pro- cured for the band was a mammoth bass ALONG THESUSQUEHANNA Three more bands, which existed during drum nearlysix feet in diameterand 36 inches in width. It was understood that all (Fr07}1tbe papes ot Mr. and M.rs. John H. Hart, tofmer me7}Lbersof tbe LTconting the last quarter of the 19th century, were new machinery had to be made for the the Wast;ingcon Camp No. )74 P.O.S. of Coal t) Historical Society. M.r. Hart was tbe to?fade ot Hair?s Dais).) manufacture of Ehedrum, rhe complete cost A. Band ot Newberg:y, a fife and druid of which was about $300. corps which maintained headquarters on the second floor of the present Sun-Gazette The beginning of the 20th century The Susquehannagently flows Building, the Destin Manufacturing Com- brought numerous other bands to the local 'Neath the Pennsylvania skies; Her watersa perfect diamond pany's Band, and the Sixth 'Ward Brass scene-- the Newtown Band,which changed When the sunseton them lies Band. its name in 1904 to the Williamspoi:t Marine Band, and the Newberry Band or- ganized in the western parc of the city. Rocks mid-stream; i:esembling onyx Williamsporr claims the distinction of ##+ Polished by the walter's flow, having had rhe original all-Masonic mus- Litre-eislands lay in circles ical organization in the United Slates -- One of the most popular bands remem- Wishing they could reach the shore namely, the Imperial Teteque Band. beredby local residentswas the Verdi Band, an lcalian organization, formerly a Along her banks,high hills standguard It was in the year 1894 that the seed bugle corps organize;l in 1909 with Guis- ( In grandeur quite serene; for the unique group was sown. Truman eppe Biffarella as leader. Little rapids here and there R. Reitmeyer,John K. Hays, Hei:bert R. \ In distance indy be seen Laird. and Clarence Else. all members of #++ l the Masonic fraternity, decided to lorin a r During the early 1900's the band was Waving trees along the shore brass quartet. .Mr. Reitmeyer agreed to alwayspresent at the lightingof the Case shadows deep and black, teach the others to play. This was accom- Christmas tree on the Cotlrt House Lawn. While their leaves bid me a "fond good-bye plished so well than when they made their In 1915, 3,000 persons gathered in Brandon Yet beg me to come back. first appearance at a lodge meeting they Park to hear the Verdi Band play a con- :brought down the house.' cert for the benefit of the Repasz Band I've seen much beauty thru the years Thus began the famous organization fire lossfund. Much beauty God has given; whose name became known from coast to Buc the lovely Susquehanna coast. One of the many community services Is obviously of heaven. rendered by the band was the erection of The quartet impmved with age, and the DanteMemorial Statue of the Wil- The weeping willow bows its head gradually other members with different in- ]iamsport High School. Members collected In submissionto the will struments were taken in, leading to the col)tributions foi: the monumentand played Of the mighty Susquehanna developmentof a brass band. at the dedication ceremonies Which is never. never still ##+ 18 THE JOURNAL 19

[o go almostday itnd night to meet our here at thad time. viz: Anson V. Parsons, expenses.We charged twenty-five cents for Esq., who was afterwards President Judge bleeding, fifty cents for cupping, twenty- of the Criminal Court of Philadelphia, and five centsfor a blister of cantharides,twen- rhe father of Hon. H. C. Parsonsof this ty-five cents for extracting teeth, for which dry who is one of our most eminent at- F I FTY ON E YEARS we got more curses than money. There torneys at the bar; Joseph B. Anthony, Esq., were no physicians in Linden, Montours- who was afterwards President Judge; James A PRACTICIN-GPHYSICIAN ville, Warrensville, or up either Lycoming Armstrong, Esq., who was also President or Loyalsock Creeks, noi: any one except Judge for a shot:t period; Robert Fleming, I N WI LLIAMSPORT Dr. Charles Ludwig, an uncle of Dr. Esq., who was elected to the State Senate Youngman; in all of White Deer Town- and also a member from Lycoming County ship. You can now di:aw yogi: inference [o revise the constitution. Fmncis Camp- Dr. ThomasLyon at the Banquetgiven by of rhe amount of labor we had [o perform. bell, Esq.. and Judge Ellis Lewis, and I am the only one left to tell the story. Henry Ellis, Esq.,who also possesseda the Lycoming County Medical Society last poetic genius,resided here at that time. Di:. Tuesday evening Ol} Horseback i)avidson, of JerseyShore, was one of the Associate Judges. We had but one school- The pmctice in the country was always house.and a small one at that -- one and ta title taken tro?tl Tbe Semi-weekly Gaz- on horseback after night, and when the a half-story brick on West Third Street, roads were much or muddy also in the day near Mr. John B. Hall's mansion. Mr. Jos- ette alla Bz&lletin, Witliamsport, Pa., 1- bz&rs- time. Occasionally, as a great treat, we eph Rathmellwas the teacher,the father daT, April 11, 18S9.) would use a sulky; a foul:-wheeled vehicle of Messes.Thomas and Ezra Rathmell, who was never seen except for pleasure riding are now residentsof this city, and five a kind of luxury unknown to doctors of daughters aJI living but one Mrs. James DR. THOMAS LYON that day. We finally got to using what were Rothrock. We had but two four-wheeled called buck boards. almost destitute of vehicles: one owned by Colonel Packer, A portion of the following, written by work. Dr. Shoemaker was practicing in Newberry and Drs. Davidson, Reed, and springs, buc an impmvement over the sulky rhe other by Mr. Robert Fades. Some years Dr. Thomas Lyon, of this city, and read at afterwards Dr. Thomas Vascine became the William Hepburn at Jersey Shore; Drs It there was snow in the winter, we used rhe banquet of the Lycoming Medical So- Wood and Rankin in Munch; and Dr. sleight if we could ger them. Frequently owner of a carriage,which was as great a ciety last Tuesdayevening at the Hepburn the roads were almost impassable, in conse- curiosity as Barnum's museum. He was House, has already appeared in pi:int, but George Hill in Hughesville, making in all [en physicians in Lycoming County. Now quenceof snowdi:ifts, and we were obliged thought to be a wealthy doctor, a name un- a great deal of it has not, and through contrast that with seventy-five male and to go through fields, which made it dang- known to the medical fraternity of that thei:equest of a numberof gentlemenit four fetnale, and you will come to rhe con- erous in uaveling after night. There were day. It was never brought out except on appears in the Gaze//e a/za £3z///e/f : clusion that medical males and females no extra charges for night rides, and che special occasions. In reflecting over some of the incidents have increased more than population. country parienEStook che advantageof it; they would work hard all day, and send which occurred during my early adventures Medical Fees Cbwrcbes and Fbe Apparatus in the practice of medicine in WiJliams- for the doctor at night. A doctor in their port, which commenced in April, 1838, Now for the medical fees: Di:. Hepburn opinion had no businessever to ger tired, The town could only boastof two old (being now almost fif ty-one years); I bring had charged fifty cents per visit, and Dr sleepy, or hungry. Some of them were very dilapidated churches: one located on Pine to mind a greer many events than hight Taylor reduced it [o twenty-five. The former good pay and would treat you like human Street belonging to the Methodist Associa- interest the medical profession, and others, afterwards compromised by charging thirty- beings, others would occasionally haul you tion on the same ground than the present who have locatedhere at a later dare. In rhree and a third cents per visit, twenty- small loads of poor wood and charge the one now stands; the other. an old dila- the first place, I will addressmyself more five cents per mile in rhe country with no highest price sometimes a load of spoiled pidated stone church on West Third Street particularly to the medical fraternity, and, extra chargefor night visits; five dollars hay, or sore and musedcorn, thad their where the Reformed German Church is now located.The Rev. Mr. Hudson.who is still [o some extent, contrast it with the present. for confinement in town and country. There own animalsrejected. About the only cir- Previous to my locating here, Drs. James was but one drug score,and that entirely culating medium was what were called a resident of our city, was the pastor. Hepburn and Taylor were in possessionof behind the times. We were obliged to shin plasters," issued by the merchants the field; and for one year Dr. Seinerprac- carry medicine with us in down and country small notes, from twenty-five cents to a We had very poor weaponsto battle ticed after Dr. Hepburn had left. The latter I bought my medicine from Charles Ellis, dollar, redeemed at their scores in merchan- against fires. The only implements were bucketsto convey the water from pumps had also ceasedto practice,and had en- of Philadelphia, who charged very high but dise. It would not pay taxes or boarding bills. and open we]]s and a few rickety ladders gaged in the mercan-rile business. Dr. Tay- was always perfectly reliable. Quinine, at which could not be found when needed: lor: had been elected to the Legislature, Dr that time, was five dollars an ounce.and males and females turned out on all occa- Vastine and myself were the only physicians as intermitting fever prevailed in a great Only Six Attorneys until Dr. SamuelPollock from Milton lo- sions. We had no organization, but it was extent, and being obliged to find it our- There were but six attorneysresiding understood that lines were to be formed and cated here, which made three to do the selves with our small fees, we were obliged 20 THE JO-URNAL 21 the males to handle the full buckets and Had No Saloons by an individual calling himself Daniel in Williamsport and Newberry: but his farms also. the females the empty ones; but, as a gen- We had no saloons. and the mode of Cobb,who hailed from the North, repre- eral thing, the latter had to perform both senting himself asbeing very wealthy. When The men would get excised, break open making ice cream had not been develop- he made his grand entrance in our quiet Who Profited B) it doors, carry out some furniture, and then ed.O]d Mr. Duitch, who kept a sma]]hotel down. he drove a team of four horses to with axes and saws ger rid of the balance on Pine Street,made ginger cakesand a carriage, which caused as much excite- There is an old adagethat it is a poor manufactured small beer. and on hot sum- and throw them out of the windows.You ment as a first class menagerie. He soon wind that blows no oneany good.G.W. were obliged to watch and dodge or you mer evenings it was a perfect luxury. Would ingrariated himself into the good graces Youngman, Esq., the father of the doctor, would have an old trunk or some broken it not now be a good idea to compromise was one of the fortunate personswho profi- with our ardent friends of Prohibition and ol Mr. John Cowden,who was one of the chairs on your head. There was no meth- wealthiestcitizens of the town and county. ted by it. Havingpurchased one of the od or judgment exercised,and as a general start up a cake and beer factory? Amonghis first actswas to buy up all farms and laid it out in town lots, he rea- thing not much accomplisheduntil the The lumbering business was undertaken the stores and their consents and merge lized what would some years since have fire exhausted itself. by several persons at different periods, buc them into one on the principle of consoli- been consideredquite a fortune. He is shill always ended in a failure. Major James H dation. He professedto be largely engaged the ownerof the major part of it. Mr. Perkins, who is still living and i:esiding in in the mercantile businessin the North. and Abram Good is the owned: of what was his Tbe Past Office our city, was the first one to make it a had teams going constantly in shipping pet, the brick flouring mill on Lycoming success, and an honomble calling. It was goods to that point. Dr. Seiler, who was Creek, and near Newberry. He applied the We had no pose office, except a portion he who startedthe first boom in the i:ivor practicing medicine here at that time, and rolling pmcess in the manuf acturing of flour for his friends and the community of the banoom owned and occupied by Mr. and gave the lumbering business an impetus owned the house thad I now occupy, was Hem:y Hughes, an old and honored citi- which has been the meansof building up induced to sell out and put the morley in at large,and the rolling up of bank notes for Abi:aham Good. I was not injured zen who had been che landlord for nearly our city and making it one of rhe great the mammoth store. and in less than one half a century. His daughter, Mrs. Mary centres of Northern Pennsylvania. H.e is year he was a bankrupt. He scraped up a little dii:ectly by him, but was very much annoy- Toner, and his grandson, Daniel Hughes, now over eighty-six years of age, and his money fmm some of his patients and moved ed by some of his creditors out North. They M.D., Shill occupy a portion of the old mind and judgment as clear as it ever was [o Harrisburg, where he remained\ until his were underthe impressionthat I got the homestead.It is one of the old landmarks on death. I purchasedthe properly fr om Cobb property too cheap, and sent J. Maynai:d, EaseThird Street, and was in existence long a short time af ter coming [o Williamsporc. Esq., to have it resold, but my attorney, Mr. before my ai:rival in this city. A StoKE RepztbLican Anson V. Parsons,blocked the game, and It was built by Dr. Wood, and afterwards that ended it. When General Grant was a candidate owned by Dr. Hepburn, and then by Seiler. ]n speaking of our fires in an early day, for the Presidency,I was attending, pro- Cobb was a man of rather fine appear- C)f the young men residents of this city and the primitive mode of fighting them, fessionally,Samuel Titus -- Old Uncle Sam- I omitted to mention one which caused ance, great violinist, and any amount of in 1838, T can name only the following as my, as he was usually called, and he was cheek. After fleecing everyone with whom being alive today: John B. Hall, George great destruction to property. It commenced in what was called the United StatesHotel, dangerously ill. He was a strong and decid- he had dealings,he left for parasunknown Gilmore, Geoi:geSlate, William Fink, Frank ed Republican,his brother Joseph an un- The Cobb not only disappeared, buc the Reed, Joseph Calvert, Hepburn McClure, which was one of the largest and best ho- compromising Democmt. They were both corn also. Mr. Cowden,who was one of Lewis G. Huling, John B. Beck, and E.M.D. tels of the down. After destroying the build- quite old and very deaf. Joseph called to his victims, lose not only his fine property Levan ing, it Cooka northerly direction, coming up see him, supposing his time was short in what was then called Court Alley, now this world, and desirous of rendering some Court Street,destroying all the stableson aid and comfort, and putting his mouth in both sides, and burning the Old School contact with his brother's ear, hallooed at Church. Our house, being lust across the the top of his voice: "Brother,what can EARLY SPORTS street. was on fire a number of times. the I do for you?" Samuel, after collecting him- roof suffering the most. My wife reminds self and turning over said: "Vote for (From STORIES OF WEST BRANCH VALLE'r b] Katharine W. Bentley.) me of the part she took in it. I got on the Grant." Joseph made no i:esponse, but soon roof, taking carpetwith me, and she,with left the room. The impression among his There is a tradition that SamuelWallis from Maryland one of the most celebrated Dr. Ed. on one arm (who was then a child), friends was that he did not carry out his and a bucket of water in the other, supplied foromer's wish. Samuel recovered and voted imported from England the first pack of packs of hounds -- others keeping large me with wager to saturate the carpet, and fox hounds in the valley. Be this as it may, packs were the Cai:son,Walton, and Win- for Grant, and after he had deposited his ters families. Great competition prevailed after a hard struggle we succeeded in pre- fox hunting with houndseither imported vice, he said: "I am now ready to die; or domestic was the favorite pastime of among the pioneers in selecting the best venting it going any further. Taking into but he lived to vote for other Republican consideration the present size of the young our pioneer fathers. Other wild creatures blooded hounds. The young men of the candidates for the presidency, but never day were as ambitious to own a horse man, and no better facilities for purring changed his politics. of the forest were pursued either for their out fires. he would either have to take flesh or fur, but the (;baseof Reynard at trained for the chaseas they are at the char early time was a strictly sporting ven- present time to have their own aeroplane hold himself,or we would soon be minus A Bad Cobb a house.His voice was as good then as ture he was prized only for his brush. or automobile. now. In the spring of '38 our town was visited The Harris f emily forought with them 22 T H E JO.URNAL 23

A fox hunt was staged during the Christ- Creek, extending to Adam's mill; the sec- The hunted animalled them over miles and plunging animal through the wilderness mas holidays of 1806 in which all the ond to ..extend from this line six miles of territory and finally stood at bay by to the mouth of Pine Creek.The journey sporting contingent of the valley partici- into the mountains; the third line to square the uprooted trunk of a large tree. While was hazardous,but the party reached their pated. The place of rendezvous was the with this line back of the Alleghenies; the the dogs diverted his attention, Jacob starting point the latter part of Januai:y cavern of Betsy Carson, at the Sign of the fourth line to connectto the third or back Tomb slipped a noose over his horns from and claimed the wager, which was cheerfully Fox and Hounds on Sand Hill, the present line. By some oversight the lines were not a pole twenty feet long. The hunting party Paid site of the residenceof Ode Usmar,along closed,and when the three lines converged then faced the task of leading the frenzied the Montoursvilleroad. The meet was in [o the ground agreedupon for closing they charge of Thomas Wallis, of Muncy, a found it full of emptiness. The circular brother of SamuelWallis and a well-known hunt proved a failure. sportsman.Many of the sportit)g fraternity gathered at the tavern the night before the Horse racing was an early sport. The first INDIAN TRAILS OF LYCOMING COUNTY chase with all the requisites for the occa- course in Williamsport was located on wham sion.On the following morning, after break- is now Front and CanalStreets. In the early By Virginia Trowbi:idge fast at 4 o'clock,the chasebegan. The Trail nineteenth century. the mces on this course led over the hills now occupiedby Wild- drew attendance fmm the neighboring counties, and the bets were in cash and Indians seemed to possess an intuitive and brush. In the lonelier regions, heavy wood Cemetery and its surroundings, and corn. knowledge of places and how to reach underbrush from windfall often blocked lasted upwards of an hour. The fox, after them for they had no roadsand only limi- rhe paths. Where possible, the paths would many ingenious courseswith the hounds in Herdic Park, which occupied the site of ted means of measurementto impmve avoid water, heavy underbrush, especially full flight, tried to make for his head- Williamsport hospital and the surrounding paths. Fmm long experience and keen mountain laurel, and steep ascents. quarters and safety. He was holed at the residences, had a renowned race course observation, the Indian learned the paths upper cut, later occupiedby the F. Coleman which flourishedafter the Civil War. The which would take him where he want- Indian paths were generally low, level, mill. The first at the hole was Tunison Mahaffey farm on the Montoursville road, ed to go the quickest.The genius of the and direct. Trails led from one to another Coryell, then but a lad of sixteen,who was now rhe property of James Eck, had a race of the main folds of i:avercrossings, but mounted on a trained hunter belonging to Five Nationswas shown in their political coursewhich was popular in the 1890's concepts,however. They had no thought of managed to keep their level by twisting one of Mr. Wallis' nephews. Another fox With the comingof automobiles,the pi:i- through wind gaps and water gaps to avoid which came out was holed. the additional drafting the manpower of then: subject peo- vacely-owned courses declined, and today ples to produce monuments for future ages too much climbing. Many modern highways brush going to the your)g boy and his well- horse racing seemsconfined to the county follow the genes:al course of Indian paths, trained steed.With a brush on either side airs to marvel at. Therefore, they had no roads comparable to the Aztecs, Incas, or Mayes. buc difference in tmvel objectives and of his saddle, the proud young man and weight of traffic have made it impossible the hunting party clatrered through the Quoits, foot races, arid long bullets were This doesnot meanthat thereis justifica- tion foi: belittling Indian paths. Indian [o follow them for any gi:eat distance. How- streets of the village while the inhabitants popular recreations where men of early ever,the pathswere so well routedthat came out from their houses and cheered. ames were wont together. John Woodward trails at the time of the settling of Pennsyl- The hunt then returned to the tavern of was the valley'schampion in the foot race vania were comparable to the roads of that many of them were shorter than the cones- ponding paths we use today. the renowned Betsy Carsonwhere a cele- He had many competitors from different time in Europe.They were good for the parts of the country,but he alwaysretained purpose which they served: to provide bration took place. Fox hunting was a pop- his title paths for moccasined men and women. The Pennsylvania indians, chiefly the ular sportuntil the flood of 1865,which Mohawks, Erie, Susquehannocks,Delawares, Pennsylvania's bess transportation has al- uncovered innumerable habitats of Reynard, The impossible fear of pioneer life was and Iroquois; had important thoroughfal:es and the dogs of the valley went berserk. waysbeen by land. Her rivers, on the whole along the West Branch, over mountains, thought to be the taking of an elk alive. have been more of an obstacle than an aid After the flood, the tonguing of the hounds Old hunters said it couldn't be done. So and up the streams could be heardfar into the night, and the in traveling. foxes were chased from the river to the great were the odds against rhe accomplish- Lycoming County was the home of sev- ment of this task Chat Irving Stephenson, a Neither from north to south. nor from eral important Indian trails and of a few foothills of the Alleghenies. The dogs gave tavern keeper at rhe mouth of ]jine Creek, east to west, was there offered an easy up only whentheir feet becameso sore minor ones. Indians formed the background wageredJacob Tomb 250 pounds that he passage through the mountains. However, of Lycoming County. They weJ:e prevalent that they could no longer follow the chase. could not take an elk capri;e. The bet was Pennsylvania, thanks to the Indian, had in the county until about 1750 when the accepted,and four months were allowed for plenty of good trail packs. Earlier ages had white man graduallyforced them up the Another favorite sport of pioneer times the fulfillment of the wager. left a legacy of wind gaps (old abandoned Ohio River. Their trails still remain was the circularhunt which was held water courses) which gave otherwise for- without dogs or firearms, each hunter being The pioneer hunter set out in January, midable ranges a low-level crossing.There In the West Branch Valley, Sunburn was armedonly with a good club. One of these 1800, accompanied by [wo of his sons, a Were paths for all weather and for all the central point from which most of the ring, or circular, hunts was held at Union- man named Maddock, a horse, two dogs, people. Most of the paths were narrow Indian trails diverged. One tmn led to the ville on December 7, 1849, for the purpose and ropes sufficient to hold an elk. They about eighteen inches wide, lust sufficient headquarters of the Five Nations and was of ridding this part of the valley 8f foxes trailedtheir quarryfrom Trout Run to the for people moving single file. A few were frequently traveled by the Moravian Mis- and wolves. The area embraced was six second fork of Big Pine Creek where they well-wornbuffalo traces. Only the well sionaries, bearers of important news, and miles: the first line resting on Bald Eagle spent severaldays maneuvering the capture. settledpaths were kept clear of fallen trees war parties 24 THE JOURNAL 25

THE IMPORTANT TRAILS OF waters of the streams taking their rise near The Wyalusing Path ran up Muncy expedition traveled this path, it was called the present bomugh of Canton. The main Creek to its head, and then crossed the rhe Sheshecummink Path LYCOMING COUN'tY path then continued northward while on€ hills to Loyalsock,half a mile from where branch led down Towanda Creek to the Berwick Turnpike ROWcrosses. From there The ChillisquaquePath, only a few miles long, ran from the town of Northumber- Shamokin was il central point in this North Branch.It was the most important it wentby Ehesite of Dushoreand on to area,and from it all the main paths div- of the network of Indian trails in the val- Wyalusing Creek, near the northwest cor- land over Montour Ridge to the county line of Comly. It was not an imporEanc erged to all points of the compass- The ley, part of it being used by the Moravian ner of Sullivan County, and on to the flats. The path was fi:equelltly used,and the Mor- path. The name, Chillisquaque Pack,was also main path north, since destroyed by the missionaries on their way up Lycoming used for the Muncy-Mahoning Path. The building of a dam at Sunburn, passed up Creek. avians used it when they tied from their the ravine in Blue Hill and after a few settlementon the North Branchto the Muncy-Mahoning Path crossed the valley of the Chillisquaque Creek in the vicinity miles turned toward the river to pass over It afterwards became known as the Cul- West Branch Valley and on to Ohio. bertson Trail, and was used by the inhabi- of Washingtonville,north of Danville,in a hill and follow the river through Win- The greatti:ail from Muncywas a con- Montour County. field and Lewisburg.Fmm there the tmn tants of White Deer Valley in bringing rinuacion of the path from Norrhumberland. went to Shickellamy's Town. Schickel- their grain to the Culbertson mill which It crossed Muncy Creek and continued up Logan's Path, named for Shickellamy's lamy's Town stood on the mouth of Sink- was locatedon the river at the mouth of Eheriver on the line of the highway to son, John, ran from the vicinity of Tishim- ing Run, one mile below West Milton on Mosquito Ci:eek. Portiolls of it can be dis- ingo on the West Branch of the Susque- OrsEonwakin, where it crossed at Loyaisock. hanna near the mouth of Chatham Run to the Union County side. The Reading Rail- tinctly tl acedat this time on the south side In passingover the groundon which Wil- road now runs through the ground on of Bald Eagle Mountain and in Mosquito liamsport stands,the path was probably loca- Logan's Spi:ing near Reedsville and on to which Shickellamy's Town stood. Valley. It is deeply worn in many places ted where Ease Third and West Fourth Kishacoquillas (Lewistown). and can be traveled for a long distance with Streets are laid down. The course from Thin:d Nemacolin's Path, commonly known as From Shickellamy'sTown, the trail fol- ease. Apparently the path was well used. and Penn Streets is believed to have been a :The Braddock Road." was named for an lowed the river along Ehehills ingo White It passeda numberof springs.It is be little north of the present Thin:d Street, fol- Indian who is believed to have been em- Deer Valley,along the south branch of lieved that many prisonerswere taken over lowing an elevated piece of ground near the ployed in 1752 by ChristopherGist and the creek which is the site where Elimsport this pam to captivity.The path was re- line ot 'Willow Streepand as f ar north as Col. Thomas Cresap, who acted for the Ohio is located. (The Indians frequented White garded as a "short cuc" over the moun- Edwin Srreer,until a point was reached near Companyin tracingthe most direct Emil Deer Valley, but there is no evidence of tains and white settlersused it in traveling Park Avenue.then to what is now West between Well's Ci:eek, Maryland, and the a village of any size there. The Indian name to and from Northumberland. Fourth Street and thence to Lycoming mouth of Redstone Creek on the Monon- for White Deer was Opaghtanoten, ot Creek. There it crosseda ford and contin- ghalela River. White Flint Creek.) Fmm Elimsporc, the Another trail passedup the river from ued downsueam to French Margaret's Town. path went west over a mountain into the Northumberlandby the mouth of Warrior It continued up the river to the Great Island THE PEOPLE ON THE TRAILS Nippenose Valley. There it passed to the Run and through a gap in the Muncy and joined the Kittanning Trail. It ran Hills. (It is now followed by the public over the ground where Jersey Shore stands Thesetrails were important to the devel- head,over the hill and through a ravine opment of Lycoming County. The people in Bald Eagle Mountain to the river where road [o the presenttown of Muncy.) War- and crossedPine Creek. there was a ford to the Great Island. Fmm rior Spring: near this public road, was im- who used them were important in forming portant becauseit was the favorite camping The SheshequinPath left the main grail a background for Lycoming County. the ford, it ascendedBald Eagle Creek to ac the mouth of Black Hole Creek, followed place of many chiefs and warriors who met There is an idea, on the parc of many Milesburg. It then passed over the moun- there to counselwith one another as the up that stream and crossed Bald Eagle tains to Clearfield ( then known as Chinkle- Mountain through the Loyalsock Gap to people, thad rhe Indian was a savage and camoose)and westward to Kittanning. limes began to changeand che Indians were that to meet an Indian on the trail was pushed westward. the river. From there it went i)oi:thwescby From the site where Spring Creekand a folding at rhe headof wheeis now known to meet certain death. However, the people as Canfield's Island. From thee:e it ascended who traveled the paths of Pennsylvania and White Deer Creek flow together, another The Wyoming Path, though not used as trail bore to the northwest. It followed Lycoming County used Chem for much the much as others, served as a "cut off" by Miller's Run. It then bore away in a north- Spring Creek to its source,and then passed parties pushing to reach the West Branch westerly direction through what is called same purpose that the people in Europe over the mountainsinto Mosquito Valley. Valley quickly from W oming. It started Blooming Grove and descendedthrough a used their paths: to communicate, to satis- fy needs, or to relocate. Most of them had It wentdown through the rlarrowsto the from W'ardor Spring and ran up Glade gap to Lycoming Creek. The path came out no malicein mind river, which was crossedlust west of the Run. (GladeRun wdsnamed for its glades near Hepburnville.At Hepburnville, it mouth of Mosquito Run, to the western and the open spacesthrough which ii pas- united with a path leading upstream. Not When traveling for any distance,the In- shore of Lycoming Creek, up which the path sed before falling into the river a short far from Williamsporttraces of the path dian often carried a pack on his back. Men led to its source. (Lycoming Creek, the distancebelow Muncy Creek.) From Glade are plainly visible and can be followed eas- wore packstrapsslung over the chest, wo- Legaui-henna of the Delawares, was noted Run, it continued over the hills to Fishing ily for somedistance. The path considerably men wore them over the forehead.There for its crookedness.In a distanceof Creek, which it crossed at Millville. From shortened the distance between the point is a story that Shickellamy,the "half-king' twenty-three miles after leaving Wil there the path went on to NescopeckGap where it intersected rhe path leading up of the Iroquois, was saved from death in liamsport, the Northern Central Railroad and up the river [o Wyoming where it Lycoming Creek and Orstonwakin, on the 1737 when he slipped on the edge of a crossed it eighteen tin)es on bridges.) At intersectedan imporranr rrai] known as the Loyalsock, by French Margaret's Town. Ac- cliff of LycomingCreek by catchinghis its source, it branched out upon the head- Wyalusing Path. cording to Colonel Hartley, whose military packstrap on a bare tree branch 26 T H E JO'URNAL 27

If an Indian met a traveleron the trail, terrible when they did occur. The most A BRIEF H ISTORYOF ROSEVALLEY he would generally offer him something to common hazard on the trail was getting eat. It was the proper thing to sit down and lost. If an Indian did get lose on the trail, By Olive Strouble pass a pipe. as he occasionally did, it was generally be- causethere were too many tracks to fol- Tbe First Setters ot Rose Valle) We speakof David Srroblenext. He David Zeisberger, in his /firor7 OJF/be low and he took the wrong one. /7azazzi, described the Indian on the trail planted 'himself down in chas "vineyard this way: Storms were great Email wreckers. There Johl] Rose first appears as a young man i)f harmonies." John and Michael Stiger were times when the wreckage from a storm on the assessmentof Loyalsock for 1798; were also early settlers. lvlr. Bidelspacher On their journeys they are nev- became so bad thad travelers had to take and from 1801 to 1808 the word " actor was the next settler.Isaac Lippincott, anoth- er in haste, for they are everywhere detours and became lost. ney '' is written opposite his name, showing er settler, was possessed of a large amount at homeand whithersoever they char he had become a member of the bar of land. wander they find sustellancein As the Indian was shoved out. trails be- He was a Scotchmanby birth, born in 1772, Schools rhe forest. Therefore, if a while gan to disappear.Trails were widened into and came to America in 1794; and he died man travels with them, it is wisest bridle paths for the traders with pack grains. on September1, 1812.He and his wife are The first schoolhousewas built in Rose that he be contentnot to hasten By the time of the American Revolution, buried in Wildwood Cemetery. He was Valley by .JohnGriggs in 1839.It was a but accommodatehimself to their wagon mads had taken the place of bridle one of the first. if not the first. settlers logbuilding. 'l'he first teacher was J. W. movements paths. After the Revolution, many wagon in the Valley. Soon after his marriage he Nlilnor. and the first scholarsto arrive roads were converted into railroad beds. settled in what is now Gamble Township on the morning school opened' were John SHELTERS AND FOOD The Indian trail was an impermanenc and namedhis place "Scotland."From him and Peter Griggs. The teacher's salary was thing. No stone or road metal was used the Valleytakes its name,only at first $33.00 per month Finding accommodation for the night was it was known as Rose's Valley. After Rose no problemon the trail. Boughsof hem- on them. Only a few survived. In Pennsyl- Cb{ robes lock and balsam made a soft mattress vania,it is hard to walk on an old Indian left the Valley,it filled up slowly with There are two chul:chef in Gamble Town- Every ten or twelve miles, on important path. Most traces of the trails have been ob rugged German settlers,who by dint of hard trails, the Indians had one or more types litemted by farming, lumbering, road mak- work reclaimed it from its pristine corldi- ship: one is a union church in Rose Valley, of shelterserected. In rainyweather, it ing, house building, and strip mining. A rion and made it, in reality, "bloom like formerly used by the Baptists and the Evan- mere was no cabin available,.the Indian few in Lycoming County can be followed a rose." An old journalist, who has been gelicals, but now used solely by the Evan- for short distances dead many years, visited the Valley in Ap- gelical United Brethren; the other is a Meth- speedily peeled base from the trees and ril, 1870, and thus wrote of the early l;disk. The ground for the Rose Valley built a hut. It consistedmainly of a roof The Culbertson Trail can be traced. on settlers: ''A stroll through this Valley has Church, school, and cemetery was given by supportedby four postsunder which they remaineddry. In the winter rineykrlew rhe south side of Bald Eagle Moul)rain and given the writer some idea of ics resour- JacobUlmer on January 17, 1861. The in Mosquito Valley. A trail that runs by ces and its inhabitants and its settlers. deed was recorded May 15, 1861 which trees to peel. The shelters were in Warrior Spring is now followed by the pub- The school stood below the church, but oblong form, generally about 9 ker by lic road for a distance. The Sheshequin In 1820,.James Mcwilliams, Sr., settled 6. In front they were about 5 ker high, upon the propertymat Mr. Srmblenow after many years a new school was built and behind about 3 and one-half feet, so Path united with a pam at Hepburnville and after leaving Williamsport it can be owns and occupies. In Mcwilliams' early and stands on its present location. that the roof would have a descent. followed for a distance days, he endured great hardships, secEling Originally the church was headedby two Food was also easy to come by. In sea- in the woods and working unceasingly, one- wood stoves. one on each side. It is said son there were grapes and red plums, huckle- As tmils disappeared,so did the Indian handed. to clear out the f orests ingo far that the ladies sat on one side of the church berries and wild cherries. Travelers carried heritage, though not as drastically. H.ow- ming land. The forests were very heavy while the gentlemen occupied the opposite parched meal. Rattlesnake was considered ever, Indianaheritage is beginning to be and thick and ashis sonsgrew up he was side. There were seats in the right hand a good meal. Often parties of hunters (In- recognized as being important enabled, after several years of hard toil, to corner in the front which was labeled the dians) were traveling the trails and accom- Indian trails, the paths which accom- raise sufficientgrain arid vegerabJesfor 'Amen" corner all the necessities of life. modatedone anotherand white people. modated the savage, are buried beneath The Church was remodeled in the sum- our towns and cities, but it does not make mer of 1913 at which time the memorial DANGERS ON THE TRAIL them less important for without the trails John Griggs was one of the next settlers. there could have been no communication He was indomitable, energetic,and indus- windows, Sunday School rooms, and the The best time to travel was in the spring vestibule were added. The carpet was laid Communication was, and is, a greer build- trious, and he was greatly instrumental in or fall: in the spring after the ice had bro- er having Rose Valley improved at an early October 21, 1950. The lights were installed in March. 1959. and the new oil furnace ken up and floatedout of the screams,or day. in the fall after the heatof the summerhad .Miss Trowbridge is presently a st den in 1962. The organ was added in 1964 passed and the flies had disappeared. lce at fbe Williantsport Area Comntnl iT CoL- The next person we speak of is Jacob Nylon carpet was pur in the SundaySchool and snow, especially on the northern slopes Lege.) Ulmer. He was also among the first sett- rooms in September, 1964 of the hills, were treacherous.A flash flood lers. He cleared out a fine farm and planned (Tb s article was wctw ec % be Swtaa] could change a river into a raging torrent. it with the choicest fruit trees. He was one bzlLletin ot tbe Rose Valley E. U. B. Cbwrcb Forest fires were not common. but were of the most industrious men of the Valley. tot October 8, 1967.) 28 THE JOURNAL 29

EARLY HORTI CU LTU RE him by burns as gardener, farm hand, coach- settled his estate and sold his farm. He then man, and body servant. Edkin was clever offered Edkin several hundred acres of land (Fro?nH-ORIES OF \XZESTBRANCH VALLE'r b] Katharine W. Belzllet.) and willing, and soon made himself in- on terms that were considered f avorable, dispensable to the childless old general, who and he removed [o his new plantation with placed the greatest confidence in him dur his family in 1808. When John Adlum accompanied Samuel the valley were looked after by various ing the lash years of his life. After the gen- The tract sold to Edkin was in Muncy Maclay and Timothy Matlack on ai] ex- members of his family. eral's death, Edkin spent some years with pedition to examineand survey the West Mrs. Gates, but his imagination had been Valley and the place has long been known Some fourteen years later, when a bache- as Edkin's Hill. To this place he brought Branch and its headwatersin 1790, he be- fired by George Lewis, a frequented of the lieved he had found a country better adap- lor of fif ty-four, Judge Adlum was manied large numbers of young apple, pear, peach, to his cousin, Miss Margaret Adlum, of Gales mansion. Lewis had purchased large ted to the culture of grapes than the sunny tracts of land in the mountainous part of and plum freesfrom the nurseryon the Frederick, Md., and riney settled neal' Gates farm, and soon establisheda thriving slopes of France. With a plan for extensive Georgetown, D. C., at a place long known Pennsylvania, in what is now Sullivan ar)d vineyards in mind, he invested heavily in orchardin the wilderness.This was the as "The Vineyard."At this farm he con- Lycoming Counties. He was Chen spending lands bordering Muncy Creek, and in 1791 a large fortune with the chimerical idea first regular nursery in Lycoming County; tinued his experiments and had the sacis- and Edkin's Hill becamea distributing cen- settled in the valley. f action of demonstrating thee wine could of making a still greaterfortune by the man- ufacture of glass and the settlement of his tre for the first orchards planted in this be madein this country which, to use his section. Thousands of fruit trees in the val- On a tract near the present Pennsdale own confident words. "will rival the world lands. He built his glass factory clear a he erected a stone house which is standing ley of the past generation were gmfted from in quality." Among weighty testimonials, rnounrain lake which for many years bore the treesthat stoodon the farm of Gen- today and occupied by Curtis Hess. In this he cites one from ex-President Thomas his name, but was later changed to Eagles comfortable home he installed his aged Mere eral Gates over a hundred years ago on Jefferson, who assured him that he placed ground that is today the centre of New parents and his three young brothers and a bottle of his native wine on the table six sisters.Then the young surveyor,who After the death of General Gales, Lewis York City had been a veteran of the Revolution at with the best Burgundy of Chamberlin and asked company which twenty, appointed major in the Provisional the to point out army by PresidentAdams, and a brigadier was the American bottle, and they could general in the Pennsylvania militia, settled perceive no difference. LINCOLN'S VIOLIN to the quiet life of a scierltificfarmer and In 1823 Judge Adlum published a small By Glenda Hessler a student of Montoursville High School his hobby of raising grapes. book entitled ''A Memoir on the Cultiva- tion of the Vine in America.and the best The country roundabout abounded mich Mode of Making Wine." in this book he My great-gul)dfather and great-grand it is unknown, but at that particular time many species of indigenous grapes that mentions "Muncy Grape a purple or mother came from Gei:many and settled money was so scarce chat storekeepers con- young Adlum believed were capable,by pale red; mis is very like the Catawbain near Wilkes-Barre. At that time any settler ducted a large part of their business by proper cultivation, of yielding the very appearance, so much so that if I myself could have bought the land where Wilkes- bartering, and Lincoln was kl)own to trade best of wine. So he spent his time collect- hadnot cut it from the original vine, which Barre now stands. Their son, Harvey Hles- for anything. Perhaps he gave a side of ing, cultivating,and improvingthe native is growingon a limestonehill on a farm sler, married Ida Frymire in Williams- pork or a sack of flour for it. At any i:ace, grapeswhich otherwisewould have become I have near the West Branch of the Susqe- port in 1903. They bought a new large it hung in the corner of the scoreover the extinct by the rapid improvements of the hanna, in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, I house at Wallis Run. whiskey barrel for many years. first settlers. Extensive plantations of grape would have taken them for the same grape; vines soon covered his freshly cleared ac- but the taste is different, somewhat like our My ancestors were lumbermen. My Lincoln couldn't play himself, but when res, and he enthusiastically declared that wild plums. great-grandfather worked for a large lum- a group of settlerswere leafing in the store, the grape will eventually be the most ber company. He owned four sawmills on he would get it down and one of them profitable article of agriculture in rhe United Three years after John Adlum made timber tracts which dated back to 1864. would scratchoff a few tunes by ear.He States. his first experiments with native grapes C)ne of these was destroyed by a flood Cook the violin to neighborhood dances, in the valley (1794), George Edkin, a which damaged much of the lumbering and it was one of the few in that section young Englishman,leff his native London of the country. A A4r. .Johnston would often But the young horciculturisc had been too to seek his fortune in America. Almost business in Williainsport. Another saw- distinguished in public life to be allowed mill was burned in 1869. play it for the dances. He was a homestead to pursue his experiments in peace. He was immediatelyafter his arrival in New York: er in New Salem and frequented Lincoln's frequently asked to conciliate and make chance led him to the house of General A bit of inrerescing family history is score.He often joked about the violin, and treaties with the restless and suspicious in Horatio Gales, who had won undying ehe fact that my great-grandfather was from time to time laughingly suggested deans,and when LycomingCounty was fame by his brilliant capture of Burgoyne given the violin which had been Abraham I trade. One day Lincoln sold it to him formedon April 13, t795, he wasnext day and his entire army ac Saratoga,only ' to Lincoln's. This is the story= Nb. Johnston's son became interested in appointed one of its first associate judges. have his record smirched by his later con- He held this office until 1798 when he re- nection with the Conway cabal. The violin which Lincoln couldn't play it and soon was fiddling with the best of was in the general score at New Salem, them. In the meantime, Lincoln moved and signed and removed to a farm near Havre General Gates took a sudden fancy to 111.,when no one ever dreamed.he would the Johnston's heard no more about him de Grace. His extensive land holdings in his wistful young countryman, and used attain the presidency.Where Lincoln goE until he was a candidatefoi: president.He 30 THE JOURNAL 31

vania Railroad on favorableterms to have was on a speaking tour and was scheduled Yearslater the ancestorsof Harry John- the efforts of their editors and publishers, to speakin a nearby town when they saw ston, of Holdredge,Nebraska, gave the it is simply becausethey do not know a these logs gathered up and railroaded back him again. Young Johnston played in the violin [o my great-grandfather Hessler when go-ahead newspaper when they see one. [o rhe Williamsport boom to be manufac- orchestrathat furnished the music. When he was very oJd in payment of a large debt. tured there. It is intended also to bring back all logs found betweenthe mouth of the meetingwas over and everyonewas Somepeople think rhe violin may be a liam the Philadelphia Times. standing around shaking hands, he approach- Stradivarius because of the delicate cut of the Juniata and the Chesapeake, bur it is ed Lincoln and held out the violin. Plucky \VillianLsport probable that most of Chemwill never be the scroll and the mirror-like curled maple recovered. Do you rememberthis fiddle, Mr. Lin- back which has a striking resemblance to The people of WiJliamsport don't pro coln?" he asked. the descriptions of Stradivari's work. The poseto gecleft in their business,even if This is solid, robust pluck on the part alternating dull and glistening grain is a flood does come along and sweep their of the WiIJiamsporr lumber dealers. There Lincoln squinted at it for a moment, blended as smoothly as the finest satin, and hundredsof millions feel of logs and sawed might be more immediate money in fol- then tucked it clumsily ui)der his chin, all of its many years haven't dimmed the lumber away. They understand chao they lowing the fugitive logs and manufaccui:- smiled and, in effect said beauty. must hold the Lumber City as the centre ing them at various centres along the river; Oh, yes, it's the violin I never could of the lumber trade of the Slate,and they but Williamsporris nothingif not the My family now has the violin. My grand- pull themselvestogether and ger right down lumber centre of the State. and Williams- play. It's much too shore for my long arms. father played it when the fiddlers performed to practical business. But there were many evenings Chat I dan- ac the Montoursville Centennial in 1950. port pluck will maintain her great trade for ced to its music.' They have madea prompt hunt for their the future. Pluck is a very commendable fugitive logs and found about 100,000,000 quality in seasonsof great calamity, and feet srraggledalong the river between Wil- Williamsporr is a shining exemplar for every suffering community in Pennsylvania. FLOODED NEWSPAPERS liamsport and the mouth of the .TuniaEa, and Cher have arranged with the Pennsyl- HOW' THE LOCAL PAPERSWERE ISSUED WHEN THE FLOOD WAS ON THE PLUCK SHOWN BY THE LUMBERMEN particle taken from Tbe Semi-weeklyGclzetEe and Bz{.lletin,\Willia7t sport, Pa. F dav, A PLEA FOR NATHANAEL GREENE PAPERS }wne t4, 1889.)

E am the Philadelphia Press. oled posterpaper up in the secondstory The Rhode Island Historical Society,with Chatwill be excluded from rhe printed vol untouchedby the flood.Upon this a half- the suppoi:tof the National Historical Pub- umes. The newspaperpress is not easily silen- sheet extra. brim full of news, was issued lications Commission and the co-sponsor- ced by eirhei: flood or fire. In the recent ship of the ClementsLibrary at the Univer It would be appreciated if anyone posses' that rivaled in gorgeousnessthe finest cir- sing letters to or from Greene, or having riot of watersin this Statemost of the papers sity of Michigan, is engaged in collecting cus programLycoming County ever saw. knoll,ledge of such letters in private hands, whose buildings were invaded by rhe flood The pressesof the Renovo Eve f g Near photocopies of all extant papers of the managed to keep right on in some shape, (or in public repositories whose holdings nevershopped, though they had to i:oll off Revolutionary General, Nathanael Green are not listed in the N:ational Union Cata- in spite of the intruding and threatening (1742-1786). The assembling of photo- element in the basements and lower stop:- the story of wide-spread disaster on che log) , would notify The Rhode Island Histor blank side of wallpaper for the people of copies of original manuscripts is prelimin ies. In Williamsport, when the turgid tide ary to a letterpressedition of selectedpap- ical Society. Please address communications Clinton County. The Sunbury demi, half to: Richard K. Showman, Editor, Nathanael of the river came pouring into the edi- submerged, remarked complacenrly: "The ers [o be published in seveml volumes dur- torial rooms of the Gazette and Bulletin, flood has filled the basementof the Kami ing the next five years and an eventual Greene Papers, 52 Power Street, Providence, Rhode Island, 02906. the writing force quietly moved up another office, and consequently covered the Hoe microfi[m edition of a]] manuscript material flight and wendon with their work, while press.When the demi is issued-- and we the reporters covered their routes in scows. expect it [o go out in good Style on Satui:- The presseswere covered with two feet of day night--it will be ar] evidencein itself water:,bur a Washington hand press and that all is well." And sure enough,out from relays of able-bodied assistantsgot the edi- irs soaking office the demi came, lust as BABY CARRIAGES FREE tion out as usual. The other enterprising though there had been no flood and the Journals in that city, though less fortunate, Hoe press had not been coated an inch caine up smiling in the face of disaster. deep with Northumberland County mud. The PennsylvaniaRailroad Company has a concession in f avon of the children which issued instructions to all baggage agents their parents will heartily appreciate; and At ]erse] Shore This sort of newspaper enterprise pays and baggage masters on rhe system east of it is but another manisfestation of the con- in the long run. There is an inspiration Pittsburghand Erie to receiveand carry stant endeavor of the company to make the The Jersey Shore rider/e ran out of about its self-reliant cheerfulness. If the free of cost in baggage cars baby carriages, road atrracrive[o cverybocly.(.////y 23, 1889, white paper, but thai:e was a stock of col- readers of these jourrlals do not appreciate whet) accompanied by their owners. This is Gazette al%ciBi&llet&w. ) 32 THE JOURNAL

&oa %em 6&,,tza£«&aaS4o,PPu9, IWith Ease And Much Pleasures

THE ARTS AND CRAFT SALE IN OUR MUSEUM Nov.30, Dec.1- 2 - 3 - 4 and5, 1972 AND

unIQUE GIFTS MADE BY LOCAL CRAFTSMEN FOR SALE I N THE MUSEUM SHOP

t?'ltlt{.(} S!:t:i ,$ )1o'!.c'}. COME AND ENJOY A NEW FRED WARING SHOW THE IN THE MAGNIFICENT SE'LYING OF OUR NEW WILLIAMSPORT HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM JOURNAL

Tuesday, December 5, 1972 OFTHE 8:15 P. ]W. RESERVED SEATS ON SALE AT 858 W. 4th STREET Lycoming County Historical Society (BEGINNING MONDAY, OCTOBER30, 1972) VOLUME Vlll FALL NUMBER TWO Benefit: Lycoming County Historical Society and Museum 1972