THE

b/JOURNAL OFTHE Lycoming County Historical Society

VOLUMEXVlll SPRING NUMBERONE 1982 JOURNAL ofthe LYCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Pub/shed Semzbnnua/ZJ zn Wz//zamsPorf, PenmyZzianz2z Museum Office - 858 West Fourth Street Telephone (Area Code 717) 326-3326

BOARDOFTRUSTEES

RALPH R.CRANMER WI LLIAM E. NICHOLS A.F.BEIGHLEY LEGALCOUNSELOR HARRY H.KING CLARENCE R. MUTCHLER JOHN L.BRUCH,JR. CURRENT SOCIETY PRESIDENT BOARDOFGOVERNORS

DR. CLARENCE R. MUTCHLER, H'eszden£ JOHN E. PERSON,111. .7rd robeH'azdezlf JAMES P. BRESSLER, /sf }'zce H'es. EVERETT W. RUBEN[)ALL, Secrefaz.y DR. LORING B. PRIEST, 2nd rz'ce .f'resident JAMES WEAR, Treasurer 1981- 1983 1982- 1984 MRS.NORMANS.INGERSOLL MRS.JOHN W. BITNER MRS. EDITH WRIGHT OK.SAMUELJ.DOKNsirz JACK KISBERG ROBERT SMINK EDWARD J. DURRWACHTER RICHARDMIX

EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS

MRS. DAWN KEEPER JUNIOR LEAGUE OF WILLIAMSPORT

ROGER SHIPLEY, I)fiBS/DENT THE GREATERWILLIAMSPORT COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL

KENNETHE.CARL HISTORICAL SOCIETY RETIRING PRESIDENT

HISTORICALSOCIETYSTAFF MRS. RICKS MAIETTA, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

VOLUMEXVlll SPRING NUMBERONE 1982 MUSEUMSTAFF CONTENTS D{TectoT Andrew K. Grugan Gq't Shop Manager B Tout DivectoT Gloria Z. Grugan

MUSEUMVOLUNTEERSTAFF

Registration Committee MissJune Foresman, Chairperson Mrs. Stanley Bassett Miss Ethel Ertel Page Mrs. Frederick Snell

Greetings From the President's Desk 4 OPeraZzan Mweum Andrew K. Grugan Early Episodesin Williamsport's History 5 Publicis) and Public Relations Andrew K. Grugan 75th Anniversary Contributors 17

Genevat Restovatfon Mr. and Mrs. Emlin S. Massey History of the U. S. S. Lycoming (APA-155) 18

Sarah Burrows Coryell Hays Collection 21 CuTatoTtal Departments. 26 Genera/ Curator Andrew K. Grugan Minutes of the First Meeting

.4Tchaeo !o g) James P. Bressler, Chairman William Tumbaugh Karen Rickey Ricki Maietta

A rchives and Records Miss Gladys Tozier, Chief Miss Jean Little Miss Phyllis Briel

Education Andrew K. Grugan

Fzlze,4 rts Dr. June E. Barkin

IndulstTiat Exhibits Francis Maneval

MzneraZs Lewis Harper COVER PHOTO: Our cover picture is of Colonel Herbert Russell Textiles Mrs. Norman Ingersoll Laird, first secretary and founder of the Lycoming County Historical Society. Please read more about Colonel Laird in Paul Gilmore's Mrs. Edith Wright Early Episodesin Williamsport's History" printed in this Journal. Mrs. Patricia Lockspeiser

John Sloan Memorial Collection Gloria Z. Grugan 4 5

GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK EARLY EPISODES IN WILLIAMSPORT'S HISTORY b) Pant G£tmoTe I'his speech was presented to the Historical Socket) at {ts Annual Dinner Meeting {n Wav'rensdtLe on APTi1 14, 1982 Dear Members Fasten your seat beltsl It should interest us, this evening, We look back now upon our year of celebration of the 75th Anniver- that Lycoming County was created sary of the Lycoming County Historical Society with a sense of satisfac- We're going to take a wide-ranging exactly 187 yearsago - on April 13, 1795. tion in the accomplishmentsand with hopefor the future. flight, tonight, through 185 yearn ci It originally encompassed12,500 square The programs - "Sheep Rock Shelter '' presented by the North Williamsport's history. miles - one-fourth of the land surface of Central Chapter of the Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology; "William Pennsylvania. Subsequently,all or por- Penn and the Sooth Birthday of Pennsylvania" presented by our Director, Describedin tourist literature as the tions of 17 countieshave been carved Andrew Grugan; "Christmas Music" presentedby Mary Landon Russell, 'QueenCity of the WestBranch", and out of it. Yet, with 1,215 square miles, Doris Heller Teufel and Kay Huffman; "History of Valentines" by our known throughout the United States it is still the largest county in Pennsyl- Director; the musical program of the Chamber Singers; ''Early Episodes during its lumbering era as the ''fastest vania; larger than Rhode Island and in Williamsport's History" by Paul Gilmore; and "From the Forksto the growing small city in America", Wil- only slightly smaller than Delaware. Forests the Story of the West Branch Canal" by Richard Mix - were liamsport has acquired a fascinating his- outstanding and very well attended. tory which deservesoccasional retelling The original boundariesof William- During the year of celebration, as you know, the Societyand Museum sport were the river on the south; received the Pennsylvania Travel Industry Award for Excellence. Some of the episodeswe will talk about are well documented. Others will approximately Little League Boulevard As of May 26, special contributions for the anniversaryyear cele- on the north; East and AcademyStreets bration, in responseto the appeal sent out by the Board of Governors. be hearsay - folklore - and have been on the east; West and Hepburn Streets have been made by 105 members and totaled $9,345.00. The names of gleaned from articles read during more on the west. The Hepburn farm extend- thosewho contributed $25.00 or more by this date are listed elsewherein than 40 years of local newspaper work ed westwardfrom the town's boundary this Journal. Those who contribute after May 26 will be listed in the to present-day Susquehanna Street; and Fall Journal. These and other contributions made during the year will Williamsport has come a long way the colonel was openly accused of serving help the Societymeet increasing costsand maintain its excellent service. since the sunny afternoon ofjuly 4, 1796. personal interests when he won the Our hope for the future rests in your continued active interest in the county seat for Williamsport. Society and its programs, your efforts to bring in new membersand That day MichaelRoss held an ox your generoussupport financially. roast on his riverfront farm and offered We wish to expressappreciation to the Board of Governorsand the at auction the 300 town lots into which Quite naturally, Williamsport has Board of Trustees for their direction and guidance, to the staff for their he had sub-divided his I I I -acre property. changed since it was founded. So has excellent and faithful service and to the many volunteers who give hours Thus, Williamsport got its start. ' ' everything else. and hours of time and effort. We regret to announce that Mr. Joseph Zebrowski found it necessary New-born, it was less populated than In a day when we can drive to Phila- [o resign his position with the Society and Museum as of May 30th. We either Jaysburg, on the west side of delphia in less than four hours at legal miss his valuable services. Lycoming Creek, or upriver Dunnstown. speed,or fly there in 25 minutes,no one Pleasenote that a copy of Paul Gilmore's address"Early Episodesin But it gained a sudden importance when wants to push a wheelbarrow those 200 Williamsport's History" is printed elsewherein this Journal. it was chosen the county seat of newly- miles. Yet. the Germanforebears of formed Lycoming County. someof us did exactlythat at the dawn of the 19th century when they transport It owesthis political prefermentto ed their meager possessionsfrom the the influenceof Col. William Hepburn port of Philadelphia to Blooming Grove Sincerely a defender of the West Branch G'ontier and RoseValley. during the Revolution. When he be- came a state senator, he persuadedthe No one wants to abandon today's Dr. ClarenceR. Mutchler General Assembly to cut Lycoming off super-highways and go back to using President from NorthumberlandCounty. Then Culbertson's foot-path over Bald Eagle he maneuvered the selection of William Mountain. Nor will we give up today's sport as the county seat by persuading motor bus for the stagecoach which, in Rossto set aside free town lots for a 1809, required 14 hours to get from court house and jail. Neither Jaysburg Williamsport to Northumberland in good nor Dunnstown could match this gener- weather - and uncomfortably longer if osity. roads were snowbound or deep in mud. 6 7

We could not feed today'spopula- choose,but on a Sundayin 1824,eight one of their sancturaries. Abraham tian as a lumberingcenter. Here'sthe tion, if we were still cradling wheat by Negroes attempting to cross the Susque- Updegraff and Tunison Coryell, promin- story: hand; nor could we clothe it, if we relied hanna in torrential rain became con- ent businessmen, aided them openly. alone on the spinning wheelsof our fused, lost their bearings,and sevenof Fugitives found concealment in Nigger Major James H. Perkins, an exper- great - great - grandmothers! them drowned Hollow, north of the city, during the ienced lumberman from Maine, came to day, and at night were hurried across Williamsport in 1845. He quicklyrecog This is not to say thoseold waysand This wasthe way of life in original the hills to the Williamsport and Elmira nized that the gentle drop in the river old tools should be forgotten. Discard- and early Williamsport. It wasa crude Railroad. Knownfriends on that line above Williamsport was ideal for im- ed, yes;but not forgotten. frontier hamlet in 1796. would get them to Elmira, and thence pounding logs, thus making the oper- to Canada. ation of saw-mills profitable. So he built The Culbertson Path; the stage At the outbreak of the American the famous Susquehanna Boom in 1849. coach of .JamesCummings, drawn by six Revolution, 20 years earlier, Indian all- But back to slave-owner John Rose. horses;the grain cradlesmade by ies of the British has laid wastethis same He was the father-in-law of Robert C. It wasa seriesof sunkencribs and SamuelBall at BallsMills, north of land with torch and tomahawk. Indeed. Greer, a justice of the U.S. Supreme piers placed diagonally across the river Williamsport; and the spinning wheels it was considered an outpost of white Court and a son of the Rev. Isaac from the north to the south bank. They of long ago all these things have passed civilization into the 19th century. Grier, early Presbyterian preacher and were 252 in number; measured 20 x 50 away because their usefulness expired. teacher in Lycoming County. feet; were 22 feet high; and were And for the same reason, stove pipe in- Its militia wasleft at homeduring anchored, which means filled, with large spectors, the earliest employees of infant the War of 1812to guard againstIndian Justice Grier's wife inherited her stones. They were connected by logs to Williamsport. are no more. Vanished. raids still considered possible on the ex- father's farm and slaves; and slave- which chains were attached. The too, are the SusquehannaBoom and posed West Branch frontier of that day. owner Grier was the "Northern justice chains, in tum, were fastened securely logging ponds of sawmill days; the pad- who concurredin the politically moti- in the piers. dle-wheel excursion boat, Hiawatha, Roadswere laid out early but they vated Dred Scott decision. He agreed to which carried Sunday School picnickers were !ittle more than rough and rutted ride along" with Chief JusticeRoger B. This arrangement made a floating to Sylvan Dell, below Williamsport; and cartways. The first bridgeswere built Taney and his concurring opinion earn- fence that would catch logs commg the slow-moving Maid- of the-Mist which in 1816 near the mouths of Lycoming ed him widespread and caustic Northern down the river. plied the river westward to Nippeno and Loyalsock Creeks. The Susque- criticism . Park. And, with electric refrigeration, hanna River was not spanned until 1849 The Boom extendedupriver from who would cut winter ice to store in saw. when a private stock company financed Seven years after the Dred Scott Maynard Street for ll miles. It could dust for summer consumption? a toll bridge at Market Street. decision, Williamsport 6lgured again in hold 300-million board feet of logs - and an important political incident of the these were rafted at convenience into the GONER The passing of Time has The first bank was chartered in 1835. mid-19th century. holding pondsof the 35 mills which eliminated all these things. It has also Because President Andrew Jackson was lined the riverfront altered the face of Williamsport. hostile to the national banking system, Historians agree that the re-election only Whigs and Anti-Masons bought its of Abraham Lincoln was assuredin In the lumber industry's three best We no longer gather around a town shares. No Jacksonian Democrat would 1864 when he won Pennsylvania'selec- decades - from 1861 to 1891 - the Boom pump in front of the jail to discusstown offend Old Hickory by purchasing bank torial votes. But winning them required prospered. So did Williamsport. More news as did the original inhabitants. stock, regardlesof how profitable such adroit political maneuvering. than 31.6-million logs were floated into Boys no longer spear frogs in a pond an invesmlent might promise to be. the Boom. and wafted out to sawmills that covered the present-day site of the First. the state constitution had to be that turned them into 5.5-billion board Northern Central Bank and Trust Co. amended to pemlit soldiers to "vote in feet of lumberl And huntersmust go far beyondthe We note that slave-holding was First United Methodist Church to shoot countenancedin Williamsport into the the field". State Senator Henry John- 1840's. The number of slaves never son, an attorney practicing in Muncy These were the bountiful years when deer. and Williamsport, was the chief propon- the lumber industry provided 2,000jobs; exceeded 50 but among their owners when mill owners with a total invest- were Colonel Hepburn and Dr. Samuel ent of the amendment. He carried it Despite changes of recent years in Coleman, early masters of Williamsport's successfullythrough the Legislature; and ment of $9-million were manufacturing Market Square,no one today would first MasonicLodge; Amariah Sutton, the soldier vote of Pennsylvaniacarried products worth$7-million annually expectto buy the wholeof it for $400 father of Methodism on the West Lincoln back to the White House. and growing rich, even through floods as did Col. RobertMcClure in the Branch; and John Rose. a prosperous and fires were devastating hazards. 1820's. farmer whoseacres compriseilmost of Incidentally, this was the first time the 6th and loch Wards of the city. in national history that provision was They were years before income taxes; years when more millionaires lived on No longer is a light-house required made for absentee voting. on the river bank at the foot of Locust West Fourth Street than on any other Fugitive slaveshad helpful friends in During the time these things were stre©t of comparable length in the world. Street to guide boatmen across an un- this locality. Nigger Hollow, renamed happeningin the political arena, Wil- bridged stream. Smile at this if you Freedom Road about 50 years ago, was liamsport was gaining widespread atten- But there were also years when mill 8 9 hands worked 12-hour days, six-days-a Local history shows Williamsporters mand for easycredit and the use of pa- election of Republican President William week, at $1 .50 per day. top waged have often strayed from majority party per currency for paying interest on Howard Taft. Debi polled 860 votes; moorings. They have repeatedly re- government bonds. Taft, 685. Woodrow Wilson topped That's why there was a SawdustWar sponded to crusading minorities. Teddy Rooseveltin Williamsport by ll in 1872 The Greenbackers were cutting a votes. Three times in a row in the 1830's, wide swath in both state and national The mill handswanted their day they backedJoseph Ritner as the Anti- politics; and Williamsport becametheir Three years later, Williamsport elect cut to 10 without loss of pay. Denied Masonic nominee for governor. He state headquarters. Their newspaper ed Jonas Fischer as its Non-Partisan this, they becameriotous. Ten compan' carried the county in his one successful mouthpiece, The National Standard. mayor - then watched him be run out of ies of militia were rushed into the city campaign in 1835. And George F. Baal, was published here by Peter Herdic. office for lack of naturalization papersl and martial law was declared. of Muncy. becamethe county'sAnti- Masonic district attorney. One-time Congressman William He was philanthropic and public- Armstrong, of this city, was the Green- spirited, a successfulJewish industrialist. When a confrontation occurred on It was the hard-to-identify Know- back nominee for governor in 1878. Although he was bitterly assailedpolit- .july 22, and each of the city's nine Nothing Party that carried Williamsport That year, William F. Ott won election ically, his contemporaries spoke of him policemen were injured, 21 of the strik- in 1854 and helped the Whigs electjudge as city controller under its banner; and as a "generous and kindly man '' whom ers were arrested. Tried before Judge James Pollock as governor. He had pre- former Judge Benjamin S. Bentley, Sr.. the city's poor "loved for his many bene- JamesGamble in September,1872, they sided over the Lycoming County courts came within 18 votes of becoming factions were found guilty. Most of them drew in 1851 and, later, by appointment of mayor. sentencesof 30 to 90 days. Four ring- PresidentLincoln. was director of the After Mayor Fischer resigned in Jan- leaders were sentenced to the peniten U.S. Mint. His fame rests on the fact Next came Prohibition uary, 1917, City Council deadlockedin nary for one year. that he is the aurthor of the motto on its efforts to name a successor.Its re- American coinage: "In God We Trust ' Interest in it had been mounting for maining memberswere one Democrat, At this point, one of the most un- a half-century,and ProhibitionParty one Old Guard Republican,one Bull usual happenings in local history occurr- Three yearslater, in 1857, the Know- endorsements had been helpful ever Moose Republican, and one Socialist. ed. Peter Herdic, sawmill operator, Nothings were still a dominant influence sincethe 1857election of the Rev. Mr. They spent months in futile ballotting. owner of the Boom, and Lycoming in local politics. They broke the up-till- Pearce as congressman. County's largest landholder, the only then Democratictradition of this con Finally,their choicefell on Willard lumberman who had been willing to cut gressional district by electing John J. The party achieved success on its G. Von Neida. a lumber scalerand the work-day to 10 hours, rescuedthe Pearce as a one-term congressman. own in 1896. That year it elected James registeredSocialist. When he declined imprisoned strikers. Mandel mayor. He was a wealthy hard- the office after two days, Council was Pearcewas a Methodist minister who wood merchant of high standing and back hits old rut. After Judge Gamble had pronounced servedJersey Shore. He was active in impeccable reputation. sentenced, Herdic boarded ''the night the Temperance movement, then just Again, weeks of deadlocked voting flyer '' for Harrisburg and persuaded his starting its political agitations. The secondProhibitionist in City Hall slipped into months without a choice friend, GovernorJohn W. Geary, to was Herbert T. Ames, attorney, and Eventually, the Legislature intervened. issue pardons to these men. He rcturn- The Know-Nothing Party was a pecul- nationally prominent Methodist church- It enactedthe BrumbaughLaw which ed in time to hand thesepardons to iar institution. It operated through se- He was elected mayorin 1927at limits city councilsto 30 daysfor filling the sheriff as the men appeared to start cret associations.Its memberswere oath the age of 84. vacancies.After that time the appoint- serving theirsentences. bound. They wantedto halt immigra- ive power passes to the courts. tion; demanded 21 years for naturaliza- He was 93 when he died in 1936. He Oncethe court trial found the strik- tion; and were as bitterly anti-Catholic was the Prohibition nominee for gover- On the eveningof its last day, Coun- ers guilty of rioting. Herdic was interest- as the Anti-Masonshad beenhostile to nor at 91 - and a year later successfully cil elected Archibald M. Hoagland, a ed only in restoring peaceon the labor secret societies 20 years earlier. argued a case before the Pennsylvania Bull Moose Republican who had just front . Supreme Court, winning a $22,000 completed a term as district attomey. They got their name from the fact verdicts A fascinatingside-bar to the storyof they never answeredquestions. To every Let us say a word about the Socialist the SawdustWar is the fact that one of inquiry, they replied: "I don't know. Williamsport must have been an in the 1917 Council. He was George K. its ringleaders was Thomas Greevy, a exciting place, politically, in the years Harris, a popular East End merchant great-uncle of retired Judge Charles F. Their influenceevaporated rapidly from 1912through 1917. The Socialist and always a hard-working city official. Greevy. In later years, Thomas Greevy, as the slavery issue moved to center Party was flexing its muscle in those Over a period of 20 years, he was elected a conspicuous Blair County attorney, stage. days. with Socialist, Republican, Democratic, was a Democratic nominee for lieuten- Prohibition and Liberal Party nomina- ant governor of Pennsylvania. By the 1870's, Williamsporters were In the presidential election of 1912 tions. No man evercampaigned in chasing another rainbow. This time it more Williamsporters voted for Eugene Williamsport under more bannersthan Let us talk politics for a few minutes was the GreenbackParty with its de- V. Debs.a Socialist,than for the re- he 10 1 1

He lost the GOP nominationfor tennial of its corporate existencein 1906 grew to $461,000 ptlosperou?; gave Williamspor! a .ga! mayor in 1931but got a l-vote Liberal and had underscoredthe occasionwith plant and water works; built its initial Party endorsement. This he used to many festivities. These Colonel Laird Only once were the subscribers called public transit system; erected the finest achieve a November victory. He was had helped promote. They drew wide- on to pick up a loss- and that was for hotel in Central Pennsylvania; and went mayor during the Great Depression; spread and favorable publicity. $14,000. bankrupt because he did too many issuedscript in 1934 when 40 per cent of things too fast. Lhe tax duplicate was delinquent; and One of his spectacular promotions Speaking of this unique Guaranty did a job of budgettrimming that no was the erection of a billboard. 15 x 30 Fund. Colonel Laird told the Rotarians His idea of licking the depressionof other chief magistrate has matched. feet, opposite the main entrance to the that "this feature of the Board of Trade the 1870's was to keep men employed Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadel effort was of greater value from a pub- buildinglow-cost housing. There is another record worthy of phia. It extolled the merits of Williams- licity standpointthan from any other, noticeat thispoint. We referto the port as "The Ideal City for Home and and Williamsport attracted much favor- But he had his devious ways, too length of years during which W. Clyde Business'' and was in place all of 1906. able attention throughoutthe nation Harer, now 96, filled public office. First because of it. When Williamsport was upgraded elected a school director in 1908. he was With this kind of commitment to from a boroughto a city in 1866,its a Republican state committeeman from publicity, the Colonel considereda per- I cite only one illustration of the western boundary was Lycoming Creek. Lycoming County 70 years later. His manent Historical Society an important vitality of the Beard of Trade under Newberry residents were divided about career includes tells as a school direct. aid in advertising the attractions of a Colonel Laird's leadership. One of his annexation. One petition circulated or, a city councilman, state assembly community. first activities as manager was calling a favoring it; another opposedit. City man, county treasurer, register and re- public meeting in City Hall to announce Council, caught in the middle, stayed corder, county commissionerand state So in 1907, he organized our society that the Keystone Dye Works could be neutral. It did nothing. As a result,a committeeman [o serve a two-fold purpose: First, to brought to Williamsport if its owners third petition was addressedto the coun- gather and preservelocal history and could raise $140,000. ty grand jury. It asked that Newberry Who were the men Mayor Harris cherishthe heirloomsand folklore of be constituted a borough. defeatedin 1931? Lycoming County while there is yet The colonel, with justifiable pride, time; second. to utilize an historical recalled that the $140,000 was subscrib- Before the grand jury could act The Democratic nominee was David society to keep alive an appreciation of ed in 40 minutes - and the Dye Works and in some manner never explained M. Gerry, popular two-term city treas- the re-born Williamsport. operated here for many years. Herdic and Thomas Updegraff procured urer, director of the RepaszBand - old- the City Council petitions;clipped off est brass band in America - and later And re-born it wast It should interest us that the Guar- the signaturesfrom each; wrote a new chairman of the Democratic county anty Fund of the early 1900'swas re- petition favoring annexation and attach- committee Speaking to the Williamsport Rotary placed in 1955 by the Lycoming Foun ed the signaturesto it. Club in March. 1947. Colonel Laird dation. It exists to "promote the econ- The Republican nominee was Col reviewed Board of Trade activities from omic, commercial and industrial welfare This petition was dispatchedto Herbert RussellLaird. a man of com- 1900through 1909. Its primary respon of Lycoming County ' Harrisburg. Everything appearing to be manding presencewho, unfortunately, sibility during that period, he said, was in order, and there being no objections. gave the voters the impression that he the procuring of jobs. To that end Its most recent report distributed a it was promptly and favorably acted was cold and unbentingly aloof. He and acting upon a plan devised by C. few weeks ago showed assets in its re upon. was. in reality, one Williamsport's most LaRue Munson, prominent attorney volving fund in excess of $2.6-million. public-spirited citizens; a man whose the Board establisheda Guaranty Fund On its booksare loans to 16 industries; Thus Newberry was annexed to Wil- superior talents had long been dedicated which underwrote industrial financing and in 1981 eight industrial expansions liamsport without consent.or evenprior to the civic and industrial improvement Businessmen pledged $215,000 to this intended to create 360 new jobs were knowledge - and sometimes we get the of his city. Fund. financed impression that some of its residents have not yet forgiven Herdic. He served as manager of Williams- Colonel Laird explained it was a What Colonel Laird started lives onl port's Board of Trade at the tum of the subscription of credit, not cash. The Next came the judicial hassleof century (1900-09), when the lumber in- banks agreed to lend money on the There are a half dozen episodesin 1868-69. Largely through the influence dustry was fading and replacement pay- endorsement of the Fund. No subscriber local history which can be best appre of Herdic, Lycoming County was con- rolls were desperately needed. was called on for cash unless in event of dated by reviewing the remarkable stituted a seperatejudicial district in losswhen each would pay his proportion careerof PeterHerdic. He took up 1868. Governor Geary, to please his We honor his memory, tonight, as of that loss. residencein Williamsport in 1853 when influential friend, Herdic, appointed the founder of our society. Incidentally, it was a rural. cross-roads town of 1.600; Benjamin S. Bentley, Sr., an able there is an explanation for the year be The first use of this Fund was in and he spent the next 35 years trans- lawyer, as the first judge. This was in ing 1907 1901 when it kept in operation two forming it into a thriving city of 30,000. February, 1868. plants employing ?b men. it was renew- Williamsport had observed the cen ed in 1905 and subscriptions that year He made the Susquehanna Boom But in the electionthat Fall for a full 12 13

10-year term, Bentley was unseated. fell on hard times. Its problemswere kept, and which provedprofitable to woman took him in charge James Gamble. a popular Jersey Shore further complicated when the Williams each during the yearswhen 37 passenger Democrat, was elected. port and Ralston Railroad establishedits This incident induced the Medical terminal alongside the school. Teachers trains moved in and out of Williamsport every 24 hours. Society of 1872 to propose establishing a Thereupon, Herdic hurried back to complainedthat train movementsdis- hospital. In responseto a petition sign- Harrisburg and induced a pliant Legis- tracted the pupils; and parents said the train endangeredtheir children. After Herdic's bankruptcy, the hotel ed by 17 physicians and 23 lay pemons, lature to abolish the 29th Judicial Dis- passed to other hands. For decades it the court granted a charter for the Wil- trict. Judge Gamble retained his office wasknown asthe Park Hotel. Then. in liamsport Hospital a year later. only because the Pennsylvania Supreme As a result,the Academywas sold 1939, Budd Stuart, a wealthy real estate Court ruled the ripper law unconstitu and the $2,400 it brought was used to owner, bought it; had the top floor re It facedyears of struggle. But we clonal. purchase land outside the northeast cor- moved; and reconditioned it as a home must remind ourselvesthat there were ner of the borough. Here a new build- for elderlywomen. He calledit the only 178 hospitals in the United States Another venture in 1873 proved ing waserected that was to becomethe Park Home. in 1873, and none of them were in a city highly unpopular. seat of Lycoming College. It was known as small as Williamsport. as Old Main. This is historical. But I've never While on a businesstrip in Bradford Financial difficulties plagued both seenin print the story of his motivation. Its first - and possibly its life-saving County, Herdic learned of the reputed benefactor was actually a benefactress. curative properties of the sulphur-chard the Academyand public schools. Edu- ed watersof: Minnequa Spring, north of cation fell on hard times. Eventually, Mr. Stuartwas a physicalgiant. It Mrs. HoraceB. Packertook up its Canton. When treatment eliminated was his boast that in his prime no man $4,000 mortgage on terms so generous the Academy was sold to satisfy a me in the surrounding lumber camps could that it wasable to stayin operation. ringworm, from which he was suffering: chanicslien of $432. beathim in a bare-knucklefight. He he 'promptly bought the property and was proud of his prowessand, on the The hospital was first located in a began ballyhooing it as a summer resort Abraham Updegraff, a banker, and exterior, was sometimes gruff. narrow, three-storybrick building at and health spa. John $!nyth, .an associate judge. bought Edwin and Elmira Streets. By 1885,it it. They, in tum, appealedto the But his heart - ah. the heart of Budd had moved to the west side of Pine It wasto enhancethe valueof this Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Street. south of Fifth Street. After resort that he had political lieutenants Church to operate it. The conference Stuart was gentler extensive damage in the flood of 1889, it Introduce a bill in the Legislature creat- renamed it Dickinson Seminary in 1848. And exactly 100 years later, it became His mother was a petite, cultured. movedto high land on CampbellStreet. ing a new county to be known as gracious soul. She taught art for years north of Louisa Street. Minnequa County. He proposed merg- an accredited four-year, degree-granting at DickinsonSeminary. He loved her ing the ' northern townships of Lycoming institution. County with the eastern part of Tioga, tenderly. It has grown in its 120 years of the western part of Bradford, and the If you want to discoverthe happy, community service. Today, with 1,400 northwesternportion of Sullivan to foal comfortable circumstances under which After he had grown wealthy, he on its payroll, it is Williamsport'slargest it 54 elderly women are spending their sought to honor her memory; and did it employer. It has an income of $40 by establishing the Laura V. Stuart million per year; and 20% of its patients twilight years in this city, visit the Park Memorial Foundation. It is the income It are on medical assistance. The cost of After a sharp fight in the House Home. Note its spaciousness,its sylvan from this considerablefortune that replacing it is estimated at a staggering was defeated by a single vote. surroundings,its ideal facilities. Then pay tribute to the generousityof the late undergirds the Park Home; and it is the $140-millionl The story of how some of Williams William Budd Stuart. comfort of 54 elderly women that pays daily tribute to his gentle, out-reaching Williamsport has three institutions port's most serviceable institutions came heart. into existenceis a romantic chapter of The Park Home has a fascinating which show how "great oaks from little local history. history. It was built about 1865 as a acornsgrow." One is the Mary Slaught- The lossof a leg in a loggingacci er Home for Aged . Persons; another. four-story, 700-room hotel. Peter Her- the Williamsport Home; and. third, the For example, a $432 mechanics lien dic erected it and named it "the Herdic dent led to the founding of the Wil liamsport Hospital. Williamsport Foundation. or Commun- accounts for Lycoming College House". For that day, it wasthe finest ity Trust. hotel outside of Philadelphia and Pitts- A man namedScott - his first name burgh. By 1811,with a populationof 300 is not found in existing records - suffer- One year after the Civil War a young persons, Williamsport had an academy It was part of a deal Herdic struck ed a crushedleg whilecutting timber Negress, bom in slavery and never supported by subscription. It was an some miles northwest of Williamsport. taught to read or write. moved to Wil- octogonal building situated at Third with the PennsylvaniaRailroad. He and'West Streets, near the site of the would provide a hotel, if the railroad He washurried to the city on a railroad liamsport with her husband. They be- flat-car but there was no place to care came custodians of the First Baptist new Federal Building. would locate its passengerstation beside It for him. Church. With the advent of public education The record says: "He was no case There, Mary Slaughter listened close- in 1834, the tuition-supported academy It was a bargain which both sides for the alms houseso a kindly, elderly ly to the sermons she heard. Handicapped 14 15 by illiteracy, there were many things ?he At their meeting, Mrs. Phoebe first 30 in America; and was the first And who was 'Big Oliver"? An could not do. Still, the sermons empha- Trainer, spoke of the sad plight of the establishedin a city of lessthan 40,000 ostrichl sized loving one's neighbors - and this bereaved mother and children. Then population. Mary could do. shelaid a dollar on the table and said: We have avoided incidents that 'Let this be the first dollar toward a With current assets exceeding would shame us. She began by showing concern for home for the needy.' $11,500,000,it is a "living monument to the sick. If a neighboring mother be- the memory of generous residents of We could have told you about the came ill, Mary would take the children Thus, the association took on the Williamsport and Lycoming County. first Salvation Army lassies who appear- to her own table and feed them. As a task of establishing a shelter for women ed on the streetsof Williamsport almost matter of reverence and custom, she and children. In April, 1873, they Because they decreed that their 100 years ago. They were stonedl said grace at table. Soon, boys and bought a four-room houseon East Third wealth should be perpetually adminis- girls were going back to their homes and Street and paid for it with food sales, tered in trust, the Williamport Foun- Or about the regrettable occasion 75 asking why their parents didn't give bazaars, rummage sales, and direct dation has disbursed $7.7-million to years ago when Thomas Hughes, first thanks. solicitations. date to welfare, charitable, religious, Negro policeman, was pummelled to educational, civic and social programs death by drunken rowdies not one of Her kindly services grew until she In two years their facilities were over- which undergird our community life. whom was ever brought to trials opened her own home to aged and in- crowded and larger quarters were need- firm colored people who were without ed. Peter Herdic gave them land on the There is no end to a paper like this But let us conclude on a happier family. By 1897 this care outgrew her east side of Campbell Street, just north only an endto yourendurance. note. own home and she went door-to-door of the railroad. In that day the area soliciting support for what became the was undeveloped and the site was faml- I have left much more unmentioned A few years ago, JesseS. Bell, well- Home for Aged Colored Women. land. than we have talked about. Five great known realtor, churchmanand civic floods since 1865 have been ignored; so leader, wrote a lovely little autobio First it comprised a four-room house A larger home was built and within have costly fires that called in help from graphy. In it he recalled that planked on Walnut Street, near Park Avenue. a year it was threatened with sheriff sale. places as distant as Sunbury and Al- shad was a delicacy first prepared by Then it was moved to larger quarters on Only a one-day, door-to-door solicita- toona lumber camp cooks and introduced to Brandon Avenue. Today, we have a tion by the most prominentwomen of gourmet chefs by Peter Herdic; that modern, comfortable facility carrying on Williamsport saved it. They collected The story of Dietrick Lamade and James M. Black, famed hymn writer, the compassionateministry of this re $2,167. Grit Publishing Clompany belongs in a made his home in Williamsport; and markable woman who was born a slave, recital like this. So does the history of that the Rev. J.H. Hopkins wrote "We lived untutored, spent her last years in The shelter was named the "Home C.A. Reed and Company; and the old Three Kings of Orient Are" foi ' a Christ- Danville State Hospital, died at 97 in for the Friendless" and. as such, later Demerest Sewing Machine Company. mas pageant in Christ Episcopal Church 1933. never having read or written a moved north on Campbell Street to forerunner of Avco. while he wasits rector. word Rural Aveune. In recent years, as "The Williamsport Home", it has been beauti- We haven't talked about the era Then Mr. Bell added this paragraph To prepare her obituary, I interview fully located on the north hills overlook- when men became millionaires manu- ed the pastor of her church. With tears ing the west Branch Valley. facturing automobileengines; then lost The Repasz Band, Little League on his cheeks. he said to me: ''Mr. those fortunes in the stock crash of 1929. Baseball, planked shad, ''When the Roll Gilmore, one out of every six members It is one of Williamsport's proud Or of an earliertime whenWilliamsport Is Called Up Yonder", "We Three Kings of my church are there becauseof Mary possessions - and what a magnificent was as famous for its racing horses as for of Orient Are" - these alone are enough Slaughter's good inHuencel heirloom, Mrs. Trainer's humanitarian its lumberoutput; a time whenit got to make Williamsporters swell with dollar has become. headlines throughout the East as "Big pride The Williamsport Home comesof a Oliver" outran the fastesthorses on the different background. Although it Finally, Williamsport has a $31 con- county fairground track. So be it initially experienced years of struggle tribution by Riley W. Allen, JamesB. and frugality, it enjoyedfrom the begin- Krause and James B. Graham, to thank ning the support of the city's Society for an institution that pours $1-million women - in''a day when you spelled annually into the welfare of Lycoming society with a capital "S County.

The hearts of these women were It was with that small original con touched - back in the early 1870's tribution that the Williamsport Foun- when four young children were left dation, or Community Trust, was laun- destituteby the death of their father. ched in 1916. A Community Trust was The ladies' were meeting then as the a new idea 65 yearsago. In fact, the Women's Christian Association. local foundation is numbered among the 16 17

75thANNIVERSARY CONTRIBUTORS I'he jotlouHng peon)lehave donated S2S.00OT mote to the L)coming =ount] Historical Socket) {n celebvatfon of its 75th AnniuevsaT). Future contribution.s will be listed {n the Fall, 1982 Jouvlwl.

Mrs. Guy Abson Tean E. Little Mr. & Mrs. William F. Bastian. Mr. & Mrs. SamuelM. Long Donald & Joanne Bennett Lenore M. Losch Mr. & Mrs. John Bitner Horace H. & Eleanor B. Lowell .a Paul K.Bloom Mr. & Mrs. Michael Maietta b '\ Dr. & Mrs A W. Blumberg Mr. & Mrs. Emlin Massey JohnJ. Brandt Mrs. Frank A. Moltz JamesP. Bressler Kathryn Monks .Brodart, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Walter A. Muir Jane B. Brower Evelyn Antes Mutchler & Jean Antes a g'a 3 Helen M. Calehuff (Gibson G. Antes Memorial Gift) 0 Adelina Caporaletti Mrs. Harry S. Nolan > .] Charles D. Carey Helen C. Page Helen & John Clendenin Mr. & Mrs. William L. Paynter Mrs. John O. Cook Grace Irene Pealer Ralph R. Cranmer John E. Person,lll Mrs. James W. Crooks Mrs. Martin Pestel 8 Mrs. John A. Davis Mr. & Mrs. C. F. Plankenhorn g'g Joseph Dincher Dr. & Mrs. J. G. Porter 0 E Albert L. Dittmar 0 .a Pullman Power Products Corp. George Durrwachter Mr. & Mrs. John N. Rathmell N 'gg Mr. & Mrs. John Garrison Claraa I.amadea a Robison0 0 .e Dr. & Mrs. William Gehron. Jr Mary L. Russell 0 a Mr. & Mrs. Harry R. Gibson Mrs. Harold L. Schaefer 0 N Louise M. Gibson Doris & Paul Schaller 0 0 a Mr. & Mrs. Andrew K. Grugan Mrs. John A. Schultz a. Mr. & Mrs. Paul S. Seaman 0 Mrs. Henry G. Hager 0 Mrs. AllenJ. Hannen Gordon Shaw

''a Miss Mildred Sheehan 0 0 Clyde, Rose & Florence Harem 3 N Phyllis Harris William R. Sims E Mr. & Mrs. H. William Hasson Mrs. Frederick A. Snell & 2 N Mrs. Horace S. Heim Frederick Edmund Snell N Jean T. Heller Harold M. Soars .d Mrs. Arthur H. Henninger Dr. & Mrs. Walter R. Spofford N Gertrude Heilman Hill Mr. & Mrs. L. C. Sweely } Mr. & Mrs. William Hedrick Chauncey Tepel MargaretC. Hom Tetley, Inc. Dr. & Mrs. George Howe LouiseC. Veith Eva F. Hunt Maryellen Waldron Mrs. William H. Jarrett Mrs. Elizabeth Weaver Mr. &. Mr$. Harry King Ethel R. Weinhart Georgine Klewanf Estaiie Joseph Winton & family L. Winnifred Knights (Mrs. Marie Winton Memorial Gift) Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Krebs Dr. & Mrs. Russell Worobec Howard J. Lamade,J' Mrs. Edith Wright J Robert Lamade Dr. Clyde H. Wurster Helen 1. Lewis John C. Youngman, Sr. MargaretC. Lindemuth EmestineU. Zaner 19 18

HISTORY OF U.S.S. LYCOMING (APA-155) On 3 August the Lycoming reached Carpet" duty, a fleet unit engagedin the the Golden Gate, back from active duty transportation of service personnel from overseasfor the second time. She had Pacific theater overseasstations to the I'hb avticte wa.s.found in the Pies of the L)coming Count) Count sailed 45.000 miles, in seven Pacific United States. Hou.seand p'esented to the Historical Socket)on Nouembev22, 1977. Seas. A "cruise book" covering her travels in pictures was printed for future In accordance with a directive re- ceivedfrom the New Unit Commander, Twenty-six days after the keel was The n©xt month wasspent in equip- publications. laid in the yard of Portland's Oregon ping and rehearsing for the coming Lycoming got underway for the South ShipbuildingCorporation on 30 June assaultlanding on Okinawa. On I April The peacetime phase of the history Pacificto pick up a capacitylift of re- 1944. the APA-155 was launched and the 1.213 enlisted men and 81 officers of of the Lycoming began. On 4 August turnees. Enroute to her first port of call christened U.S.S. Lycoming after Penn- the Army's SeventhDivision Artillery Captain EmmettJ. Sullivan of Denver, in southern latitudes, she again crossed sylvania's Lycoming County. She was were put ashore on Purple I beach. Colorado, relieved Captain Coleman as the Equator. On this occasion there was outHlttedand piloted down the Columbia That night the Lycoming forward 40 commanding officer. The new skipper only one man aboard to be initiated into River to Astoria, where she was com- millimeter battery openedup on a Jap l took the ship from Puget Sound for a the Ancient Order of the Deep. A lavish missioned on 20 September, with the suicide plane that swervedover her bow two-week availability at the Everett and hilarious ceremony was arranged for original ship's company of 329 officers and crashedinto the adjacentU.S.S. Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. yard. the lonely "Pollywog ' and men aboard for the ceremony. A Alpine(APA-92). Thereafter,kamikaze 144-man Boat Group and a 46-man attacks in the harbor off Hagushi were On VJ Day the Lycoming was at sea While at anchor for a brief period of Beach Party reported for duty the fol frequent, air wamings punctuated the again, enroute from Seattle to Saipan the morning of 24 October in the little lowing day. busy days and nights, and protective with a load of Ably troops. She arrived harbor of Renard Sound, Russell Islands, smoke screens often covered the entire at her destination 9 September, unload- some 220 Marine and Navy passengers Skippered by Commander D. B. anchored fleet. ed, moved to Guam for orders. There were picked up. With this first consign- Coleman of I.Jnion, South Carolina, the she was assignedto Task Force 54, ment of returneeson board, the Lycom- Lycoming sailed to Bremerton for sup- The Lycoming was unloaded and off Transport Squadron 12, Transport Div- ing's stateside list was expeditiously load- plies and ammunition, picked up the ision 34, and sent back to Saipan to lift ed and a departurewas taken for for Guamon 5 April. From Apra Har the Third Battalion, Eighth Regiment of Espiritu Santo. At Expiritu some 350 ship's complement of boats at San Fran- bor she rerouted to Pearl Harbor, then the SecondMarine Division. cisco. and on lO October proceeded to to San Francisco. Arriving on ll May, Navy passengerscame aboard. Finally. San Pedro for a two-week shakedown on 29 October, loading was completed she was loaded immediately with casual at Noumen, New Caledonia and a period. Now her role as a troop carrier took Army troops and cargo and sailed for her to Nagasaki,Kyushu's great ship course was set for a non-stop voyage to Manila, stopping at Pearl Harbor, San Francisco. On I November the Lycoming re Eniwetok, and IJlithi for changes in building port, in a formation of twenty- ported to Seattle for duty as a training escort one troop transports and cargo ships ship for personnel assigned to APAs not bringing occupation forces to defeated The six thousand mile trip to San yet commissioned. Puget Sound and the Japan. Here in the enemy home land Francisco was uneventful. Favorable Upon arHval at Manila the Lycoming the Lycoming participated in her first weather contributed in no small measure Strait of Juan de Fuca were used as an was transferred to the Seventh Fleet for operating area until the duty ended on bloodless" invasion. Marines were de- to the health and comfort of the same 17 December temporaryduty with the SeventhAm- barked in midstream (inner Nagasaki) 2.400 landlubbers embarked aboard the phibious Forces. First assignment took Lycoming. her to Finschaven. New Guinea, to aid and landed without oppostion. Amphibious landing practices took the ship to Coronado and Oceanside. in the general evacuation of United On 28 September Transport Squad- Early in the miming of 13 November Califomia. Ninedays availability at the Statestroops from that theater of oper- ron 12 got underway for the Philippines. the ship passedunder the Golden Gate ations. On this trip her polywegsbe- Two days out the convoy was forced to and proceededto Pier 15 to disembark Naval Repair Base in San Diego follow- came shell backs and her 5 inch .38 ed, then back to Seattle to load 1,411 double back to avoid an approaching passengers. army troops. caliber gun crew explodedits first float typhoon. On course again, the Lycom- ing mine. ing was dispatched (since there were no The Lycoming remained in San The Lycoming was underway from escorts to send) to investigate a derelict Francisco for a brief period set aside for Seattleon her maidenvoyage on 22 Incrementsof the 14th Anti-Aircraft approximately 200 miles off the north- leave, liberty, recreation and voyage January 1945. In Honolulu all troops Command and other casuals were loaded ern tip of Luzon, found the U.S. Army repairs. Eventually, on 28 November, were debarked. and on 31 January she at Finschavenand on I July the Lycom- QS-5 in good condition but unmanned, in obedience to orders received from the sailed convoy with a light load of passen- ing was underway for Manila again, this towed it to Lingayen Gulf. After a stop Commander of the "Magic Carpet gersand cargo to report to Commander, time by way of Hollandia. On 14 July, at Subic Bay, the ship reached Manila stood out of San Francisco Harbor and irifth Amphibious Forces,Pacific Fleet. with all Army personnel debarked and on 6 October. headed for Buckner Bay, Okinawa. for duty with Task Force 51, Transport cargo discharged,the ship sailed for Squadron 13, Transport Division 38. San Francisco, discharged from the On 16 October. while at Manila. the The out-bound trip was character On 21 Februaryshe reportedto Leyte, Seventh Fleet and reassigned to Fifth Lycoming was detached from Transport ized by frequent passageof the Lycom arriving via Eniwetok, Ulithi, and Palau. Amphibious, Pacific Fleet. Squadron 12 and assigned to "Magic ing through a sequence of storms 21 20 SARAH BURROWS CORYELL HAYS COLLECTION Weather beaten, she arrived at her des- awa a mine was sighted and sunk by tination on 16 December. There a load small caliber gun fire. The highlights of b) Kath) Lee Chalmers of 123 officers and 1,900 enlisted men the home bound voyagewere the cele- were embarked for ' passage to Seattle, brations occasioned by Christmas and I'his pal)ev wu +rrei)avertduking the Fall. 1975 Semester at L)coming Washington. Three daysout of Okin- New Year's at sea. College as a Tele fitch p'eject to fulfill the vequivements of an {nteTU..ship in the Hbtov)oJ' ATt.

The Lycoming County Historical House (the fom)er museum). Their Museum's Costume Department consists daughter, Margaret Bingham, married of the wearing apparel and accessories John BurrowsCoryell, the only son of which were wom and subsequently Tunison and Sarah Coryell, on Novem- donatedby the inhabitantsof the ber 25, 1855. Margaret Coryell produc- Lycoming County area. The entire col- ed four children: James B., Sarah, + lection contains articles that have been John G., and Bingham. Sarah was the dated from the Eighteenth Century ;econd child bom to this family. Since through the mid-sixtiesof the Twentieth her older brother was barn on Septem- Century. This paperwill deal with one ber 4, 1856, I can only guess that Sarah of the largestcollections in the Costume was barn somewhere between the years Department which can be traced to one of 1857 and 1865. Sarah's father was an owner: The Sarah Burrows Coryell extremely prominent businessmanof the WILLIAMSPORT & NORTHUMBERLAND Hays Collection. This particularcol- West Branch Valley. Thus, it can be ection was donated by the family of stated that Sarah lived a very comfort- MAILSTAGE Sarah's daughter, Margaret Hays ablechildhood. Lamade. Because of her kindness and concern for the preservation of historical The Museum's collection of Sarah's artifacts, historians have the opportunity clothes is void of all articles that pertain The subscriberrespectfully informs the public that he has commenced to study a collection of considerable size to her childhood and adolescence.How and one which also spans two centuries. running the Mail Stage,from Williamsport to Northumberland. twice a ever, her physical dimensions can be cal- week culated in the following manner. Meas- The major concern of this paper is to ure her dress from the shoulder to the The Stage will leave the inn of the subscriber every Tuesday and present the reader with a representative hem of the skirt, which is 56 inches. Thursday mornings at 5 o'clock, and passing through Pennsborough, view of clothing which Sarah wore in her If you allow 10 to ll inchesfor her neck Milton, etc. will arrive at William Forsythe's, Northumberland, by 6 lifetime. If the reader is looking for the and head. it could be said that Sarah o'clock, P.M. and returning will leave Mr. Forsythe's every Wednesday exact history of Sarah's life, he will be was about 5 feet 6 or 7 inches tall. and Friday mornings, at 5 o'clock, and arrive at Williamsport at 6 sadly disappointed. The biographies of o'clock, P.M. from which place passengerswill be conveyedto Jersey women are extremely difficult to com- The first dressto be mentionedin pile, since in the past, they were con- Shore, Great Island, Wellsborough, etc. this paper has been dated c1870-1880. sidered only as an appendage of their However. I feel that the dress should be Everyattention will be paid to the comfort and convenienceof husbands. They are referred to only in passengers- the roles of a wife or a mother. This dated closerto c1878-1880. This dress was worn as either an afternoon or re- All baggageat the risk of the Owner is definitely the case of Sarah's history. Fair from Williamsport to Northumberland S2 However, through the Margaret Hays ception dressin the winter season. The Lamade family's gift to the Museum, material used in the dress was red certain conclusionsabout Sarah'slife slipper satin with the front insert panel James H. Huling. can be slowly drawn together - thus, a of a floral printed taffeta faille. Williamsport, Jan 7 1824 partial picture can emerge. The bodice of this dressis very inter- On April 23, 1937,George L. esting. The neckline is low and cut Lamade and his family donated a sofa straight across with a stand-up collar to the Lycoming County Historical that framesthe neckline. The bodice is Museum in memory of his wife, Mar- fastened in the front with ten round, garet Hays Lamade. The sofa belonged wooden buttons. The sleeves of the to Margaret's great grandparents, James bodice come below the elbow and are and Elizabeth Mclaughlin Bingham, slightly flared at the cuffs with a slit in I'his {s an article taken atom an otd nexosPaPev when they lived in the original Way the back. belonging to Miss Martha Mussf?m 22 23

The skirt is attachedto the bodice shoulder line) and end slightly below the elbow. The cuffs of the sleevesare trim- to say that it is one of the best in the petticoat or slip becauseit is very trans- below the natural waistline. The back entire Costume Department. parent and lacey. The bodice of this of the skirt is beautifully sculptured;it medwith a strip of velvetribbon and dressis typical of the period it represents. flows down from the bustle, trimmed have a slit at the back of it The dressis made of beige silk faille, The S-curve of the body was pronounc- with narrow pleats which widen as they wine-colored velvet, and silk crepe. The ed during this time. This was achieved flow downto the end of the train. The skirt of the wedding gown has a bodice of the dress has a "V" neck. by the use of a corset which drove the Ruffles are used as trim on the hem of bust[ewhich descendsinto a long train. which is accentedwith the use of silk stomach slanting inwards so that the the red slipper satin. The front of the The skirt is semi-full. The front of the crepe. The silk crepe continues around bust overhung the waist. The bodice has skirt is composedof floral printed taffeta skirt has ecru lace swirling down it in the back of the bodice's neckline. which a high neck of lawn and the sleevesare faille. It is framed by the red slipper tiers. The hem of the skirt has scallops in tum sets off the wine-colored velvet loose at the shouldersand get very tight satin on either side of the dress. Right around the bottom over a dust ruffle of collar. The "V" neckline of silk crepe is at the wrists. The skirt af this dressis below the waist, the red slipper satin ivory satin. The skirt joins the bodice finally set off by two strips of wine-color- semi-full and the back of it ends in a is draped on both sides of the faille below the natural waistline. The under ed velvet. The rest of the bodice is train. The effectof thedress is one insertsand is pulledback into the part of the dressis composedof a taffeta P composed of silk faille and is tapered which creates a sense of grace and cool- bustle. The weight of this dress is very lining and a dimity underskirtwhich below the natural waistline. The dress ness. misleading to the viewer since slipper can be seensneaking out from under the is fastened together by the use of hooks satin is a very delicate material. As this train. The total effect of the dressis and eyes; every other hook-and-eye set is The last dress lwill describe in this is a winter dress,the lining of the skirt stunning. positioned in a different direction. The paper was wom by Sarah as a reception has been padded for warmth. sleevesare puffed at the shoulderswith dressat social functions in Williamsport, The history of this gown after the silk crepe, with the undersleeve of silk or possibly when visiting other cities such On June 25, 1885, Sarah Burrows wedding of Sarah and John K. is inter- faille. The cuffs of the sleevesare trim- as New York. (While reading back Coryellbecame the bride of John King esting. It was wom by her daughter. med with wine-colored velvet. The back issues of the Grit, I discovered that Hays111. He was the son of John MargaretCoryell Hays, when she be- of the cuffs are slit and shorter than in many people, particularly wealthy peo- Walker Hays and RachelAllen, born on came the bride of George L. Lamade. the front ple of Williamsport, would take trips for August 18, 1856, in Williamsport. He It is impossible to discover exactly what a weekor so to New York.) This dress graduated from Lafayette College with type of alteration this dress has under- The skirt of this dress has a 25% is representative of the Edwardian S- the classof 1876. He then read law with gone over the years. The gown somehow inch waistline from which the skirt falls curve style which I have already describ- Messrs. Allen and Gamble and was fell into the hands of Misses Carolyn into semi-fullness. The back of the skirt ed in the previous dress. admitted to the bar of Lycoming County and Grace Follmer who donated it to has a bustle with pleats that fall down to May 10, 1879. According to historical the museum. the end of the train. The bustle is fram- This is a two-piece dress of grey-blue. accounts of the families, they were both ed by a wine-coloredvelvet bow with embroidered satin brocade. The bodice extremely prominent in the development Sarah and her new husband moved inserts of the same velvet down both of this dress is beautifully embroidered of Williamsport. Both families must be into the housewhich once occupiedthe sidesof the dressto the train. The front in shades of white and greys to form a cited as among the elite of this city. lot of 730West Fourth Street. It was of the skirt is scallopedon the bottom of design o{ branches and leaves. The from this house that Sarah and John the beige silk faille in order to reveal the bodice has a high neck that is accented Sarah's wedding dress was made by had four children and raised three to wine-colored velvet dust rufHe. by a pink velvetribbon with a bowin either a store or a person by the name of adulthood. The namesof her children the back. The sleevesare slightly puffed Miller." located on East 28th Street in are as follows:John C., Walker A. (died In the course of my research for this at :the shoulders. Traveling down the New York City in 1885. This gown is in childhood), James B., and Margaret paper lcame across a winter bonnet sleeves, the eye falls upon three separate typical of fashion in the summer of Coryell. The house has been torn down that Ifeel was made as an accessory for ruffles. Each ruffle is made of plain 1885. The wedding gown is made of now and has been replaced with a school this dress. Although they have not been satin which is trimmed with grey-blue ivory satin, trimmed with ecru lace, has playground. Sarah lived in this house assigned together before, Ifeel it should braidingwith insetseeded pearls. The a taffeta lining and a dimity underskirt. after the death of her husband and until be done now. The bonnet is composed waistband (24% inches) is composed of The front panel of the bodice has a "V her own death somewherebetween the of wine-colored velvet with two small the sameplain satin material. The neck with bands of ecru lace coming publication of the Directory book for black ostrich feathers on each side of the bodice has bone stays in it, and it is over the shoulders. The lace merges Williamsport for the years of 1928 and bonnet. It is attached to the head by two fastenedin the front with hooksand and then separatesto the left and right 1929 beige faille ribbon ties, which are tied in eyes. The back of the bodicehas two of the dressbelow the waistline,and a bow. The dressand the bonnet to- streamers of plain satin, trimmed at the then continues around to the side seams If I were to choose one dress from gether are a very beautiful costume. ends with the same braiding and seeded and stops. The bodiceis fitted to the the Sarah Burrows Coryell Hays Collect- pearls. natural form of the body. The back of ion that would sum up Sarah's taste On a hot summeraftemoon in Wil- the panel repeats the ''V '' neck of the and senseof style, it would be one of her liamsport Sarah would probably be The skirt is semi-full with a train in front panel; however, the lace accents winter dresses. This dress was made for found wearing a dressmade of lawn and the back. At the small of the back. the "V" by framing it. The sleevesare her in 1888 after her marriage to John net. The dressdates around the tum of the pleats begin at the top and fall down typical of this fashion period. They are K. Hays, and it is in excellent condition the century, c1900-1903 to be more to the end of the train. The hem has a slightly puffed at the shoulders (natural for its age. In fact, I couldgo sofar as exact, and was wom over somesort of a dust ruffle of plain satin composed of 24 25 three rows of rufHes. This dresshas an clusive research paper on the Sarah underskirtof sometype of lace. It Burrows Coryell Hays Collection. How- would make anyone wearing it feel like ever.it is a start, and as more material Dear Member the grandestlady atthe ball. comes to the attention of historians. the piecesof her historywill fall into a Surveys indicate a shocking number of people die without having In conclusion, I would have to say better perspective. made wills. Without a will, there is no way to chooseyour beneficiary; that this paperis by no meansa con rather state law determines how your estate will be divided. If you haven't made a will, determine to do so; and when you do, or when your review your present will, remember your Lycoming County Historical Society. Bequestsin your will in favor of charitable institutions such as the Historical Society, are deductible in determining both Federal Estate taxes and PennsylvaniaInheritance taxes, so that the amount of your r bequest passestRX free to the charitable institution. If you would like to make a sizeablegift to the Historical Society in your will, but have other surviving family members who should not be deprived of the income such a gift will produce, you may create a charit- able trust providing for certain income for the life of the family member or members,with remainderto the HistoricalSociety when that person dies, and your estatewill receivea charitable deduction in the amount of the value of the remainder interest. We all have life insurance to protect our loved ones. Many of you may n6 longer need the protection afforded by such life insurance, now that your children are Brawn, and may wish to make a gift to the Histor- ical Society of the paid-up value of one of your life insurance policies. This will provide a iraluabie Federal Income tax deduction which may be carriedforward for up to five years. Another thought on life insurance did you know you could purchasecharitable life insurancenaming the Historical Society as beneficiary? The life insurance proceedswould go to the Societytax free, and would be a marvelousway to recognizethe debt each of us owesour communtiy, and would be an opportunity for you to say "thank you" in a very tangible way for your successand for the heritage that is part of our West Branch Valley, and about which we all care so much. Even the premiums you pay for charitable life insur- ance are deductible if you name the Historical Society as irrevocable beneficiary or owner of the policy. If you would like to make a gift to the Societyand have property which has appreciatedin value to the extent that you would incur a large Capital Gains tax upon it's sale, there are ways you may transfer the property to the Society,be it stocks,bonds or real estate, without in- curing any Capital Gains tax, insuring you a Federal Income tax de- duction or your estate a Federal Estate tax deduction. Remember, if you are the owner of a corporation, you can deduct, with certain adjustments,a corporation gift to the Societyof up to 5%oof your corporate taxable income. We thank you for your careful attention to thesesuggestions. One of our Historical Societyofficers would be happy to meet with you and your attorney, life insurance agent, accountant, or trust officer, to insure maximum tax savingsto you and benefit to the Historical Society.

Sincerely

BOARDOFGOVERNORS Wedding dress of Sabah Bunows CoT)ell HQ)s, 1885. LYCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 26 27 MEETING OFAPPLICANTS the arrowheads for their weapons FOR MEMBERSHIP IN PROPOSED But the .mostconspicuous object of all wasthe large old Chief in all his trap- LYCOMING HISTORICALSOCIETY pings standing with an arrow in his hand, pointing to the strangehieroglyphics before him, that were painted upon buckskiii stretched over a rude easel formed COMMON COUNCILCHAMBER of birch poles. He was interpreting the meaning of the charactersupon this leather CITY HALL record, to a young lad beside hiii, who was ti;us leaming the history of his tribe WILLIAMSPORT, PA. and of its conflicts with the elementsand the enemy FEBRUARY.5.1907 Among the most savagetribes yet discoveredhave been found traditions of the Moachian delugeand other catastrophesof widespreadinterest and here we see In accordancewith call issuedby The Board of Trade Committee on organiza- the method of transmitting these records from one generation to another. tion of a HistoricalSociety, a meetingof the applicantsfor !membershipwis held This historical display was an emblem of the society it is proposed to organize in the Common Council Chamber, City Hall, Williamsport, Pa., Tuesday evening r February 5, 1907 at 8 o'clock. thi! evening. The interest in the past that is implanted within e;ery human heart Present: Hon. Seth Thomas Foresman and is expressed in substantial records by occasional individuals, now demand a more permanent recognition. Cyrus LaRue Munson Esq. Hon. EmersonCollins The importance of the subject has outgrown the capacity of grandfathers tales Hyman A. Slate or even the recordsof local historians. The volume anil valueof our local history Joseph Henderson Mcminn has become so great that The Lycoming Historical Society is an absolute necessity, Rev. William Charles Hogg if Williamsport is to maintain her place among intelligent and progressivecities. Hon. James Mansel William CaresShopbell The entire community realizesthis fact and the only reason for failure of pre Charles Hoffman Eldon vious limited efforts to establish historical and scient;fic societies in our mitist. Edward Jamison Fisher Herbert RussellLaird though so much enjoyed by the membership during their existence has been the lack of efficient leadershipand the acquiring of a permanent house. The meeting was called to order by Mr Laird and on his motion, Mr. Munson was elected Chainnan. Since The Board of Trade has become the mainspring in all the prosperous movements for our city's advancement, so it has been assigned the duty of organi- On motion of Mr. Foresman, Mr. Laird was elected Secretary. zing this Historical Society. Its committee has now called together those persons who have expresseda substantial interest in the movement sb that a permanent The Secretaryread the namesof the applicants for membership, sevenfor Life organization may now be effected. Membership, one !undred and sevenfor Resident Membership, as'follows: (please seeThe Journal of the Lycoming County Historical Society, Volume Vlll, Number By the selectionof official leadersadopted for the work, from amongthose One, Spring, 1972 for the complete list). having social, businessand financial influence, the successof the effort 'will be promoted without any tedious delay. Mr. Mcminn as Chairman of The Board of Trade Committee presented the following report: Every day makes the endeavor more difficult on account of the accumulating Williamsport, Pa. Feb. 5, 1907 material that commonreason demands shall not be allowed to perish, and every Those of you who were so fortunate as to see the Centennial Parade on July 4, day those who have devoted their lives to personal work in preserving these invalu- 1906, will doubtless remember the first float in the Historical Division. able records, are passing away, so that th;it individuality i; lost andstrange hands must take up the task. So that now when almost every intelligent community It was designed to represent a domestic scene that may have occurred on this throughout the land is organizing Historical Societiesand now that conditions in very spot, before the aboriginieswere displeasedwith the white race. Under the our midst seemto be most propitious, the opportunity should not be neglectedfor shade of green hemlocks stood the conical wigwam of poles covered with the tan- adding one more proud bannedto the ''City that does Things", our own beautiful ned skins of wild animals, above which was suspended the totem of the Munseys or and up-to-date Williamsport. Wolf tribe of I)elawareIndians. J. H. Mcminn Chairman of The Board of Trade Little coppery faces peered through the openings, while in front of this primi- tive American home sat a group of squawkoccupied by their various duties, Committee on organization of a pappoosesin their bark cradleswere suspended from the nearbytrees. One squaw Historical Society. was grinding maize between two stones, another deftly foiling a pottery vessel, another with bone needle and sinew thread wasomamenting a strip oi: skin with gay Mcminn colored porcupine quills, another stringing bone beads for wampum, while still On motion of Mr. Foresmanit was Resolved: That the report of Mr others were pounding and scraping the dry leather into a pliable ;tate or flaking be filed and the newspapersrequested to publish it in full. 28 29

Mr. Laird submitteda suggestedfowl of Charterand By-Laws, prepared by large expense, expressing his opinion too, that success will follow organization him and on his motion (Mr. Foresmanadding stipulation that Mr.'Laird be a based on modest lines. He suggestedthat it might be beneficial and interesting to member of the Committee proposed)it was Resolved: That a committee of three securesome information regarding the extent of exhibits which could be secured be appointed to prepare a Charter and By-Laws for the Historical Society. and on his motion it was Resolved: That a committee of three of which Mr. Mcminn shall be chairman be appointed for the purposeof looking over the whole On motion of Mr. Mcminn it was Resolved: That this meeting suggeststo the field and of ascertaining what cin be securedfor exhibit purposes Committee on Charter and By-Laws, "The Lycoming Historic;l Society" as a suitable name for this organization. Mr. Mcminn statedthat in his opinion there will be no difficulty whateverin securing exhibits if an absolutely secure place is provided for them. The subject of organization generally was discussedby Mr. Munson Mr. Fores man, Mr. Hogg, Mr. Mansel, Mr. Collins, Mr. Mcminn and Mr. Slate. On motion of Mr. Foresmanit was Resolved: That a committee of three be appointed to nominate permanent officers for The Historical Society. Mr. Munson suggested the possibility of making arrangements with Reno Post

G.A.R. for joint occupancyof the building owned by the Post. F On motion of Mr. Collins, it was Resolved: That the chaimlan of this meeting be and is hereby authorized to name the committees, the appointment of which Mr. Foresmansuggested appointments of a committeeto conferwith the has been authorized by this meeting and that Mr. Munson bc named as the Chair- officers of Reno Post to ascertain what arrangementscould be made in that direction man of the Committee on Charter and By-Laws. The chair appointed as the Committee on Charter and By-Laws Mr. Mandel advocatedthe organization of the Society with a view to the erect- Cyrus LaRue Munson ion of a buildingor the purchaseof a suitablebuilding which shouldbe the Hon. Emerson Collins permanent house of the Society, believing that joint occupancy of its building with Herbert Russell Laird Reno Post would not be desirable and inquired of Mr. Mcminn if he had figured Committee on Nominations on the probable costof such a building aswould meet the Society'srequirements. Hon. Seth Thomas Foresman Hyman A. Slate Mr. Mcminn stated that his committee had not figured on the cost of a build Herbert Russell Laird ing and expressedhimself of the belief also that the Reno Post building would not Committee on Exhibits meet the requirements of The Historical Society. Joseph Henderson Mcminn Hon. James Mandel Mr. Collins expressedhimself in favor of organizing on modest lines, beginning Charles Hoffman Eldon with a suitable place of meeting, confining the activity of the organization at first to periodical meetings at which papers on historical subjectsof interest should be On motionof Mr. Laird, it wasResolved: That this meetingdo nowadjourn read, the Societypublishing such papersand through this work public interest ta meet at the call of the Chairman and Secretary. will awaken and increase to such an extent as will enable the Soi:iety to secure sucha homeas will be necessaryfor the institution of a Historical Museumand Herbert RussellLaird place it on such a financial basis as will insure its permanent maintenance. That Secretary his observation convinced him that when a Historical Society was once organized, the greatest difficulty was overcome and when once in operation public interest invariably increases,and that while the Society should begin along' the lines sug- gested, it should nevertheless have in view the acquirement of a permanent home where exhibits loaned or presented to the Society for exhibition ;Fill be absolutely safefrom theft or Hire.

Mr: Munson suggestedthe entire probability of the Society being able to secure from the Trusteesof the JamesV. Brown Library, pemlissionfoi the Societyto use the LectureRoom of the Library for its literary meetingsand also stated that from presentindications there will be one large r(x)m in the Library which in all probability.will not be used for sometime to come and that it might be possible to securethe use of this room for the temporaryinstallation of muchhistorical exhibits as the Society can secureas a nucleus for its future Museum.

Mr. Foresmanexpressed himself as being in favor of organization along the lines suggested by Mr. Collins. '

Mr. Hogg suggestedhis belief that it would be a mistake to lead the people to believe that the Society intends beginning its work on a large scale with attendant 30 31

WILLIAMSPORT GUARDS 6 CENTS REWARD

Paradein full uniform, in the Court HouseYard, on Sat. the 21st day of Runaway from the subscriber, living in Ostego County, on the 5th of August. Feb. next, at ] o'clock, P.M. each member to be provided with thirteen rounds 1823, an apprentice to the of blank cartridges. Broom Making Business Is a lad about fifteen yearsold, about 5 feet 2 inchesin height, has a down By order of Capt. Anthony. look, very slow in speech;had on which he started from this place, a blue calf-skin S. Hyman - O. S. coat, a scarletvest, a coarsetow shirt, new pantaloonsand boots to the andes. Any person or personstaking up the said boy and returning him to the subscriber. Williamsport,Jan. 25, 1824 shall have the above reward. but no charges paid. Nathan Brotten, broom maker

Ostego,August 5, 1823

WILLIAMSPORT GUARDS

Paradein full unifomi (white belts and blue pantaloons)on Friday the 29th instant, at I o'clock, A.M., being the last stated meetingfor the year. Fine for non-attendance $1.

J. B. Anthony, Capt

Williamsport, Oct. 12, 1824

SARAHADAMS

of Williamsport. Lycoming County, infom)s the Merchants,Tradem and others, that she has commenced the Straw Hat and Bonnet Manufactury In all its various branches, and will sell Straw Hats and Bonnets on the most reasonable terms, and hopes. by industry and a close attention to business, to merit a shareof the public patronage. Bonnetsaltered to the newestfashions.

June 21, ]824 Punted b) SCAIFE'S VALLEY PRESS of WiLliamsPovt, Pevlm.s)llnnia