.^^-n^. • ''ok ^V** %°''^^*/ \*'^^i^**' *v^^V •o/'-'^.»*^o'^ V'r^-*.^'?.^^ '*'^q,***^^*V 5? *^ ♦^^♦. '^0' ^^^ ^^^ v^' .^*'yi^-.\ oO^.^^.>o ./\.i^/V o°* V^Py* \^^\o'> \*^B^*° / °V'^P' .*' > • v^ 1 <5 r. {{ \ Wll.l.lA^ PRNN R>'A\AN. THE EARLY SETTLEMENT DALLAS TOWNSHIP, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, William Penn Ryman, Esq., Member of the Luzerne Countj' Bar. Read before the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society December ii, 1885 and February 11, 1886, and Reprinted from Volume VI of its Proceedings and Collections. VVILKES-HARRE, PA, 1901. Ii'< JJ/4'7f| THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA., BY William Penn Ryman, Esq., WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR, BY Wesley E. Woodruff, Historiographer. William Penn Ryman, one of the most prominent citi- zens of Wilkes-Barre, and a leading lawyer of the Luzerne Bar, passed into his final rest at his home on South Franklin street, July 31, 1899, just as the shades of evening had closed around the brightness of one of nature's loveliest days. Mr. Ryman had not been a well man for years, for he had recovered from a former desperate illness only by force of will and by extreme care in his routine of life. In this way he was spared to those whom he loved, and who loved him, and for useful endeavor, until some months ago, when he again failed in health. Such was his strength of resolution, however, that he kept up, until exhausted nature made it impossible to do so longer. Even as he felt the shadows deepening he never lost his courage, his serenity or his cheerfulness of spirit, and he still had the pleasant greeting and the smile of a cordial spirit until a merciful oblivion closed his eyes. For several hours before the end he was not conscious, and the end was peaceful and beautiful — like a child falling into slumber at the closing of the day. William Penn Ryman was born in Dallas August 23, 4 WILLIAM P. RYMAN. 1847. He was the son of Abram and Jemima {Kunkle) Ryman, whose family was of German extraction, and settled originally in New Jersey, though three generations were born on the old homestead farm at Dallas. William P. attended the schools of Wilkes-Barre and then prepared for college at Wyoming Seminary. He entered Cornell Uni- versity as a sophomore at the first opening of that institu- tion, and completed the usual four years' course in three years. He was graduated in the class of 1871. He then took the two years' course at Harvard Law School, com- pleting it in one year, and afterwards came to Wilkes-Barre, being admitted to the Luzerne bar from the office of the late Edward P. Darling September 20, 1873, and to the United States Court 1882. He continued the practice of law from that time. In 1892, at the building of the Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad, he accepted the presidency of the corporation and held that position until the merging of the road with the Erie. He still retained official connection, however, as counsel for the road. He organized the Algonquin Coal Company, 1893, was its president from the time of its inception until his death, and was one of the largest stockholders. He was elected a member of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society January 7, 1881, and became a Life Member February 12, 1897. Mr. Ryman was a man of the most studious habits, and the atmosphere of the scholar was always about him. His law library was a particularly fine one, and his private library was one of singular richness, excellence and variety. He was beloved by everybody who knew him, and close ac- WILLIAM P. RYMAN. 5 quaintance invariably added to the esteem and the affection in which he. was held. As a citizen, he was a man who considered duty above all else, and his sense of duty was clarified by an appreciation of the privileges and the obliga- tions of the individual, as they stand related to government and to authority. As a professional man, his acquirements were of the highest type — moulded in a thorough knowl- edge of the law, and framed in honor and unimpeachable integrity. He was a man also of broadest culture, of an innate and a developed refinement. He was always a reader, and his researches extended to history, to science and to the languages. Art and music were his relaxations, and he was a connoisseur in the highest realms of culture. In short, whether in professional or merely personal attainments, he was a man of the type of which communities boast, and a man whom any city might well be proud to call her own. In the home, in the associations that make life perfectly round- ed and beautiful, he was esteemed and beloved as few are. These associations from which the beauty and the fragrance of life exhale are not for the public ear, nor for the analysis of a public chronicle. A heart of the most generous impulses was his ; a heart of the tenderest sympathy and of sincerest yielding to duty. The community is poorer because of this loss, and the business world has lost one of its brightest ornaments. All who knew him will breathe a sigh of the sincerest regret at this summons of death, and, indeed, the expressions that have already come to those bereaved have been many and have been from the heart. The following extended and valuable history of Dallas township, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, was originally prepared by Mr. Ryman as a brief paper for the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, and was read before the Society, by request, December ii, 1885. It was so full of interest that it was at once referred to the publishing com- mittee, and Mr. Ryman was unanimously requested to pre- pare a second paper on the same subject. This latter paper was also read before the Society at the annual meeting Feb- ruary II, 1886. At his own suggestion, that a much larger amount of data was still unrecorded about the township, both papers were returned to the author for enrichment. This task was with him a labor of love, taken up during his leisure hours, and the last touches were added after the disease which ended his useful life had fully developed. Even in his last days he still hoped to have strength to add a chapter on the part played by Dallas township in the late Civil War. But the pen fell from the weak hands, and this chapter remains unwritten. h. e. h.** ABUA/H R> .>\AN. THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. READ BEFORE THE WYOMING HISTORICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY DECEMBER II, 1885, AND FEBRUARY II, 1886. Up to the present time, local historians have found so much of interest connected with the settlement and growth of Wyoming Valley that they have neglected to note many important events in the rise and progress of the country surrounding. There is, no doubt, a vast deal of interesting historic material connected with every township in the pres- ent county of Luzerne, which, years ago, could and should have been recorded and given permanent place in its annals, but which, from long neglect, is now either lost forever, or so poorly and inaccurately handed down to us as to be comparatively valueless. In some parts of the county the work of collecting this material has been too long delayed to make it possible now to get anything like an accurate account of men and events from the date of the first settle- ment. The men who knew of their own knowledge, who lived and had experiences in the earliest days, are gone, leaving us only the children or grandchildren to relate what was told them by their ancestors. This kind of hearsay and tradition lets in an element of uncertainty which should not exist in any historic record. With the view and purpose of writing down what I can learn, at this late day, concerning the "over the mountain" or hill country west of Wyoming Valley, and especially of the present township and borough of Dallas, I began in the year 1885 to make some effort to collect these materials and data from every source known to me, from examination of records, from conversation and correspondence with those 8 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, whose memory runs farthest back and is clearest, from mon- uments, maps, deeds, &c., and have, in the following pages, recorded, as best I can, the result. I have endeavored to collect abundant proofs and the best evidence to be had before putting down any statement herein as fact. For the reasons given above, I have not been able to entirely ex- clude hearsay evidence or tradition ; but whenever relied upon it has been fortified by the testimony of more than one witness on the same point. The township of Dallas originally embraced all the ter- ritory of Luzerne county northwest of the present boundary lines of Kingston, Plymouth and Jackson townships, ex- tending to the present SuUivan, then Lycoming county line. It included all of the township of Monroe and parts of Forkston, North Branch, Northmoreland and Eaton town- ships, in present Wyoming county. All of Lake and Leh- man townships and parts of Ross, Union and Franklin townships in present Luzerne county. Dallas township originally joined to Kingston township as it now does on the line of the southeasterly side of certified Bedford town- ship. The northern portion of present Dallas township is drained by Leonard's Creek which passes through the vil- lage of Kunkle to Bowman's Creek and with that into the Susquehanna river near Tunkhannock. The southern and larger portion of present Dallas township, including nearly, if not quite all, of certified Bedford, is drained by Toby's Creek, which passes, by an easy grade, through a cut or gap in the mountains to Wyoming Valley at a point near the center of greatest population and activity. This is noted as an important fact, because the first immigrations to a country always follow the streams. This opening through the mountains made the country about the head waters of Toby's Creek very accessible to those living near its outlet. As soon as the settlements in the valley increased so that neighbors lived near enough to see each other, there were DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 9 some restless souls who felt crowded and began to seek homes farther back into the woods. The soil in the valley was sandy and not very rich. The trees that grew upon it were scrubby and small, while upon the higher lands about Dallas the soil seemed stronger and was covered with a heavy forest of very large trees. Some who first settled in the valley reasoned from this that the soil about Dallas, which could raise such very large trees, must be richer and better for farming purposes than the soil of the valley, and they sold their farms in the valley and moved back. Of course the anthracite coal of the valley was not known of or considered then. THE EARLIEST SETTLERS AND THEIR IMPROVEMENTS. The difficulties of settling Dallas township were very great. It was comparatively an easy thing to cut a path or road along the banks of Toby's Creek and find a way even to its source, but to settle there alone, many miles from any clearing, and meet the wolves, bears and other wild animals, which were terrible realities in those early days, saying nothing of the still pending dread of the prowl- ing Indian, was a very serious undertaking. When a young boy I heard Mr. Charles Harris, then an old man, tell some of his early recollections, which ran back to about the time of the battle and massacre of Wyoming. He told us of the Indians who once came into the house where he and his mother were alone and demanded food. There being nothing better they roasted a pumpkin before the fire and scraped it off and ate it as fast as it became soft with cooking. He also told us about his father's first set- tling on the westerly side of Kingston mountain at what is still known as the "Harris Settlement" about two miles north of Trucksville. He said that his father worked all the first day felling trees and building a cabin. Night came on before the cabin could be enclosed. With the darkness 10 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. came a pack of wolves, and, to protect his family, Mr. Har- ris built a fire and sat up all night to keep it burning. The wolves were dazed and would not come near a fire, and when daylight came they disappeared. To pass one night under such circumstances required bravery, but to stay, build a house, clear a farm and raise a family with such terrors constantly menacing exhibited a courage that com- mands our highest esteem. The time had arrived, however, for the settlement and clearing up of that "back of the mountain" country, and there were volunteers ready and anxious to do it. Of those volunteers I have been able to get the names of a very few and to learn where some of them lived. They settled alone and lived alone, leaving almost no evidence except a thread of tradition as to how they lived. Among those earliest settlers in that vast wilderness about Dallas were John Kelley, John Wort, Elam Spencer, Ephriam McCoy, William Trucks, John Leonard, Thomas Case, the Baldwin family and the Fuller family. There were many others who came after the beginning of the present century, but most, if not all, of the above named, had set- tled in that region before the year 1800. John Kelley and John Wort were revolutionary soldiers and settled near each other in present Dallas (then Kings- ton) township. They were, in my opinion, the first who settled and built homes within the present township of Dal- las, probably earlier than McCoy or Leonard (Mr. Pearce in his Annals of Luzerne County gives McCoy as the builder of the first house in Dallas), as both names appear in the assessment books of Kingston township for the year 1796, while McCoy's name does not appear there (until several years later) probably for reasons hereafter explained. John Wort then (1796) had fifty acres of land, three of which were already cleared, while John Kelley had a like number of acres in all, of which six acres were then cleared. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. I I Wort then had one horse and two cattle while Kelley was credited with owning no horses but four cattle. John Wort's settlement was on the southerly side of the present road leading from Dallas borough to Orange post office or Pincherville, in Franklin township. The old log house in which he afterwards lived was still standing a few years ago nearly opposite where Leonard Oakley then lived, about half a mile southwest of late residence of Sanford Moore, now deceased. John Kelley lived on the same side of the same road about three-quarters of a mile nearer Orange post office on the lot in the warrantee name of John Eaton. In the early days of this century the "Kelley clearing," as John Kelley's improvement was called, was a somewhat noted spot, and is found frequently mentioned in the early road views, descriptions in deeds, &c., in that part of the country. People went there from miles around to cut hay from his low marsh land, where grass grew abundantly before it had yet been started on the newly cleared land of the neighbor- hood. Among other things most difficult to get at that time was hay for horses and cattle. The first clearings, I am told, were all used and needed to raise a sufficient sup- ply of grain and other food for the families, and a long time elapsed before enough land was cleared so that farmers could spare a part of it to stand in grass or hay. The first hay crops were, as a rule, exhausted long before the new grass could be had, and one of the methods of piecing out the horse feed was to send the boys in early spring to gather the ferns that would push themselves up from the ground and begin to unroll almost before the snow was gone. Another expedient was to cut evergreen trees and brush of different kinds and drag them into the barn yard for the cattle and sheep to feed upon. John Leonard settled and made a clearing at the lower or southeastern end of part two of lot one and part one of lot two of certified Bedford (then Kingston and now Dallas) 12 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. township, near the new stone county bridge across Toby's Creek, almost exactly at the point where the northernmost and the middle branches of Toby's Creek come together near the easternmost corner of Dallas borough, now called Leonard's Station on the Wilkes-Barre and Harvey's Lake Railroad. The clearing made by him still remains sur- rounded by almost unbroken woods as he left it. A few .stones from the tumble down chimney of his house and a few apple trees standing near mark the spot where his house stood, near the eastern end of the clearing. It has always been and is still known as Leonard's Clearing or Leonard's Meadows. He bought this land, 150 acres, of a relative, Jeremiah Coleman of Plymouth, in the year 1795, and prob- ably settled there soon after. In the deed for the land Leonard is named as a resident of Plymouth township. In 1796 he was assessed in Plymouth township as the owner of 45 acres of land, a log house and four cows. He does not appear to have been assessed in Plymouth township after 1796. The assessment books for Kingston township for the next seven years cannot now be found ; but in the year 1804 we find him assessed in Kingston township with 18 acres of cleared land (about the amount of the present clearing) and the 145 acres of unimproved land, one house and four cows. He was regularly assessed thereafter in Kings- ton township for the same property until 1807, when all trace of him disappears. He was a shingle-maker, and the spot where his clearing was made is said to have been an old halting place for the Indians, who used to travel up to Harvey's Lake and across the country that way. Joseph Shaver, of Dallas borough, informed me that his father, John P. Shaver, who afterwards bought and settled near the Leonard clearing, used to tell of the trials he had when a boy, about the year 1802, in driving a team from Wilkes-Barre up Toby's Creek to John Leonard's clearing to get a load of shingles. There were no roads, only a road- DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 1 3 way cut through the woods from the valley along Toby's Creek to where Trucksville now is, and from there over the hills somewhat as the main road now runs, to a point near the maple tree by the present road on the present line be- tween Kingston and Dallas townships, near the cross roads and late residence of James Shaver, deceased. From there he said there was a path down to Leonard's house. There were no bridges then, and the difficulties of the trip were greatly increased by his being obliged frequently to cross and re-cross the creek and part of the way to drive in the bed of the creek, both going and returning. In the woods a few rods south of the Leonard clearing there is still standing a carefully dug and walled up cellar in the center of which stands a tall pine tree. I have been unable to find anyone who could give me any information as to who built this cellar. It may have been the commencement of a house for John Leonard, Jr., who appeared about the year 1806 as a single freeman, but who disappears with John Leonard, Sr., in 1807, after which date the records of this county show no further trace of either of them. Charles Car Scadden (or Skadden), of Plymouth, bought a lot next to Leonard's from same grantor in the same year, but, as far as I can learn, never lived on it. Rev, William Case, of Kingston borough, tells me that Leonard was related to his family and to the Skadden fam- ily — all formerly of Plymouth — through marriage, and that, in his opinion, this same John Leonard moved to Ohio and settled near Cleveland about the year 18 10. This fact, and the vague uncertainty about it and about the exact name, no doubt gave rise, a few years since, to an effort on the part of a portion of the Case and Skadden families at Ply- mouth to establish relationship with the great philanthropist and millionaire, Leonard Case, who died at Cleveland, Ohio, in the winter of 1879 and 1880, leaving, as it was by some supposed, no nearer heirs. 14 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Elam Spencer, a Connecticut Yankee, bought the balance of lot one of certified Bedford — 168 acres — of Jeremiah Cole- man in the year 1800, and is said to have moved into the house with John Leonard and to have lived there while erecting a domicil for himself on the upper end of the tract, near where his son, Deming Spencer, afterwards lived and died. While Elam's family was living in the Leonard House, this son Deming Spencer was born, in the year 1800. (This is given as an old tradition about Dallas, although the tombstone of Deming Spencer gives the date of his death 1873, age 76 years.) He is said to have been the first white child born within the territory of present Dallas township. Ephraim McCoy settled, made a small clearing, and built a house in the year 1797 on the lower side of the present road, about half way between Raub's hotel in Dallas bor- ough and the "Corner School House," near present resi- dence of William Goss. This house, like all the houses of that region at that time, was built of logs, and was but little better than a hunter's cabin. McCoy was the original grantee from the state of the northwest quarter of lot two of certified Bedford township. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and was lame from a wound received in battle. He was unable to do much work and drew a pension. He cleared a small spot when he first settled there, but in later years worked but little, spending much of his time fishing at Harvey's Lake. When he first settled in Dallas, Har- vey's Lake was a famous fishing and hunting resort. Mc- Coy said it was still visited by Indians and that he fre- quently saw them passing by a trail through the woods where Dallas village now stands, to and from the lake. Abram Honeywell informs me that he remembers McCoy well, and says than when McCoy died the nearest burying ground was at Huntsville, and there being no drivable roads yet opened between Dallas and Huntsville, McCoy's body DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 15 was carried by the pall bearers about two miles to the Hunts- ville burying groud for interment. I give this incident as it was related to me by Mr. Honeywell, but it is proper to state that McCoy sold his Dallas lands in 1817, and is noted in the first assessment book of the newly organized Dallas township (18 1 8) as having "removed," and his name does not appear thereafter as a taxpayer of Dallas township. This may be the date of his death. He left no kin and but little can be learned of him. There is no tombstone to mark his grave at Huntsville. William Trucks, a Connecticut Yankee, in 1801 bought of Daniel Barney, of Wilkes-Barre, the Connecticut title to lot three "of certified Bedford with a warrant against all persons claiming the same by any title derived from, by or under the state of Connecticut or the Susquehanna Com- pany." WiUiam Trucks, Jr., aftewards completed the title by securing a patent from the Commonwealth of Pennsyl- vania. It is on this lot three of certified Bedford that nearly all of the present village and much of the borough of Dallas now stands. William Trucks, however, though a pioneer, did not go so far into the wilderness from the settlements of Wyoming Valley. He did not venture beyond the banks of Toby's Creek at the present village of Trucksville, which took its name in his honor. As early as 1796 he was a resident of Kingston township and the owner of 36 acres of "occupied" land and 208 acres of "unoccupied" land, one horse and two cattle, and was by occupation a carpenter and millright. In the year 1804 his holdings were 13 acres of improved land, 803 acres of unim- proved land and three cattle. In the year 1800 Benjamin Carpenter, Oliver Pettibone and William Trucks were ap- pointed as committee, "by the proprietors of Kingston, for the purpose of leasing the public lands in said town to William Trucks." Seventy acres were thus leased for a term of 999 years. The lease was dated 4th April, 1800. l6 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. In 1813 William Trucks, Jr., conveyed all of lot three of certified Bedford to Philip Shaver. In the year 1807 we find him, for the first time, assessed as owner of a grist mill and a saw mill. These mills were at Trucksville. The grist mill must have been built at an earlier date however, as we find it mentioned in a peti- tion for a road view as early as 1804. It was built of logs, two stories high, and stood on the same ground now occupied by the present steam grist mill in that village. It had but one pair of mill stones, and they were made from a large boulder of conglomerate rock, known as "flat iron rock," which used to stand by the road side opposite the old John Gore saw mill that formerly stood a quarter of a mile above the present toll gate of the Kingston and Dallas turnpike. These mill stones were cut out and set by Mr. Trucks himself. At this mill the grain was first run through the stones and ground. It was caught in bags below and carried up stairs again by hand where it was thrown into a hopper and shaken by hand through a coarse cloth and thus bolted. The saw mill was erected by Mr. Trucks about the same time, possibly a year or two later. It stood against the steep and rocky hillside, about four rods above the stone mill dam which now stands at the point where the Kings- ton and Dallas turnpike crosses Toby's Creek in the lower end of the village of Trucksville. Those mills and the William Trucks settlement at that point were very impor- tant improvements in the early part of this century. It was the first foothold of settlement and civilization on that side of Kingston mountain. William Trucks built substantially as if he intended to stay and develop the country. The house in which he lived was built of logs, hewn on four sides, and stood on the flat ground where the store building late occupied by J. P. Rice, Esq., and now by William Pat- terson, Esq., stands, about four or five rods below the DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 1/ present grist mill. This house had two rooms down stairs. The chimney was built in the center and had two fire places. It was warm and strong I have been told by those who re- membered it. In the year 1809 William Trucks was commissioned jus- tice of the peace by Governor Snyder, for Plymouth, Kings- ton and Exeter townships. In 181 1 he sold his mills to Joseph Sweatland who soon afterwards added a distillery to the grist mill. The same year William Trucks moved to Wayne township where he spent the balance of his days, leaving powers of attorney with his son William Trucks, Jr., and his friend Daniel Ayres of Plymouth, to dispose of the balance of his interests in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania. About 1 8 14 Jacob Rice purchased part of the Trucks im- provement from the Sweatland family and settled atTrucks- ville. The distillery was distasteful to Mr. Rice and soon disappeared. Mr. Rice came from Warren county, New Jersey, and was a local preacher of the Methodist faith. He was a man of great enterprise and industry. He made many improvements at Trucksville, and became one of the foremost and wealthiest citizens of his time in that vicinity. He erected a tannery, plaster mill and fulling mill, opened a store, and for many years conducted a large and prosper- ous business at that village. He built a handsome residence on the hill above the grist mill which is still standing, and which, at the time of its erection, was far in advance of any other house in that country. It was painted white and had green blinds on the windows, and when new was generally regarded as palatial for that place. Joseph Orr, father of Albert S. Orr, of Wilkes-Barre, was the builder. Another enterprise started at that point by Mr. Rice was a corn roaster intended for preparing roasted corn to send south for the negro slaves. Roasted corn was afterwards found to be injurious as a negro diet, and this enterprise failed. 1 8 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Almost contemporary with the William Trucks settle- ment, possibly a little earlier, was the settlement, at Hunts- ville, on the southwest fork of Toby's Creek, then in Ply- mouth township, afterwards just on the border Hne of Jack- son township and Dallas township, as originally laid out. The place took its name in honor of William Hunt who went there about the year 1800. One of the first stores at that place was kept by Mr. Hunt, and of him the story is told that he was once complaining, in a half bragging way, about the extravagance of his family in the use of sugar, and added, by way of justification of his complaint, that if they had their full swing he really believed they would consume forty pounds a year. Hunt was the original certified grantee of part of lot five in certified Bedford, part of which was by him sold to Peter Ryman in 1829, has since remained in the hands of his family and descendants, and constitutes a part of the Ryman homestead farm. The earliest settlers of Huntsville, however, were the Baldwins and Fullers. Jared Baldwin had already erected a saw mill there in 1796. Amos Baldwin and Jude Bald- win, "hatters" by trade, also had a half interest in a saw mill, possibly partners of Daniel Allen in another mill, at the same time. Jehiel Fuller is credited with having a still house in the same neighborhood in the same year. In the year 1799 Jared Baldwin still owned the mill while Amos and Jude Baldwin confined themselves to their trade as "hatters." The Fuller "distillery" is not mentioned again by the assessors, and possibly disappeared. The country was not enough cleared about there at that day to make a distillery at that point pay. About this time, 1799 or 1800, Jared Baldwin and Amos Baldwin erected a grist mill near where the present grist mill in the village of Hunts- ville stands. In the year 1804 the active business portion of the Baldwin family in that settlement consisted of Jared Baldwin, the father, and Tibball Baldwin, Amza Baldwin, DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. I9 Amos Baldwin and Jude Baldwin, sons. All were united, at that time, in the ownership of the grist mill and half of the saw mill at Huntsville. The following additional facts concerning the Baldwin family may be of interest, viz : Jared Baldwin came from Connecticut in 1795 and built the hat factory at Huntsville with the remnant of his means. He had been a quartermaster in the Connecticut hne of the Continental army, and quartermasters in that struggle put their fortunes into supplies and trusted the government to reimburse them, but the Continental script became worth- less. After building the hat factory and saw mill, which stood about six rods above the present county bridge at Huntsville, and a flouring mill which burned in 1809, on the opposite side of the stream from the present one, he re- turned to Connecticut where he died about 1817. His son Tibbals built a log house near the little old orchard back of Harvey Fuller's present dwelling and died there. Other of the sons removed to Pitcher, N. Y. Jude continued in business in Huntsville, but died of typhus or (typhoid) fever in 1 82 1, as did several of his family. There had been erected a dam to overflow the old marsh where the Wilkes- Barre Water Company's dam now is. This overflow killed a lot of standing timber and is said to have caused an epi- demic of fever of some very fatal kind. Ambrose, Lewis and Watson, sons of Jude went to Ohio in 1832. Burr fol- lowed in 1839, and died in Williams county in 1855. Mrs. Eleanor Brown, late of Lehman, was a daughter of Jude. Ambrose afterwards moved from Ohio to Ottawa, Kansas, where he was twenty years justice of the peace, and died a few years ago. [For these Baldwins, see Baldwin Family, 343-369.] Joshua Fuller and Benajah Fuller were the owners of the other half of the saw mill. Next year, 1805-6, this saw mill was burned down. The same joint owners rebuilt it, how- ever, at once, and with it a distillery. These mills stood 20 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. within, or very nearly within, the territory afterwards in- cluded in Dallas township at its formation in 1817. Mr. Pearce states, in his Annals of Luzerne County, that the first saw mill in Dallas township was built byjude Baldwin on a branch of Toby's Creek in the year 181 3. Jude Bald- win did build a mill at that date on Toby's Creek about one mile above Huntsville, but there is doubt about its being the first mill in Dallas township as originally laid out, though it may have been the first within the present terri- tory of Dallas township. Miner Fuller, afterwards, about 1847, built another saw mill about half a mile farther above the Jude Baldwin mill on the same creek. Both of these mills have been torn down within the past twenty years, there being no longer any need for them. The Fullers and Baldwins were vigorous pioneers and natural mill builders. I cannot more appropriately conclude this subject than by quoting from some valuable letters regarding those early people, which Hon. Evart Bogardus, of North Monroeville, Ohio, in response to my earnest solicitations, did me the honor to write, dated April 7th, il * * * "Jude Baldwin was one of the early settlers. He had a large family. His sons were Burr, Abed, Lewis J., Watson and Ambrose. The last is still living somewhere in the west, as is also his youngest daughter, Mrs. Eleanor Brown, widow of the late Amos Brown, Jr. Abed and Burr carried on the mercantile business in Huntsville in my father's old store house. "The Fullers settled in Lehman and Plymouth (now Jack- son) townships in an early day. There were two brothers that settled near Huntsville, Benajah and Joshua. They built the first saw-mill and grist-mill "over the mountain" (as we were in the habit of calling it). They came from near Kent, Connecticut, and first purchased in Kingston, nearly opposite Colonel Dorrance's, and, if my memory is correct, DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 21 sold to Mr. Sharp and purchased a large tract of wild land about Huntsville on the Jackson and Lehman sides. The saw-mill was situated just above the present bridge. When I lived in Huntsville a heavy freshet uncovered the old mud- sill — a hemlock log — that had been buried beneath the ground for fifty years, and it was as sound as the day it was first put in. The grist-mill was located just below where the present one is now standing. It had two run of stones, one of burr and one of pudding or conglomerate stones, such as is found on the Shawnee Mountain. The grist-mill was built some time after the saw-mill. There was a very good water privilege to supply these mills before the coun- try was settled and the forest was cleared away, but the advance of civilization has lessened the supply. Just above the saw-mill, at the mouth of a large marsh, through which the west branch of Toby's Creek runs, the hills coming near together left a narrow passage for the escape of the water. The beaver, with his cunning instinct, selected this outlet to erect a dam, which they did in a most substantial manner. When I first remember Huntsville the remains of this dam were visible. I should judge it was originally about four feet high, which would overflow some two or three hundred acres of land. But since the country has been cleared up the sudden and heavy freshets have washed away its last remains. "Benajah Fuller was a Revolutionary soldier and drew a pension, as did his widow. His wife, "Aunt Katy" {^lee Catherine Thompson) survived him eight years. They had three sons, William, Jeremiah and Isaac. Chester Fuller, son of William, now resides in Lehman — a prosperous farmer — living on the old homestead. Harvey Fuller, son of Jeremiah, is living at Huntsville. Both brothers had other children who went west. Truman Atherton married their daughter Clarrissa, with whom the old folks made their last earthly home. The sons of Isaac Fuller were five. 22 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. One now resides, I think, in Bradford county, Pa. Two went west and two died. Benajah Fuller was an industrious and upright man, beloved and respected by all who knew him. His eldest daughter married William Trucks, the founder of Trucksville. Louise married Daniel Ruggles. Laura a Mr. Trundall, whose son James lives opposite my present dwelling house, and is one of our wealthiest and most respected citizens. "Joshua built near his brothers on the farm now owned by Dr. Rogers. He had three sons, Sylvanus, Stephen and Abram. The latter died when a young man. Sylvanus, or 'Uncle Vene,' as he was known, lived near Jude Bald- win. He was a thrifty farmer, and was always full of fun and good nature; one of the best-hearted men in the world, respected and beloved by all his neighbors. He removed to Loraine county, Ohio, about 1830 or 1835, and accumu- lated a handsome property. His son Abram, the only child left, is still living on the old homestead, a wealthy man. Stephen also moved farther west. I know but little of him since he left Pennsylvania. Joshua also had four daughters. One married the late Benjamin Reynolds ; one married Amos Brown ; another married Joseph Worthington, Jr. ; the fourth, Amzi, never married. She lived near Harvey's Lake, and died within a few years back. There was another brother, who settled in Northumberland, of whom I know but little." There were no other mills built on the northeastern fork of Toby's Creek above William Trucks' mills until about the year 18 15, when Philip Shaver built a saw-mill about half a mile below the point where Toby's Creek crosses the line between Dallas and Kingston townships, on the site where the old mill now stands near the residence of Lewis R. Shaver. (Now "Shavertown" station on W. B. & H. L. R. R.) On this mill Philip Shaver sawed the siding which are DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 23 now (1886) in use on the old wagon bridge across the Sus- quehanna at Wilkes-Barre. [Replaced 1892-3 by new steel bridge.] They were furnished by Philip Shaver under a contract at ^5.00 per thousand feet, delivered at the bridge, and to be two-thirds panel. About the year 1818 another saw-mill was erected by Christian Rice (who came from near Greensburg, Warren county. New Jersey, about that time) a few rods below the point where the main road crosses Toby's Creek in the present village of Dallas. That mill was still standing up to about 1880. Another mill was erected along in the thirties by Jacob Frantz near the present Frantz school house, on the northernmost branch of the north fork of Toby's Creek. Still another mill was erected about the same time midway between the Frantz mill and the John Leon- ard clearing. This was known as the Weston mill. This branch of Toby's Creek was too small to afford any suffi- cient water power, and these mills had to be abandoned many years ago. About the year 1840 Abram and Richard Ryman built a saw-rnill on site of present steam saw-mill of Ryman & Shaver, about a half mile below Dallas village. In the year 1852 a steam saw-mill was added, and these two were run together until about the year 1870, when both were torn down and a large steam mill was erected, occupying the ground of both the former mills. This new steam mill was burned about July or August, 1881, and the present mill was built in the same year. The foregoing comprise the saw- mills on Toby's Creek within the territory of Dallas township. Prior to 1890 there has never been a grist-mill within the territory of present Dallas township so far as I can learn. In that year a steam grist-mill was erected about lOO feet northeast of the site of the old Christian Rice saw-mill in the borough of Dallas by Gregory & Heitzman. 24 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. At Kunkle post office, in the "Green Woods" country, on Leonard's Creek, a branch of Bowman's Creek, there were two or three other mills. About 1840 Levi Hoyt built a saw-mill there about a half mile below or north of the village of Kunkle. Wesley Kunkle afterwards, about 1841, erected a mill about one-fourth of a mile south of the village of Kunkle, towards Dallas village. Still later Wesley Kun- kle built another mill in the village of Kunkle which occu- pied the site of present (1886) steam saw-mill of A. Ryman & Sons. The steam power was put in by Abram Ryman in the year 1871. The Newbury mills at Monroe, in present Monroe town- ship, were erected at quite an early date. They were marked on the map accompanying the report of viewers opening road from Wilkes-Barre to Bradford county line, via Dallas and Monroe, in 1820. Hitchcock & Church built another mill at "Churchdale," near Kunkle, about 1840. Still another mill was built by Elijah Harris about 1840, near site of present mill of Richard Ryman, at point known as Ryman's pond. This mill was supplanted by a very large steam saw-mill erected by Richard Ryman about 1858. The latter burned a few years later, and in its place the present mill (1886), run by water power, was built. About 1834 Christopher Snyder built a distillery and ran it for a few years. It stood near the center of the north- western half of lot six certified Bedford, being the part cer- tified to Abel Wheeler and Sarah Seeley, near late residence of Edward Hunter. Apple whiskey made from distilled cider was the principal product of this and most of the other small distilleries of that day. Apples were then, as now, a bountiful crop in Dallas township. The settlements in Dallas township during the first dec- ade of this century were not numerous; but just after the close of the war of 1812, when the soldiers had returned DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 2 5 and were seeking homes, a new impetus was given to the house-hunting and setthng about Dallas. Among those who came in the first decade was Joseph Worthington and wife — the latter a daughter of Jonathan Buckley. They came from Connecticut in the year 1806 and settled near Harvey's Lake. His first house was built of logs, and stood about ten rods northwest from the late resi- dence of his son, late Henry Worthington, on the hill about a quarter of a mile from the eastern inlet to Harvey's Lake. When Mr. Worthington first moved into that country there was no road from Huntsville to Harvey's Lake except a bridle path. Mr. Worthington cut a way through and built a house when his nearest neighbor was miles away and no clearings in sight anywhere. Wolves were then very nu- merous and bold at night, and the only way Mr. Worthing- ton could protect his family from their assaults was for all to climb the ladder to the second floor and pull the ladder up after them. Mr. Worthington used to say that his life during those early days was most lonely and disheartening. Concerning Mr. Worthington and other early settlers in that vicinity, I cannot do better that to further quote from the valuable letters of Mr. Bogardus : "Joseph Worthington was one of the prominent men of Lehman. When he settled at Harvey's Lake it was a wild wilderness. The old homestead never departed from the family. He was twice married. His first wife was a Miss Buckley, by whom he had five sons and three daughters. Joseph L. built the house where James Myers now lives (1886). Eliphat located in Doylestown. Elijah was an editor of a Whig paper in Wilkes-Barre. Jonathan was a shoemaker and moved to Loraine county, Ohio, he died about a year ago (1885). Thomas moved to Sauk City, Wisconsin. Nancy married Isaac Fuller. Maria married and lived in Doylestown, Pa. Eliza married Asaph Pratt. 26 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Elijah married Caroline Pratt. Asaph and Elijah were courting each others sisters at the same time. The four lovers met at the lake one pleasant day and proposed a sail on the water. Thomas was also with them. They lashed two canoes together, putting boards across both for seats, and to hold them level. They were fortunately not far from shore when, by some mishap, the boats doubled in and let them all in the water. Elijah and Asaph could not swim, nor, of course, could Caroline. Thomas being a good swimmer was rescuing them as fast as he could. Eliza said to her lover, 'now you follow my direction and I will save you and myself.' After getting the promise she di- rected him to lay his hand on her shoulder and struck for shore. Had she not been a swimmer both would have drowned, as Thomas had all he could do to save the other two. Not one of the family ever brought disgrace on them- selves or their much respected father and mother. Mr. Worthington's second wife was Sally Perry, a very estimable lady, by whom he had one son, the late Henry Worthington." Of Jacob I. Bogardus, a conspicuous and for many years a leading citizen of Dallas (now Lehman) township, I glean the following from the letters of his son above quoted. He was born in the city of New York 1783, his father being a merchant in that city. He married the only daugh- ter of Jonathan O. Moseley, of East Haddam, Conn. He engaged for a time in the mercantile business at Katskill, N. Y., and not being successful, removed to Pennsylvania and settled in Bradford township, afterwards a part of Dal- las, and now of Lehman township. He settled there about about 18 1 2 in the midst of the forest. His nearest neigh- bor on the south was Thomas Case, two miles ; on the east, Amos Brown, three miles; on the north, John Whiteman, two and a half miles. There were no public roads to any DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 2/ of the neighbors. Mr. Bogardus and his wife were both well educated, and Mr. Bogardus wrote a large portion of the early deeds, mortgages and other papers needed in that time. He was appointed by the Governor Justice of the Peace soon after coming to Pennsylvania, which office he held until he resigned many years after. He was at one time the only Justice of the Peace within the present territory of Lehman, Dallas and Jackson townships. His decisions and opinions were considered by most people about there in those days as final ; but few of them were carried to higher courts, and of these but few were reversed. Abram S. Honeywell was the standing Constable. Es- quire Bogardus married most of the young people about there in those days. " I well remember," says the letter of Evart Bogardus, "the marriage of A. S. Honeywell. He and his bride came on horseback, followed by most of the young folks of Dallas. They had a jolly time and returned happy." "Uncle Peter Ryman," continues the letter, "and after- wards his son, Joseph Ryman, were the people's lawyers that practiced at this court. They would lay down the law to the court, sometimes rather crudely, but the court would listen to them respectfully, and when they got through, decide. Peter and Joseph were often engaged to represent opposite sides in the same law suit. Peter spoke with a de- cided German accent. He was also the owner of a copy of Purdon's Digest, and usually prepared his cases by study- ing this book, and recognized no other authority. On one occasion when they were thus opposing each other, Joseph stated a legal proposition which did not suit Peter very well. It was good law and good sense, as Peter seemed to feel, but some reply had to be made to break its force and leave some ground for him to stand on before his client. This Peter did with all the force at his command, by saying : ' Yosep, dat may be good law, put you can't find it in Purton! 28 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. "John Ryman, another son of Peter Ryman, had also a taste for the law. He went west at an early day and was, for twenty years, up to the time of his death in 1856, a con- spicuous and leading lawyer in the states of Indiana and Ohio, as the early volumes of the Supreme Court Reports will abundantly show. He was a man of great physical strength, and, as Smaton Holman recently remarked of him, 'he had a courage equal to his strength, and probably never knew what fear was.' "Esquire Bogardus was a tall, athletic man. He had but few equals in strength, yet was good natured and never quar- relsome ; always full of fun. Militia training was a great in- stitution in those days. Once a year there was a general training day, when the brigade inspector was to inspect the arms of the patriots. They were all armed. Some with old muskets, broom-sticks, corn-stalks, canes, &c. Some time about 1820 general training was held at Shawnee. Esquire Bogardus was a private in (I think) Captain Oliver Davenport's Company, who for some reason, whether just or unjust, I cannot say, put Esquire Bogardus and some others from over the mountain under guard, which made them feel very indignant. While walking home they re- solved to raise a volunteer company which was to be called 'The Dallas and Plymouth Rifle Company.' Esquire Bo- gardus was elected captain. I have not a distinct recollec- tion as to the other officers. I think Joseph Worthington and William Fuller were lieutenants. It was said to be the finest looking company in the regiment and the best drilled. Almost every man stood full six feet high. The uniform was green round-about coats, trimmed with gold lace and round brass buttons. A high white feather tipped with red. Otis Allen, a tall, muscular man was the 'file leader.' When the company wished to pass over a fence Uncle Otis would get down on all fours and the company would use him as a step to vault over the fence. A few evolutions DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, 2g would bring him to the head again. Many a time have I looked on these evolutions with pride while getting outside of a 'fippenny-bit's worth of gingerbread. "About 1825 Col. Jonathan O. Moseley left East Haddam and settled in Lehman on the same place with my father. He built the first frame house in either Dallas or Lehman, which is still standing on the old homestead. It was the marvel of the times, high walls, lathed, plastered and papered. The furniture was of a costly kind, being of solid mahogany with two good sized pier-glasses. This furniture was hauled by wagons from New York. "Col. Moseley was a graduate of Yale College under presidency of Theodore Dwight. He represented the dis- trict in which he lived, Middlesex county. Conn., sixteen years continuously in Congress. He was a poHshed gentle- man, as his education and surroundings gave him every op- portunity to be. He was a good lawyer, but he labored under the mistaken idea that it would be degrading to return to his practice. Col. Moseley and my father built and started the first store back of the mountain at Huntsville. That was their mistake. The goods had to be carted from Philadelphia by wagon. The country was new, money very scarce, and consequently a good deal of credit was given, and when accounts were due the pay was not forthcoming. After three or four years the money that had not been spent on the farm was in the hands of the dear people and re- verses followed. Garrick Mallery, Esq., bid in the farm and permitted Col. Moseley to occupy it until he removed to Michigan in 1839, Mr. Mallery being a good friend to Col. Moseley. "The writer remembers seeing deer in flocks in the woods, wolves howling at night, bears come and drink from the spring brook. Our first near neighbor was William Newman who married Peggy Lee. He sold to 'Governor' Sitese, who got the title of Governor in rather an amusing 30 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. way. Joseph Worthington who was the only resident at Harvey's Lake was expecting the Governor of Pennsylva- nia to call on him on a certain day. In the morning, as he went out on his farm to work, he told his daughter Eliza, a mischievous young lady, that when the Governor came she should call him and he would come in the back door and change his farm clothes for his store clothes. The call came, and, after Mr. Worthington had attended to his toilet, he went into the room only to meet Cornelius Sites. What added to the amusement of the daughter was that Mr. Sites was a tall, raw-boned, uneducated man, and exceedingly homely. The title of "Governor" never departed from him. "Governor" Sites was, however, a clever man and good neighbor. " Our nearest school house was a log house situate two miles distant on the road leading to Harvey's Lake through a dense woods. The first post office established back of the mountain was at Huntsville. It was named in honor of William Hunt, an old resident of the place. Truman Ath- erton was the first postmaster. He was appointed under John Quincy Adams' administration. He held the office until about 1849 when he resigned, and Major Abed Baldwin was appointed as his successor. Truman Atherton occupied quite a prominent place in the respect of his neighbors, holding, frequently, two or three township offices at the time, and represented his county two years in the legisla- ture of Pennsylvania. "Oliver McKeel bought a farm adjoining ours. His wife, nee Charity Pringle, is still living (1886) on the old home- stead now owned by their son Lewis McKeel. "John Linskill came from England and settled near what is called the Linskill school-house, in Lehman, about 1830; purchased his farm of Russel T. Green, and married for his second wife Polly Steel. His first wife was a sister to Thomas Major, Sr. Mr. Linskill worked at his trade DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 3 I (tailoring) in a shop near his house. He was an honest, in- dustrious man, very quick in his movements and decisions ; of strong religious faith, rather intolerant towards those who differed from him. I remember very well when they were building the Christian Church at Huntsville he would not look at it, and I believe never went into it ; but he was a good neighbor and kind-hearted, and commanded the re- spect of the neighborhood. "Amos Brown was one of the first settlers of Lehman. He was living there when my father came to Pennsylvania in 1812. He had two sons, Jeremiah and Amos; three daughters, Rachel, Annis and Sybil. Jerry and Rachel never married, but always lived on the old homstead. Amos, Jr., married Eleanor, youngest daughter of Jude Baldwin. Annis died young. Sybil married William Major. Jerry was a jolly, good-hearted fellow, fond of young company. He passed through three generations as a young fellow ; or rather one among the young folks. "Jerry quoted 'Uncle Vere' very often. He would gen- erally finish a sentence with 'as Uncle Vere said.' A com- mon answer to a saluation as 'How are you, Jerry?' would be 'Forked end downwards.' Dr. Robinson, who married Polina Fuller, Uncle Vere's oldest daughter, Jerry's cousin, could never get over laughing about Jerry's 'forked end downwards.' "Elder Griffin Lewis was an early settler there. He lived in Jackson township near Huntsville. He was the only minister among us for many years. He was a large, stal- wart Vermonter — a man of unimpeachable honesty and integrity, an exemplary Christian. He was not noted for his eloquence, but for his solid, good sense, and among his neighbors a peacemaker. He married Hannah Rogers, sister of Dr. Rogers' father. Elder Joel Rogers. He has two sons, James and Jonah. The latter is now living at Battle Creek, Mich. James died a few years since in De- 32 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. troit. Abed Baldwin married one of his daughters. One married Captain T. O. Bogardus; one married Palmer Brown (she is still living, 1886); the youngest married Thomas Worthington. "As you wish me to say something about myself, I will give a short outline of my life. I was the third son of Ja- cob I. Bogardus ; was born in Lehman (or Bedford as it then was) September 15th, 1813, five days after the battle of Lake Erie. At the age of fourteen I went to the city of New York, where my father apprenticed me to the saddle and harness trade. I remained in the city about five years, after which I returned to Lehman and helped work on the farm. The first office I ever held was constable. I had an execution in favor of Joseph Worthington against Mc- Carty (I forget his first name). [Probably Edward.] He turned out his only cow. Mrs. McCarty came out with tears in her eyes and said it was her only cow. I told her to keep her cow until I called for it. I laid the case before Mr. Worthington. He directed me not to sell it. I thought if that was the business of a constable, to be the instrument in the hands of the law to distress the poor, I had had enough of that glory. I resigned and John Linskill was appointed by the court as my successor. I shortly after left for Phil- adelphia and entered into the employ of J. M. Botton & Co. as shipping clerk in a forwarding and commission busi- ness. I remained with them three years. In the spring of 1838 my father removed to Kalamazoo, Mich. I followed him in next December with a bright prospect of entering into the mercantile business, but was disappointed by false promises. In 1840 I returned to Pennsylvania, stopped at Williamsport, and through the kindness of a good friend, I obtained a situation as book-keeper for John B. Hall & Co. In November following I was married to Miss Louise, only daughter of Truman and Clarrissa Atherton. At the ear- nest solicitations of my wife's father I left Williamsport in DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 33 the spring of 1841 and took charge of his farm. Remained on the farm seven years (as long as Jacob worked for his wife). My old friend G. M. Hollenback said to me several times, when I met him in Wilkes-Barre : 'Mr. Bogardus, it seems to me you could do better than work on a farm.' I thought perhaps he had something for me, so I would see what it was. I told him I though I could, and wished I could see an opening. Said I, 'Perhaps you have one.' He said he had, and invited me into his office. He then un- folded to me his plan, viz., to rent me his old warehouse, put me up a store at the canal basin (on the same ground where now stands the new L. V. R. R. depot in Wilkes- Barre). Had he thrown a pail of cold water on me I could not have received a more sudden chill, I could not see even a living in it, but he assured me there was money in it; and knowing him to be a good business man, I trust- ed in his judgment, which proved to be correct. The first year, by strict attention to business and by the help of my good wife, I found, at the close of navigation the following fall, I had accumulated ^1200 over and above my living and house rent, and had built up a paying business. I retailed in one year 15,000 bushels of oats. My prices for hay and oats, corn and chop governed the market. I introduced the first dray in Wilkes-Barre, drawn by a large bay horse weighing between 1700 and 1800 pounds. Joe Keller was drayman. My business was always prosperous, and my business relations with the people of Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding country were almost of the most pleasant kind, and it does me good when I visit my old home to re- ceive so many hearty greetings. "In 1855 I joined my father-in-law in building the grist- mill at Huntsville. After it was finished, we sold out our farms, both his and mine, in Jackson and Lehman, to Anson Atherton. I then sold out my store and good will to J. M. Hollenback, my house and lot to Robert Watt, and in 34 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. the fall of 1856, in company with my father-in-law and brother-in-law, G Atherton, and our families, we left for the West, and located in Huron county, Ohio, my pres- ent home. We purchased a good farm and bought out the only merchant in our village, and did a prosperous business. I was always active in politics — a Democrat up to the breaking out of the Civil War in 186 1. I then united with the Union party. The only plank in their platform was to put down the Confederacy at any cost. The course pursued by the Democrats of Ohio I could not approve, and I be- came identified with the Republican party. I held the office of county commissioner six years, justice of the peace six years, and had the honor of representing Huron county four years in the Legislature of Ohio, and have been notary public for the last fifteen years, and hold that office still. In early youth I was baptised into the Church by Elder Griffin Lewis. I have tried to live a consistent Christian, never denying my religion. My hope in Christ is the comfort of my declining years — looking for the coming of my Saviour with joy, in the full faith of having a part in the resurrection at His appearing. "I could say much more about the Ides, Whitemans, Jacksons, Harrises, Husteds, Majors and many others of those early days, but I suppose you have had enough. * * "Your friend, E. Bogardus." Coming back again to the territory within the boundaries of present Dallas township, the Shaver family appears as an early, and, like the Honey wells, a numerous settler. The name was at first spelled Shaver or Shafer and Shaffer. Adam Shaver, Peter Shaver and Frederick Shaver were residents of Kingston township as early as 1796. Adam was a shoemaker by trade, but, in 1806, he started, and for several 3^ears, ran an oil mill at Mill Hollow, now Luzerne borough, at the place now (1886) occupied by Schooley's Joseph Shaver DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 35 plaster and chop mill. Adam Shaffer was also certified grantee of the northwestern half of lot five in certified Brad- ford, now principally owned and occupied by John Fergu- son, Esq. The exact date when the Shavers first settled in Dallas cannot now be determined with certainty. They were Germans and most of them came direct from New Jersey, vicinity of Newton. About the year 1812-13, Philip Shaver and his sons John and William became the owners of large bodies of land in the southeasterly portion of what is now Dallas township and in adjacent portions of Kingston township. For a long time, and even to this day, the settlement is locally known as and called "Shavertown." Philip Shaver was a pro- gressive man. One of his earliest purchases was in 18 13, of the whole of lot three, certified Bedford, from William Trucks. The same year he sold a portion from the north- west half to Jonah McLellon, also a Jerseyman (from Knowl- ton township, Warren county). On that portion bought by McLellon the present village of Dallas, or McLellonsville, as it was originally named, was built. Philip Shaver was born and spent his boyhood in the valley of the Danube River, near Vienna, Austria. It was a cardinal principle with him that a man was not really run- ning in debt when he bought and owed for real estate at a reasonable price. He settled and built his home, a log house, on the hill about a quarter of a mile south of the cross roads near late residence of James Shaver, deceased, on the ground afterwards occupied and owned by Asa Shaver, now deceased. Philip Shaver was generous and public spirited to a marked degree for the time and place. He gave the land for the public burying-ground, on the hill near the pine grove just south of Dallas village, on the road to Huntsville. He also gave land for what is known as the Shaver burying-ground, which lies about a mile southeast of the former. The land upon which the first school-house 36 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. in Dallas township was built was likewise a gift from him. This land lies partly in the cross-roads just south of and adjacent to the present public school building in Dallas borough. That school-house was erected in 18 16 of logs. It was standing yet within my recollection (about 1853 or 1854). I remember attending a Sunday-school in it once. Mr. George Oliver was superintendent, and they sang "Happy Day," and it was the first time I had ever heard it. This school-house was also used for holding meetings and services of all kinds, divine and secular. Candles, in small tin candle-holders, turned over at the top to form reflectors, and hung on nails driven here and there, in window and door frames, furnished the only light at evening meetings. The candles were home-made dips contributed by the differ- ent persons who were in the habit of attending the evening meetings there. Evening meetings at that time were always announced to commence at "early candle light." The lux- ury of a clock was indulged in by but few, and of a watch by almost none, so that the surest way to get a congrega- tion together at a particular time after sundown was to fix the hour as above. I am told by a lady who attended meet- ings in that school-house when she was a girl, nearly fifty years ago, that a bonnet was seldom seen. The ladies wore handkerchiefs tied over their heads instead. The first or one of the first schools in that school-house was taught by one Doty, an Irishman. He was very strict and had a long list of rules, to break any one of which was sure to subject the offender to severe chastisement. No two pupils were allowed to go out or be out of doors at the same time during school hours ; and in order to avoid such an occurrence, a card was suspended on the door, on one side of which was printed in large letters the word "out" and on the reverse side the word "in." When anyone went out he must turn the card so that the first named word could be seen, and when he came in the card must be again turned DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 37 SO that the second word could be seen. No coaxing or reasoning" would prevail to let anyone go out while the word "out" could be seen on that card. As previously remarked, the country about Dallas was very rapidly filled with settlers just after the close of the war of i8i2. It was regarded as the frontier country to those living farther east in New Jersey and Connecticut, as Ohio, Indiana and California soon after became in the minds of the people of this region. Aaron Duffee was one of the ex-soldier settlers. In 1813 he appeared first in that country. He settled and built a house on the Amos Wickersham warrant, near and north- east of the point where the main road from Dallas to Kun- kle crosses Chestnut hill or Brace hill ridge. Though an Irishman by birth, Duffee was a most aggressive and un- compromising Methodist preacher. He preached about the neighborhood in private houses and barns, and later, after its erection, in the log school-house. That was an age of distilleries and liquor drinking. There were very few people then, in that region, who did not have whiskey in the house at all times. About the year 1823 Peter Roushey, a tailor by trade, living near the road at the upper or northwest corner of lot number one of certified Bedford township, near late residence of Enoch Reily, un- dertook to sell liquor by the "smalle" or drink. There had probably been difficulty before, but this enraged Duffee, and he prosecuted Roushey. To beat him and get rid of him, Roushey took out a tavern license. This was in the year 1823, and was the first tavern Hcense taken out in Dal- las township. It was not renewed next year, and there was no other license taken out in that township until one was taken out by Jacob Meyers in 1837. Since 1837 a hotel has been continuously kept in Dallas. About 18 1 2-1 3 William Honeywell moved from New Jersey and bought and settled on a portion of the Edward 38 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, Duffield tract, near where the farm of his grandson, William J. Honeywell, now is, also part of the same land now occu- pied by the Dallas Union Agricultural Society for a fair ground and racing track. For much of the information that I have concerning that period I am indebted to Abram S. Honeywell, Esq., son of William Honeywell, who is still living (September 5, 1885) and very active at the age of ninety-five years. Mr, Honeywell's narrative in connection with his father's moving to Dallas is very interesting, and I give it in his own words as he gave it to me on the 19th day of September, 1885, at the house of his son, William J. Honeywell, in Dallas. " I have a very distinct recollection of many things that occurred about the time my father moved into this country (Dallas). I cannot give the year, exactly, that we came, but it was in the spring. My father had been out here the fall before and had bought a large body of land, part of lot one certified Bedford (this deed is dated 20th September, 1813, and the deed for part of Edward Duffield tract is dated 3d November, 18 14, but the purchases may have been contracted for before either of those dates), and we moved in the next spring. We came from Nolton (Knowlton) township, near Greensburg, Warren county. New Jersey Many of the early settlers of Dallas came from there. The township of Dallas had not yet been cut off from Kingston and Plymouth townships, from which it was taken.* There were five families who came in from New Jersey when we did. Widow Sweazy and her son, Thomas Sweazy, about my age, were in the party. We drove our teams and wagons all the way. We first came down to Wilkes-Barre, and ex- pected to cross there and come up to Dallas, through the narrows and along Toby's Creek by the way of Trucksville, but the water was so high in the river that spring that we * The first petition for the new township was filed October sessions, 1814, and the court appointed Oliver Pettibone, Charles Chapman and Josiah Lewis viewers, but they never made any return or report of any kind to the court. WlI.lJAM J. HcjNIiN W Kl.l. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 39 could not get over, and we had to go back to Pittston to cross. After crossing at Pittston we came down to New Troy (Wyoming) and came up along the creek (Abraham's) that cuts through the mountain at that point, and on through the woods to the place where father had bought and in- tended to settle. There was no road at all, and we had to cut our way through woods the whole distance. It was a dreadful hard job, and it took us about five days to get through. We had brought our cows, sheep and hogs with us, and it was almost impossible to get them through the woods and across the streams. The water in the creeks was very high, and of course there were no bridges, so we had to ford them all and carry the sheep and hogs over. The forest was very dense and heavy, and everything looked most discouraging to us. My father's name was William Honeywell, and we settled almost exactly on the spot where stood the house lately occupied by Enoch Reily. It was on the upper end of lot one certified Bedford. There were only four or five houses within the territory of present Dallas township at that time. Ephraim McCoy lived there then on the lower side of the present road, about half way between the Goss or corner school-house and Raub's hotel. There was also a man by the name of Vanscoy living back of us somewhere, about where Ferdinand Ferrell lives. Elam and Daniel Spencer each had a little log house down along the creek in a direct line between our house and the present village of Dallas. When we arrived our house was not yet done. My father had hired a man the fall before to build it and have it ready by a certain time when we should arrive. We had to all turn in and help finish it. Just back of this house there was a small clearing when we went there and on it stood the ruins of a old log hut. This clearing was old, for the ground had been planted until it was quite run down. I don't know who cleared it or who ever lived there. 40 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, "The old Leonard Meadows or Leonard Clearing was then about as it is now, but John Leonard had moved away when we came. The original forest covering Dallas town- ship was very heavy. There was a growth of very large pine trees, many of them 150 to 200 feet high. There were also oak, maple, chestnut and hemlock in abundance. There were many other kinds of wood, but these predominated. There were no worked roads or bridges when we first went to Dallas. The best roads we had were simply the natural ground with the trees and brush cut so as to let a wagon through. The woods were full of game of all kinds — bears, deer, wild turkeys, &c. Wolves were very thick, too. There were no Indians in Dallas when we went there, but I have heard McCoy tell about seeing them, when he first moved in, as they went from the valley, through where Dal- las village now stands, to Harvey's Lake, on their hunting and fishing trips. Harvey's Lake was a grand place to hunt and fish then. You could kill a deer there almost any time. Many of the settlers who came in after we did moved away very soon because the country was so rough that they could not stand it. It was very hard for any of us to get a living then. There was no money a-going. The most important thing with us was to get our roads opened and fixed up so that people could get about through the country. We were often called by the supervisors of Kingston to work out our road tax on the roads in the valley, and we had to get down there by seven o'clock in the morning or have our time docked. To do this, we had to get up and eat breakfast before daylight even in the summer time, and they kept us at work until sundown, so that we had to go home in the dark also. It was very dis- couraging. We could not get supervisors to go over into the Dallas end of the township to work the roads, nor would they let us work our tax out there. At last we be- gan trying to get a new township. (This was first tried in DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, 4 1 1 8 14,) We had very hard work of that, too. The people in the valley fought us all they could, and we had to work three or four years before Dallas township was set off. Then we began harder than ever to lay out and open roads. Everyone was so poor, however, that we had almost no tax, and so we had to turn out and have working bees on the roads in order to make them even passable. Dallas town- ship filled up very fast after the separation. Most of the settlers were Jerseymen, though there were a few Connecti- cut Yankees among them. "Peter Ryman came in about 1814. He was from Greens- burg, Warren county. New Jersey. John Honeywell, my father's brother, came in the year before we did. Richard Honeywell, another brother, came in soon after we did. They all came from Warren county. New Jersey. My brothers were Joseph, Thomas and Isaac. I had one sis- ter, Elizabeth, who married Eleazor Swetland, brother of William Swetland of New Troy (Wyoming). John Orr came here about the time we did. He was a blacksmith, and used to sharpen plowshares. He would not shoe horses much. The only plow in use then was the old fashioned shovel plow. The only iron about it was the blade, which was about the shape of an ordinary round-pointed shovel. This was fastened to the lower end of an upright post. To the post was attached handles to hold it with, and a beam or tongue to which the team could be hitched. This plow was jabbed into the ground here and there between the roots, stumps and stones, and with it a little dirt could be torn up now and then. There was no patent plow in use then, nor could it be used there for many years after we settled in Dallas, Nor could we use a cradle for cutting grain. At that time the ground was so rough, and there were so many stumps and roots and stones, that we had to harvest at first with a sickle." 42 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. As narrated by Mr. Honeywell, and as may yet be in- ferred from the great number of large pine stumps still seen in the fields and numerous stump fences about Dallas, there was at one time a species of very tall pine trees covering that country. A very few of them can still be seen (1886) towering far above the other highest trees in the woods below Dallas, near the Ryman and Shaver steam saw-mill, but they are the last of their race. For some reason they do not reproduce, and will soon be an extinct species. Many of them grew to a height of 175 to 200 feet, and often the trunk would be limbless for 150 feet from the ground, with a diameter of from five to six feet at the ground.* It is difficult to fell them without breaking them in one or two places. They are so heavy and have so few limbs to retard their fall, or to protect them in striking the ground, that they come down with a terrible crash, and any stone, stump, log or unevenness on the ground where they fall is sure to break them. Little benefit was ever derived by the people of Dallas from this now valuable timber. The most important con- sideration with the first settlers was how to clear away and get rid of the vast and impenetrable forest that covered the entire country. Saw-mills were built to make sufficient lumber to supply the wants of immediate neighbors. There was no great market for lumber anywhere, because all parts of the country had mills and lumber as abundant as it was in Dallas. Furthermore, there were no roads over which it could be conveyed, even if there had been a market, so most of it had to be cut down and burned on the ground. ROADS. Mr. Abram Honeywell tells me that when his father wanted a few slabs to cover the roof of his house in Dallas, * This statement, when originally read before the Historical Society, was questioned somewhat by Hon. Steuben Jenkins, who was then living and present. I have since had some of the trees measured, and find that my statement as to their height is correct. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 43 they had to carry and drag them from Baldwin's mill at Huntsville, about three miles, because the roads were so poor a wagon could not then be driven between Dallas and Huntsville. While on the subject of roads, a few dates may be noted when some of the earlier roads of that country were peti- tioned for, laid out or opened. At August sessions, 1804, the petition of Zacariah Harts- hoof and others was read asking for viewers to be appointed to lay out a road from James Landon's saw-mill, the nearest and best route to the bridge near William Truck's grist- mill, whereupon the court appointed viewers. No report was made, and nothing more seems to have been done with this petition. At January sessions, 1806, the petition of Samuel Allen and others was read praying for viewers to be appointed to lay out a road from Dallas and Baldwin's Mills (afterwards called Huntsville) to intersect the road that was laid out from Mehoopany to Wilkes-Barre (old state road, now en- tirely opened, superseded by road of 1820, hereinafter men- tioned), at or near William Truck's grist-mill. The said road to begin at or near Mr. Foster's. Whereupon the court appoint John Goss, Zacariah Hartzshoof, Philip Mey- ers, John Tuttle, Elijah Shoemaker and Elisha Atherton to view the ground proposed for said road, etc., etc. At November sessions, 1806, the viewers return a road as fol- lows, leading from Fuller & Baldwin's Mills (Huntsville) to William Truck's mill (Trucksville) : Beginning at a stake and stones near Mr. Foster's, which is the centre of the road ; from thence south, 63 degrees 75 perches to a stake in the Reynolds meadow ; from thence south, 40 degrees east, 92 perches to a stake ; thence north, 72 degrees east, 128 perches to a stake; thence north, 54 degrees east, 56 perches to where it intersects with road that leads from Me- 44 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. hoopany to Wilkes-Barre, one mile and seventy-one perches long. This report was confirmed and the road opened. At January sessions, 1807, a road was ordered from "near where Cephas Cone formerly lived in Exeter by Alexander Lord's to intersect the road leading from Northumberland to Wilkes-Barre near John Kelley's." At November sessions, 18 19, a road was ordered in Dal- las, beginning at a large white pine tree near Jonah Mc- Clellon's (where Raub's hotel now stands), and on road leading from Jacob Rice's mill (formerly Truck's mill at Trucksville) to upper part of Dallas township via "John Orr's improvement," west, etc., etc., "to a road leading from Baldwin's Mills (Huntsville) to Harvey's Lake. The above road runs fifteen perches through improvement of Jonah McClellon's and thirty perches through an improvement of John Orr." (This is the present road from Dallas to Har- vey's Lake.) 1820. Road was laid out "from pubhc road near line of William Honeywell" (corner east of Goss school-house), "northeast via corner by Conrad Kunkle's mill, etc., etc., to Northumberland." 1 82 1, April sessions. Road laid out from near school- house near residence of Ezra Ide, southeast across Hunt- ington road via Jacob L Bogardus* improvement, also via cen- tre line of certified Bedford township, whole distance 716 perches to line between lots 38 and 39, near house of Jacob L Bogardus. January 3d, 1821. Road is ordered from line of Bedford township to Harvey's Lake, on petition of Joseph L. Worth- ington and others, whole distance 380 perches. April sessions, 1822. Road opened from Bedford county line, via Dallas, to Wilkes-Barre, whole distance 31 miles 307 perches. (This is the main road in present use from Wilkes-Barre, via Dallas, to Bowman's Creek.) November sessions, 1821. Road laid out from near Bald- DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, 45 win's mills (Huntsville) on line of road leading from Bald- win's Mills to Harvey's Lake, via Wyncoop's, Wheeler's and Whiteman's improvements, crossing Harvey's Creek and Pike's Creek, and through Flagler's, Wilkinson's and Long's improvements to an established road leading to Huntington. January sessions, 1822. Road laid out and opened in Dal- las from Philip Kunkle's, via line between John M. Little, Aaron Duffy and others to highway at or near Warren Da- vidson's. January sessions, 1823. Road laid out "beginning at public road near saw-mill of Christian Rice (McLellonsville, now Dallas, village); thence south, 10 degrees west, 60 perches to a white oak at a school-house (old log school- house) ; thence south, 6 degrees west, 30 perches ; south, 10 degrees west, 29 perches to house of Christian Rice; south, 32^ degrees west, through improvements of John Honeywell, 74 perches to corner ; south, 43^ degrees west, past Peter Ryman's barn 40 perches to William Hunt's line; thence south, 40 degrees west, 40 perches through an improvement of William Hunt and 46 perches more to a white pine sapling; south, 15 degrees west, 14 perches to a white oak ; south 64 perches to a pine; south, 14 degrees west, 17 perches to a corner; south, 20 degrees west, 40 perches through improvement of Fayette Allen to public road; same course, 34 perches to white oak sapling; south, 3 degrees west, across small run, 12 perches to a pine; south, 10 j4 degrees west, 74 perches to a road running from Fuller's mill (Huntsville) to Philip Shaver's mill (or Toby's Creek just below Dallas borough line); thence along said road south, 19 degrees west, 72 perches to the corner at McLoskey's store, near Fuller's mill (Huntsville). This is the present main road between Huntsville and Dallas. August 6th, 1827. Road opened from main road between Dallas and Trucksville, via old log school-house in Dallas, 46 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. west, via Henry King's (now Robert Norton), Alexander Ferguson's (now John Ferguson), and A. Wheeler's (now ) improvements, to road leading from Burr Bald- win's (Stroud's) house to Harvey's Lake. November 3d, 1828. Road laid out from near house of Peter B. Roushey (corner of Goss school-house) ; thence on centre line of Bedford township south, 44^ degrees west, 102 perches to road leading from Kingston to Har- vey's Lake, near house of Nathaniel Worden (M. E. Church). August sessions, 1828. Road laid out from Stephen Brace's (Brace Hill) south, 50 degrees east, through swamp, etc., to road leading from Kingston to Bowman's Creek. (This road reviewed 1837.) 1 823-1 824. Road laid out from north side of Stephen Ide's cider-mill (near Ide burying-ground and Presbyterian Church in Lehman township), on road leading from Hunts- ville to Harvey's Lake, via Stephen Ide, Miner Fuller and Jonathan Husted improvements, to road leading from Ben Baldwin's (late Allen & Honeywell's) saw-mill to Amza B, Baldwin's ; thence via old road, Joseph Meyer's and Simeon Spencer's, to Joseph Orr's improvement. January sessions, 1844. Road laid out from house of Anthony Foss (near M. E. Church in Dallas borough), along center line of Bedford township, to "Baldwin's road" at or near house of Joseph Wright. It is very probable that some of the foregoing roads were opened and actually used for some time before they were legally declared to be public roads by decree of court. While on the other hand, some of them were not actually opened for public use for a considerable period after they were ordered by the court. It may be stated, also, that some of the earlier roads were opened and accepted as pub- lic roads by common consent without any action of the court ever being taken. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 47 SOME EARLY SETTLERS IN PRESENT VILLAGE OF DALLAS. Christian Rice settled in Dallas about the time the new township was set off from Kingston and Plymouth. He bought part of lot number four certified Bedford, and built on it near the graveyard on road between Dallas and Hunts- ville. This farm is now (1886) owned by his son, Jacob Rice, and lies within the present borough of Dallas. Both Christian Rice and his son Jacob Rice have been closely identified with the growth and progress of Dallas. While the present village of Dallas was not honored with having built in it the first house that was erected in Dallas town- ship, it became evident at a very early day that a village would be built there, largely due, perhaps, to the willing- ness of Jonah McLellon to sell lots of small size to anyone who wanted to buy and improve. The Ephraim Moss house stood in the field, on a little knoll just over the spring run, about twenty or thirty rods northwest of the present public school-house in Dallas bor- ough. There are a few pear trees or apple trees yet stand- ing (1886) near the spot. The ruins of the old chimney were still standing twenty or twenty-five years ago. Ephraim Moss was a shoemaker, I am told. Jonah McLellon's house stood on the spot where rear end or kitchen part of Raub's hotel now stands, and was proba- bly the first house built in the present village of Dallas. McLellon bought this land, as before stated, in the year 18 13, and probably moved there and built soon after. He was an Irish Jerseyman. He came to Dallas from Knol- ton township, Warren county, N. J. He originally owned all the northwest end of lot number three certified Bedford down to a point 160 rods or one-half mile southeast of center line (middle of road by old M. E. Church), which included nearly all the land within the present village of Dallas. In 18 16 he sold twenty-five acres to Christian 48 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Rice, on which the latter built the saw-mill before referred to. The new Dallas Cemetery grounds were also included in that purchase. On this ground Christian Rice also built a log house, which, until a few years ago, stood on the northeasterly side of the street just across an alley and west of A. Ryman & Sons' store. One of the first to occupy it was his son, Jacob Rice. This house was torn down to make room for the house now occupied by Clinton Honey- well, which stands on the same spot where the log house stood up to about 1861-2. Patrick O'Malley, a son-in-law of Jonah McLellon, and a cooper by trade, built a log house and lived on westerly side of road leading to Harvey's Lake, nearly opposite Raub's hotel, about four hundred feet west of the Wilkes- Barre and Harvey's Lake Railroad depot. Another log house built in Dallas village, probably the third, was erected by Joseph Shonk, Esq., on the ground now occupied by "Odd Fellows' Hall." This house was built about 1819-20. Joseph Orr, afterwards, about the year 1838, built a frame front to the house, the first frame build- ing in Dallas, and converted it into a hotel. It was the custom at that day to make a "frolic" or "bee" and invite all the neighbors to help whenever there was any extra work to be done, like the raising of a barn or other building, clearing of the logs and rubbish from new land, or the burn- ing of a "new ground," or removing the stones from a very stony field, or the husking of a big field of corn when the farmer was, from some cause, belated in his work. These "frolics" or "bees" were usually very well attended; by some from motives of neighborly kindness and charity, but by many, it is probable, because plenty of free whiskey and food were on such occasions to be had. They were often occasions of general debauching, and ended frequently with many trials of strength, or, worse still, with brutal fights among the young men. On the occasion of the rais- DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 49 ing of the Orr Tavern there was a convivial crowd present, and much hilarity prevailed. The erection of the first frame house in Dallas, and that too for the purpose of a perma- nent hotel, was an event of sufficient importance to be marked in some way. There were then five houses in the village, and it was decided that this was sufficient to war- rant them in dignifying the settlement with a special name. That the christening might be properly solemnized, several young men from the crowd climbed part of the almost un- supported frame, and from the highest peak of the rafters one of them, standing erect, held up a bottle of whiskey, swung it around once or twice above his head, and then hurled it down, breaking it over the timbers, and named the place "AIcLellojisville'' in honor of Jonah McLellon, while from below came approving shouts, mingled with the firing of guns and pistols. By this name the place is still known, and by many it is still so called to this day, though through some oversight the postoffice and borough charter took the name of Dallas from the original name of the township, rather that the more proper one, McLellonsville. Like many men of his time in that vicinity, Jonah Mc- Lellon was very fond of whiskey, and frequently indulged his fondness. He had not always lived in perfect harmony with his wife Eunice, and I am told by several who person- ally knew of the facts, that, finally when Death called him, for hours before his final dissolution he lay in a semi-dele- rious state, his eyes partly closed, breathing long and heavy, and with each exhalation forced out a half articulate groan, ''God d Eunice^' and so continued expelling this curse- laded breath, with gradually weakened force, through the long hours of nearly one whole night, stopping only when the last spark of life had left his body, and just as the first light of a new day was appearing in the east. Those who witnessed this scene pronounce it one of those weird events which brings on a cold chill when recalled. 50 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. It is fair to the memory of Jonah to say that his wife, Eunice, was not generally regarded in the community as distinguished for womanly loveliness. On the contrary, she was believed to be a witch. Joseph Honeywell, when alive, was sure of it, and, as proof of his assertion, used to say that on one occasion when driving towards Dallas from the Trucksville grist-mill, he overtook Eunice, who was walking. She asked him to let her ride. He declined, for some reason, and she took offence. "Goon, then," she said, " I will get to Dallas yet before you do." She kept her word, "for," said Mr. Honeywell, "she witched my load of grist so that it would not stay in the wagon ; whenever I went up hill it would slide up hill and fall out of the front end of the wagon, and when I went down hill it would slide the other way and fall out behind, so that I had to keep putting the bags back into the wagon all the time and was hardly able to get home at all with my load." The son-in-law, Patrick O'Malley, was in some respects unique. He had been a soldier in the war of 1812, and was lame from a wound received in battle. Otherwise he was a man of powerful physique. It is by many remem- bered of him that he would any time bare his breast and let any man strike him with all his power for a drink of whiskey. The Irish reputation for a quick answer was also well preserved in him. He had a very peppery temper, withal, and on one occasion was pressing Mr. R , a well to~do neighbor, who was then keeping a store in Dal- las, for the payment of a small debt which he claimed the neighbor owed him. The claim was denied, and, of course, payment was refused. Some words followed, when suddenly O'Malley turned to go away, remarking as he went: "God Almighty has made you able to pay me, Mr. R , and I'll d soon make you willing." The old Orr Tavern served its purpose well for many years, and the father, Joseph Orr, died a few years later. Map of Dallas Township, 1874. Scale, loo Perches to the Inch. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 5 I and was succeeded first by his son, Miles Orr, and later by A. L. Warring, followed by another son, Albert S. Orr, late postmaster at Wilkes-Barre, in the proprietorship. On the night of April 27, 1857, ^^^ entire structure was destroyed by fire. Albert S. Orr was then owner and proprietor. With characteristic energy, he began immediately to rebuild, not on the old site, but on the more desirable one where the new hotel still stands, now known as Raub's hotel. This hotel was completed almost as it now stands (1886) within about six months after the destruction of the old one. It was the first three-story building erected in Dallas. It was followed soon after by another three-story building, the Odd Fellows' Hall, still standing (1886), erected by Joseph Atherholt, Esq. Those buildings were considered very large and grand for that place at the time they were built, and they added much to the dignity and importance of the village. On the completion of the latter building, the Odd Fellows' Lodge, which formerly had been held at Hunts- ville, was moved to Dallas. A lodge or chapter of the Ma- sonic fraternity has since been established in the same building.* SETTING OFF THE NEW TOWNSHIP OF DALLAS. As previously stated, the first efforts on the part of the citizens to get a separate township set apart to them, like some of their first efforts at getting roads opened, were of little avail. Some of the early petitions for roads, etc., for that country were stuck away in the files by malicious or irresponsible clerks, and were never allowed to appear again where action of the court could be taken on them. In one instance a clerk, wishing to emphasize his villainy, wrote some trifling words of disapproval on the petition, clearly indicating that it should never see light again, and it never * This building was burned down in 1894, and a new two-story building has been erected by the Odd Fellows in its place. 52 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. did. No action of court was ever taken, and no record of it was ever made. The first petition for the new township fared a little bet- ter, but not much. It was filed at October sessions, 1814. The petition was signed by Nehemiah Ide, Joseph Worth- ington and others, inhabitants of Plymouth and Kingston townships, setting forth cogent reasons for their demands, and asked for practically the same boundaries given in the subsequent petition, and which was finally granted. Oliver Pettebone, Charles Chapman and Josiah Lewis were appointed viewers on this first petition, and that ap- pears to have been the last of it. There is no record of anything having ever been done by the viewers. After a year and a half patient waiting, another petition was pre- pared and numerously signed. It was presented at April sessions, 18 16, and Judge Gibson, who was then on the bench, appointed Anderson Dana, David Richard and Phineas Waller as viewers, with the order to "view and, any two agreeing that said township is necessary, they shall proceed to lay out the same, designating the lines by natu- ral lines or boundaries, if the same can be so designated, and make report thereon to the next court of quarter ses- sions" (August). Order issued May 4th, 18 16. At August sessions following (5th August), the report not being ready, the order was continued, viewers to report at next (November) sessions. In September, 18 16, the viewers filed their report, but on 5th November, 18 16, it was referred back to them again to make a plot or draft as well of the new township laid out as of the township out of which it was taken, and to make report thereon at next Court of Quarter Sessions (January, 1 8 17). This work was completed on 5th December, 18 16, and at January sessions, 1817, the report was filed and con- firmed Jiisi. At April sessions, 18 17, which began on the first Mon- DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 53 dap of that month, with Hon. Thomas Burnsides, President Judge, and Jesse Fell, assistant judge, on the bench, the following order was made in relation to that report, viz : "The court confirms the division, and in testimony of the respect which the court entertains for the late Alexander James Dallas,* call the new township ^Dallas! " On the loth day of April, 1817, the court order and direct "that Isaac Fuller be appointed constable for the new township of Dallas, and further direct a rule to issue, returnable forthwith, to be served by the sheriff on said Isaac Fuller to appear to show cause, if any there be, why he will not perform the office of constable for the ensuing year." "Rule issued, whereupon, on the 5th of August, 1817, the said Isaac Fuller, being in court, accepted the appoint- ment, whereupon he was sworn according to law." William Fuller and Peter Worthington were appointed supervisors at the same court for the first year. The list of officers "elected, returned or appointed" for Dallas township from 1818 to 1844, as they appear upon the records of the Court of Quarter Sessions of Luzerne county, are as follows, viz : [See following pages.] * Alexander James Dallas died at Trenton, N. J., 14th January, 1817. i 1 c i- Ofci ^E n" .0 r-' 1 1 c a c IE 1 c •— > '.S >— 1 ■—1 c 1 2 n M 2 t: ►-1 c 2 1 •MS Mr, S ^ .in u "3 • en u be .2 rt otn ■— 1 •a S — ,,; 3 < oti< S"e ca 3 2^ O II ■§:s II ■3 D •a 3 ■—1 1—1 >^ rt — •^ 3 ^ 3 2£? 3 3 3 3 u « J ^ ID g3 ad, (/^ m b«2 .5 3 E> (U >> 0(/3 „ 3 2 it -"Xl U ■5, "3 . > I. gfc. . n3 1— > _5J :se 13 c X E §1 V . < •—1 n . 32 Mr- oj ■< (/; >— 1 n II 1— > 5 •— > c ■—1 d c' M II «| n . 1—1 (L) . 1* • 1) •a rt 1^ ^2 "3 5 "E S t/i E M < ■4J a: a (5 i X T3 5 2 5 ■3 X U a; XI ij -. i 5? "^ 1 E^^ " 2 E «° '^ ^ "5 :=: 1 ^ OJ3 • "3 X OJ . E x: < ta N . 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  • n" n 15 8- la i 1 3 -c 2 s o U 1-. (U o c OJ a be c E Q ■3 >> (LI c in < c £ < 2>t/i <)5 2 .3 bna c 3 -4-* u 3 rt So to 00 N CO M to 00 00 M 00 00 fo 00 M CO M CO CO eg- i H4 M •* FIRST DISTRICT OF TAXABLES AND ASSESSMENTS IN THE TOWNSHIP OF DALLAS. 1818. QUALITY AND PRICE PER ACRE. IMPROVED LAND. UNIMPROVED LAND. NAMES. i s b! ?! ■21 •2 s 5; a 5; i ■2 s i s i a a d REMARKS. Total Value. Tibbels Baldwin . .5 8 6 6 3 5 6 5 6 2 3 2 25 20 20 15 7 10 7 10 20 12 27 28 25 24 50 7 10 8 2 10 5 6 8 10 50 26 50 30 100 70 ID 120 "5 20 50 74 50 100 100 • • 50 26 's'o 75 40 100 24 200 24 49 210 160 90 90 135 35 30 45 60 79 176 177 136 25 52 258 50 176 no 134 130 178 23 294 230 140 100 20 I 2 2 2 2 2 I 2 3 2 I I I 3 I 2 I I I I I I I I I • • 2 I I I I 1 I I 2 2 I 2 2 2 I I 2 2 '^ 2 2 3 2 • 2 ■ • 2 _ 2 2 2 ■ 2 3 I 2 I 3 3 2 4 4 I 3 2 2 I I 2 I I 4 I 2 I 118. 652. Single Freeman, $100. 979. Saw-mill, 5175. 498. Jacob I. Bogardus . 542. 629. Major Church . . Daniel Davidson . Aaron Duffy . . . Warren Davidson Daniel Davidson . Jeremiah Fuller . . Isaac Fuller .... Single Freeman, $100. f Transferred to Jos. L. Wotth- \ ington and Isaac Fuller. 150. 32. "Tenant."' 130. 201. 526. William Fuller . . 781. Abraham Fuller . Stephen Fuller . . f TOO transferred to J. Orr. "5- j Half saw-mill, $75. 202. 829. Half saw-mill, $75. 354- 634. Richard Honeywell William Honeywell 2d ; ; 698. 870. Thomas Honeywell Abram Honeywell William Honeywell, Joseph Honeywell John Honeywell, 2d Nehimiah Ide, Jr . Nehimiah Ide . . . 30 16 6 22 15 30 '20 40 7 6 10 20 Single Freeman, $100. Single Freeman, Sioo. Single Freeman, $100. f Removed — Transferred to 1 Henry H. King. Carpenter, $100. ) Moved since S.Freem'n,$ioo.J Trien. Ass't. 760. 303. Nathaniel Ide John Ide Stephen and Ezra Ide . . . William Ide Joseph Jackson Henry H. King Henry Kizer . Henry Kizer, 2d Conrad Kunkle James Mears Ephraim McCoy Isaac Montanye John Man John Orr 128. 418. 485- 42. f Moved in since Triennial ^°3- \ Assessment. 374- 336. f Berwick land transferred to ( Alex. Ferguson. /Removed — Land transferred 1 to Aaron Becket. 576. 65. 617. /Moved in since Triennial 474- \ Assessment. /Carpenter, $60. Moved in \ since Triennial Assessm't. 382. Singleman, |ioo. Joseph Orr, Jr . . John Ross . . . QUALITY AND PRICE PER ACRE. IMPROVED LAND. UNIMPROVED LAND. NAMES. 5 '^ s i. ■i 1 S 1 5 1 REMARKS. Total V'ahif. Christian Rice . Mary Robbiiis . Elijah Robbins . Stephen Robbins Peter Ryman . . Elam Spencer . . Philip Shaver . . Thomas Swayze William Shaver . Daniel Spencer . Jos. L. Worthing and Isaac Fuller Joseph Worthingt John Whitenian . David Wynkoop Samuel and John Abel Wheeler . . Ney Wheeler . . Amariah Watson i James Nesbitt Aaron Burkel . John M. Little . Lewis Griffin (?) William Newman Oliver Pettebone Jonah McClellon Alex. Ferguson . to 3n W \\\ il J oi d J den 1- 27 8 6 10 25 10 1 3 2 28 3 5 6 24 4 6 9 18 I 12 15 •4 10 I 718 3 5? 20 25 5 5 23 20 105 20 10 10 30 8 75 62 20 37 80 80 25 141 323 145 60 160 73 82 119 100 59 60 15 120 100 54 I 6 2 2 • I I I 2 34 2 2 2 . 2 2 2 2 33 2 I I 2 3 I I I 2 2 2 2 2 I 2 I 73 199. 22. 42. Carpenter, $60. 162. 152. 511- 252. Singleman, $100. 132. f Removed— Land trans- \ ferred to O. Pettebone. 273- 453- 268. ( Moved in since Trien- 243- \ Dial Assessment. 195- 716. 100. Single Freeman. 348. g f Moved in since Trien- ■ \ nial Assessment. /Moved in since Trien- ^^' \ nial Assessment. 323- /Moved in since Trien- ■ \ nial Assessment. 174. 124. 1 307. 73 names. Totals . . 105 I 597 .5^54 340 20840 RECAPITULATION. Total number of acres of improved land in Dallas twp. worth $38 per acre, 2 " " " " " " " " " ^23 " " 71 " " " " " " " " " $ 6 " " 718 " " " " " " " " " ^ 3 " " 59 Grand total improvtd land, 850 Total nimiher of acres of unimproved land in Dallas twp. worth $4 jier a., 105 " " " " " " " " " ^2 " 1597 " " " " " " " " " $1 " 5254 " " " " " " " " " " " 50c " 220 Grand total of seated land, improved and unimproved, 8026 Total number of dwelling houses, 54 " " " outhouses, ... 6 " " " horses, 34 " " " oxen, 33 " " " cows, 73 Total valuation of foregoing, ;^20,840. Map of Dallas Township, 1884, Scale, 150 Perches to the Inch. \ DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 59 All the balance of the vast territory then included in the township of Dallas was in the list of unseated lands, which was very large ; but few of the tracts would then sell for enough to pay the taxes. There have been no sales of un- seated lands in Dallas township for taxes for several years past. In fact, none have been advertised. This is striking evidence of the changes since the first organization of the township. The lands in Dallas township are now all in the seated lands, i. e., are occupied or improved lands. GROWTH AND CHANGES OF THE NEW TOWNSHIP OF DALLAS. The new township grew and prospered with great rapidity both in wealth and population. Starting with seventy-three taxables in 1818, the number was increased next year, 18 19, to eighty-eight. Among the new taxables of this year(i8i9) were Jared R. Baldwin, Abram S. Honeywell, Oliver Ide, Joseph Mears, Joseph Mears, Jr., and William Orr, all "sin- gle freeman." 1820. In the year 1820 the number of taxable inhabi- tants had increased to 10 1. Among them appears for the first time the name of Peter B. Roushey, assessed as "Tay- lor." Among the improvements of this year must be noted the laying out of the great road from Wilkes-Barre to Brad- ford county line near Mehoopany Creek. This road is the one in use at present (with a few slight changes in Kingston borough) from Wilkes-Barre bridge, up Toby's Creek, through Dallas, Kunkle, Monroe, to Bowman's Creek, etc. Most of the way it was laid out on the line of the " Old State Road," which had been laid out years before, but not opened. The viewers who laid out this road were Joseph Slocum, George Cahoon, Samuel Thomas, Joseph Tuttle and John Bennett. This road was a very important im- provement, and to open it cost many years of hard work and large expenditures of money on the part of the citizens of Dallas township. It is interesting to show the scarcity 60 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. of other roads then existing to intersect it, as well as the paucity of buildings and improvements along its line. Hardly had the organization of the new township been completed before dissatisfaction appeared in the southwest- ern corner, and at August sessions, 1820, a petition was filed in behalf of inhabitants of Huntington, Union and Dallas townships, setting forth that whereas the line between the counties of Luzerne and Lycoming appears never to have been run, and in consequence of that circumstance and other causes, the lines of the townships of Huntington, Union and Dallas have been incorrectly laid out and run, and marked erroneously upon the ground, and asking for viewers to be so appointed to view and correct these errors. Whereupon the court appoint Jacob I. Bogardus, Esq. (of Dallas), Shadrack Austin (of Union), and John Coons (of Huntington) to view said townships proposed to be altered, who, or any two them agreeing, shall make a draft or plot of said townships proposed to be made and desig- nating the same by natural boundaries if the same can be so designated, and make report thereof to the next Court of Quarter Sessions, etc., etc. At November sessions, 1820, the said viewers made re- port as follows, to wit : "We, the undersigned, appointed by the above court to run and make the lines therein mentioned, do report that in pursuance of said order, we, the subscri- bers, being two of the above named persons (having first been duly sworn) went upon the ground and run and marked the following described lines between the townships of Union and Dallas, for the northeasterly boundary of the township of Union, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of Hunlock's Creek ; thence north, 1 1 degrees west, 2 miles and 280 perches to the southeast" (?) (west) "corner of the certified township of Bedford, and being the southeast" (?) (west) "corner of Dallas township ; thence on the Bedford line and a continuation of the same north, 34 degrees west, 15 miles DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 6 1 and lOO perches to a hemlock marked for a corner on the county line. Also run the following described lines between the townships of Huntington and Union, for the westerly- boundary of Union, in the following manner, to wit : Be- ginning at the mouth of Shickshinny Creek ; thence north, 63^ degrees west, one mile and 280 perches to the north- easterly corner of Huntington; thence on the Huntington line and a continuance of the same north, 21 degrees west, 14 miles and 150 perches to a maple marked for a corner on the county line." This report was filed and confirmed iiisi November 8th, 1820, and was confirmed absolutely on January 3d, 1821. Bogardus did not sign this report with the other viewers, probably because, as will be seen by comparing the maps, that this view took a considerable slice from the new town- ship of Dallas, and gave it to Union township, without any compensation or exchange. The year 1820 may be noted also as the year when, under the new laws, the assessors of each township were required to return the number of children between the ages of five and twelve years, whose parents were unable to pay for their schooling. No report was made under this law for Dallas township in 1820, but the next year (182 1) Joseph L. Worth- ington was assessor, and under that law he reported the children of Nicholas Keiser, John Mann, David Wynkoop and David Davidson, eleven in all. There were one hundred and six taxables on the list for 1 82 1, It was also the year in which Judge Baldwin died — date June 9th ; age forty-six years eleven months and twenty-five days. 1821-1822. During this year Aaron Burket conveys his land to William Brigg and removes. John Eaton, farmer, Russell T. Green, shoemaker, and Joseph Hoover became residents of Dallas township. Asa Fox sells to Oliver Pet- tebone and removes. Roswell Holcomb and John M. Lit- 62 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. tie remove from township. John Orr buys eight acres of land and one log house of Jonah McLellon. Deming Spen- cer (the first white child born in the territory of Dallas town- ship) attained his majority and appears first time as "single freeman" in assessment books. Also buys his father's farm. Cornelius Sites, a wheelright, moves into the township and buys land of William Newman. William Sites also moves in and buys of David Wynkoop. Nicholas Keizer's chil- dren are the only ones reported whose parents are too poor to pay for their schooling. Total taxables, ii8. 1 822-1 823. Joseph Ryman's name appears for first time in the assessment books — is assessed with two acres of land, Warren Davidson becomes a "cooper" and Thomas Tuttle a "wheelmaker." Total taxables 129. 1 823-1 824. Very hard times. The children of Joseph Wright, John Thorn, Peter Gary, Aaron Duffy, Nicholas Keiser and Nathan Worden were returned to be educated by the county, because the parents were too poor. Among the persons last named John Thorn was a character de- serving of a moment's special notice. He was always poor, shiftless and lazy. He early became a charge on the town- ship, and remained a town pauper the balance of his days. In the midst of his greatest poverty he was given to boast- ing and high-sounding talk. The poormasters of Dallas township were in the habit of giving him an occasional "poor order" on some farmer or dealer for a few dollars, which he could "trade out" and get something to eat. Backed with one of these "poor orders," John was for the time wealthy and assumed the importance of a capitalist. With it he would start for some store or farm house where he intended to trade it out. He usually began by asking the proprietor if this man's order (producing the poor order and pointing to the name of the poormaster at the bottom) was good and would be accepted. While the order was being read John would explain that the giver or the maker of the DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 63 order was owing him a considerable sum of money, and being short of ready cash, had asked him (John) to take this order; that being always willing to accommodate his neighbors, he had consented to accept this order provided it could be used the same as cash. On being assured that the order was good, John's next inquiry was usually for pickled side pork of the cheapest grade. Feeling that some apology or explanation might be due, he would generally add that he had plenty of '^gammons" at home, but that they were still in the process of smoking or some other por- tion of the curing treatment. All this and much more like it would occur, yet always with greatest seriousness on John's part. He died only a few years ago. In one of his later illnesses a physician had been called, and had left certain medicines to be given at certain specified hours. John had no clock or other time keeper in the house, and at night had no way of telling the hour except by the crow- ing of the rooster, which he believed occurred every hour with regularity. One night John grew very much worse, and, thinking that the hour for taking his medicine had arrived, and that the cock had gone to sleep or forgotten to crow, sent his son John, Jr., out to waken him and remind him of his duty. After a good deal of squeezing and shak- ing up, John, Jr., succeeded in making the rooster crow. The medicine was of course given at once, and the natural relief followed. In the same house where John spent his later years lived later, one Ira Gordon, a carpenter and farmer. Mr. Gor- don's notions of family duties and farm economy were most tersely expressed in the remark credited to him, that "a woman, a yoke of oxen and a wood-shod sled are three things that never ought to be allowed to go off the farm." 1 824-1 825. In this year there were many transfers of real estate, and the number of taxables in Dallas township is increased to 164. 64 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 1 825-1 826. The Triennial Assessment was made this year showing a slight reduction in the number of taxables as compared with the previous year. 1826-1827. Joseph Shonk, this year, purchases one- fourth interest in the Christian Rice saw-mill and log house at McLellonsville. Number of taxables 170. At August sessions, 1827, an attempt was made to form a new township from Union and Dallas townships, but the opposition was so strong that the viewers appointed to view and lay it out reported adversely to it. 1 827-1 828. The first mention is made this year of a post office in Dallas township, and Jacob Hoff is assessed as post-master at a valuation of fifty dollars for the office. Thomas Irwine begins his long career as justice of the peace. 1 828-1 829. Levi Hunt died of small pox, caught while on a rafting trip down to Baltimore, Md. This is said to have been the first death in Dallas township from that dread disease. The leading event of this year was the division of Dallas township by cutting off Lehman township from it. PETITION. "To the Honorable, the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Luzerne, now composing a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in and for said county: "The petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of the town- ship of Dallas, in said county, humbly showeth : That your petitioners labor under great inconvenience from present size and shape of the said township of Dallas, many of them being distant from the place of holding elections and doing public business, they believe it would be much for the con- venience of the public generally, as well as for themselves, if a Nezv Tozvnship should be formed out of the now town- ship of Dallas, and that this can be done without injury to the part which should remain. Your petitioners therefore DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 65 pray your honors to appoint three impartial men to inquire into the propriety of dividing the said township of Dallas, and setting off a new township lying west of line commenc- ing at the point where the line between lots Nos. 7 and 8 of the certified township of Bedford meets the line of Ply- mouth township, and running the course of said line between said lots until it shall meet the line of the township of North- moreland. And your petitioners will ever pray, etc. (Signed) : "William Sites. "Elijah Ide. C. King. Joseph Worthington. William Ide. Daniel J. Whiteman. Stephen Ide. Elijah Worthington. Nathaniel Ide. J. B. Worthington. Oliver McKeel. Oliver Ide. John O. Mosely. William Harris. John Ide. John Whiteman. Simon P. Sites. Nehemiah Ide. Julius D. Pratt. Jeremiah Fuller. Ezra Ide. Amisa B. Baldwin. William Fuller. Clinton Brown. Cornelius Sites. Thomas Major, Jr. Robert Major. Thomas Major, Sr. James Mott. Simeon F. Rogers. D. Banister. Asaph W. Pratt. "Petition filed January 7th, 1829. "January Sessions, 1829. Viewers, Benjamin Dorrance, Ziba Hoyt, James Barnes." Luzerne County, ss : "At a Court of General Sessions held at Wilkes- [seal]. Barre, in and for the county of Luzerne, the first Monday of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, before the Honorable David Scott, president, and Matthias Hol- lenback and Jesse Fell, esquires, justices of said court. The petition of Elijah Ide and others was read praying for viewers to be appointed to view township and to inquire 66 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA, into the propriety of dividing the township of Dallas, and setting off a new township lying west of line commencing at the point where the line between lots Nos. 7 and 8 of the certified township of Bedford meets the line of Plymouth township and running the course of said line between said lots until it shall meet the line of the township of North- moreland. Whereupon the court appoint Benjamin Dor- rance, Ziba Hoyt and James Barnes, viewers, who are to view, and any two of them agreeing, are to make a plot or draft of the township proposed to be, and of the division line proposed to be made therein, designating the same by natural lines and boundaries, if the same can be so desig- nated, and make report thereof to the next Court of Quar- ter Sessions. "In testimony, that the foregoing is a true copy from the records, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said court and certify the same accordingly, "For C. D. Shoemaker, Clerk. "Harris Colt." "To the honorable judges within named: In pursuance of within order we do report that due examination has been made, and we are decidedly of opinion, for many reasons, that the request of petitioners ought to be granted. The annexed draft represents the situation of the townships and several adjoining. (Signed), Viewers, two days each, "James Barnes. we have been sworn and "Benjamin Dorrance." affirmed. "James Barnes. "Benjamin Dorrance." "Return filed April 7, 1829. "Remonstrance filed April 7, 1829. "November Sessions, 1829. Confirmed by the name of Lehman from respect to memory of Dr. William Lehman, of Philadelphia, a distinguished friend and advocate of in- ternal improvements." DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 6/ REMONSTRANCE. "To the Honorable, the Judges of the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, in and for the county of Luzerne : "The petition of the undersigned inhabitants of the town- ship of Dallas would most respectfully show : That they have witnessed, with much regret, an attempt made by some individuals to divide the township aforesaid. The object, we verily believe, is not the advancement of the publick interest, but the gratification of private ends. By the pro- posed division the iiiterest of the township generally will be contravened. The extent of the inhabited part of said town- ship, and that which is inhabitable within the compass of many years is not too large for the convenient transaction of the township business, and the number of inhabitants, as may be seen from the lists of taxables, is not too great for the convenient accommodation of the people at elections. With these views we would respectfully remonstrate against the proposed or any division of the townsnip of Dallas at this time, deeming it inexpedient, uncalled for hy public k convenience. March 7th, 1829. (Signed), "Abram S. Honeywell. "Ephraim Moss. Smith Tuttle. Peter Ryman. William Shaver. Fayette Allen. Thomas Irwin. David Beam. Jacob Honeywell. Sylvanus Fuller. William Honeywell. Watson Baldwin. Bur Baldwin. Nathan Wheeler. Marvin Wheeler. Jonathan Williams. Alexander Ferguson. Henry Kizer, Jr. Henry H. King. Almon Church. Elam Spencer. Thomas Hoover. Peter B. Roushey. Edwin McCarty. Samuel Hunnywell. Stephen Brace. Simeon Spencer. Joseph Hoover. John Simpson, Jr. Thomas Swayze. Nathaniel Warden. James L. Williamson. 68 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Deming Spencer. Peter Seaman. Joseph Hunneywell. Peter Shaver, 2d. Nathaniel Hunneywell. Isaac Hunneywell. Richard Hunneywell, Jr. C. C. Hunnwell. Philip Kunkel. John Simpson. David Donley. Adam Hoover. J. W. Darling. John Wilson. Simon Anderson. Elijah Ayrs. William Hunneywell, 2d. C. B. Shaver. James Shaver. George Shaver. Asa W. Shaver. John Miller. James Ross. Lawrence Ross. Jacob Wilcocks. Morris Baldwin. Anthony Foss. James Steward. Garat Durland. Miles Spencer. Edwin Church. John Wort, Jr. James Symers. Daniel Wodward. R. Hunnewell (sic). Thomas Hunneywell. William Hunt." Joseph G. Ryman. "Filed April 6, 1829." This division left the following named taxables in Dallas township, viz : Fayette Allen, Elijah Ayres, Eleanor Bald- win, Burr Baldwin, Watson Baldwin, William Briggs, Wil- liam Bradford, Nathaniel Wheeler, Stephen Brace, Edwin Church, Benjamin Chandler, Almon Church, Peter Conner, Aaron Duffee, David Donley, Garret Derling, Alexander Ferguson, Sylvanus Fuller, Anthony Foss, Jacob Gould, Richard Honeywell, William Honeywell, Sr., William Honeywell, 2d, Thomas Honeywell, Abram S. Honeywell, Joseph Honeywell, Jacob Honeywell, Nathan S. Honeywell, Charles C. Honeywell, Richard Honeywell, Jr., Isaac Honey- well, Samuel Honeywell, William Hunt, *Matthias Hollen- back, Jonathan Husted, Adam Hoover, Thomas Irwin, Philip Kunkle, Henry H. King, Henry Keizer, Jr., Griffin Lewis, Ira Manvill, Jonah McLellon, Jacob Maxwell, Jared R. Baldwin, John Simpson, Sr., Edward McCarty, John Miller, Peggy Montanye (widow), Ephraim Moss, Jacob * Non-resident. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 69 Nulton, *James Nesbitt, 2d, Michael Neeley, John Orr, Oliver Pettibone, Andrew Puterbaugh, Peter B. Roushey, Mary Robbins, James Ross, Lawrence Ross, Christian Rice, Jacob Rice, Peter Ryman, Joseph S. Ryman, Deming Spen- cer, Simeon Spencer, Miles Spencer, Thomas Swayze, James Shaver, John P. Shaver, heirs of Philip Shaver, Sarah See- ley, William Shaver, Simon P. Sites, James Stewart, Chris- topher Shaver, Peter Seaman, James Somers, Peter Shaver, 2d, George Shaver, Frances Southworth, heirs of Joseph Shonk, John Simpson, Sr., John Simpson, Jr., heirs of Jo- seph Shotwell, David Stewart, Thomas Tuttle, Abram Van- scoy, Ebenezer Winters, Daniel Woodward, Jacob Wilcox, John Worden, Samuel Worden, Abram Worden, *Calvin Wadhams, Marvin Wheeler, Daniel Higgins, John Wort, Jr., John Wilson, James Williamson, Jonathan Williams, Simon Anderson, Lawrence Beam. Total, 104. The following named taxables were transferred to Leh- man township, viz : Abed Baldwin, Amza B. Baldwin, Amos Baldwin, David Bannister, David Beam, Jeremiah Brown, Clinton Brown, Joshua Derling, Stephen Fuller, Annis Ful- ler, Jeremiah Fuller, Isaac Fuller, William Fuller, Joseph E. Haf{, postmas fe7^,Wi\\iam Harris, Joseph Hoover, Thomas Hoover, Daniel Higgins, Lewis Higgins, Elijah Ide, Ezra Ide, Stephen Ide, William Ide, Ephraim King, Jonathan O. Moseley, *Garrick Mallery (purchaser of J. I. Borgardus interest), Egbert B. Mott, James Mott, Barton Mott, Thomas Major, Sr., Thomas Major, Jr., *John Major, Oliver McKeel, Asaph A. Pratt, Jonathan Rogers, Simeon F. Rogers, Wil- liam Sites, Cornelius Sites, John Vanlone, Joseph L. Worth- ington, Jonathan Worthington, Elijah Worthington, Squire Wedge, John Whiteman, Daniel Whiteman, Benjamin F. Westley. Total 5 i. 1 829-1 830. This year William Hunt's land is transfer- red to William Thomas of Wilkes-Barre, and Hunt moves * Non-resident. 70 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. away. John Orr conveys thirty acres of unimproved land to WilHam A. Kirkendall, and fifty acres to Henry Keizer. Christian Rice buys back, from the estate of Joseph Shonk, deceased, the one-fourth interest in saw-mill and log house which he conveyed to Shonk a few years prior. Joseph S. Ryman buys three acres from heirs of Joseph Shonk in vil- lage of McLellonsville ; also three acres from Jonah McLel- lon in same place. James Shaver, William Shaver, Peter Shaver, George Shaver and Asa W. Shaver, buy their farms from estate of Philip Shaver, deceased. 1 830-1 83 1. Simon Anderson acquires sixty-eight acres of land from James Nesbitt, Jr., being part of certified lot No. — in Bedford township. Anthony Foss buys three acres of Jonah McLellon near village. McLellon also sells one acre near village to Richard Honeywell. Real estate very active and many transfers made. At January Sessions, 1 83 1 , the petition of Josiah W. New- bery and others was filed praying for viewers to be appointed to view and inquire into the propriety of making a new town- ship laid off from the back part of Northmoreland and Dallas, and out of others of the certified townships. Court appoint Elias Hoyt, Doctor John Smith and Harris Jenkins, viewers. At August Sessions, 1831, the viewers reported in favor of the township, as follows: "Beginning at southwest cor- ner of certified township of Northmoreland, and running thence on line of John Nicholson, north 10 degrees west, to corner of Robert Morris ; thence on the line of Robert Mor- ris north, 18 degrees west, 234 perches to a white oak; thence southeast corner of tract in the warrantee name of Thomas Poulton ; thence north on line of said Poulton and others to the line of Eaton township ; thence on line of Eaton township west to Marsh creek ; thence down Marsh creek to its intersection with Bowman's creek ; thence on line running nearly west to the northeast corner of a tract of land surveyed to John Pennington ; thence on the line of DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. /I John Pennington and others west until it intersects the line of Windham township ; thence on the Windham line until it intersects the line of Lehman township ; thence south to the main branch of Bowman's creek ; thence east on the line between the tracts in the name of Aaron Bailey and Uriah Bailey to the southeast corner of a tract of land sur- veyed to Daniel Mount ; thence to northeast corner of John Merrideth ; thence on line of John Merrideth and Jesse Fell south, 75 degrees east, 314 perches to a chestnut on Harvey's Lake, near the west corner thereof at the mouth of a little run ; thence in a northeasterly direction to a beach the northwest corner of a tract of land surveyed to William Wyllis and on the line of Dallas township ; thence on the line of Dallas south, 70 degrees east, 372 perches to the beginning." At January Sessions, 1832, this report was confirmed ab- solutely by the name of Monroe township. 1 831-1832. Warren A. Barney buys 200 acres of tract in warrantee name of John Olden. John Snyder buys 1 18 acres of Eleanor and Lewis Baldwin. Christopher Snyder buys fourteen acres of land, one house and two outhouses of Sylvanus Fuller, who sells other of his lands soon after to William Snyder and moves West. On this land Christo- pher Snyder built and started a distillery a few years later. Under the new assessment law the assessors of Dallas town- ship made following report for year 1832, viz: "A true list of notes and bonds made taxable for use of Commonwealth : "Enos Frisky & Co., two hundred and sixty-one dollars in notes, ^20i.00 "Charles C. Honeywell, sixty dollars in notes, . . 60.OO "Adam Shaver, eighty-five dollars in notes, . . . 85.00 "William Honeywell, Sr., forty-five dollars in notes, 45.OO "Samuel and Isaac Honeywell, fifty dollars in notes, 50.00 "Bank and Turnpike Stock, none. "Taverns, none. "Poor Children, none." 72 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 1 832-1 833. Sanford Moore buys all the real estate of John Wort, Sr., within township of Dallas, seventy-two acres. Many other transfers of real estate. Joseph Ryman is assessed as postmaster. This post-office was at his house, which stood where the old Orr tavern stood, now where the Odd Fellows hall stands. This was the first post-office within the limits of the present territory of Dallas township. 1 833-1 834. Joseph Anderson buys 194 acres of land, part of tract in warrantee name of Amos Wickersham. William Algerson buys sixty-five acres ; Joseph Hoover buys thirty- seven acres ; Felix Hoover buys fifty acres, all of same tract. Thomas Irwin buys eighty-two acres from the Joseph San- som tract. Charles Moore buys 130 acres, and Jacob Nul- ton buys eighty-six acres of same tract. The latter also buys forty acres, part of tract in warrantee name of John Olden, Francis Southworth buys seventeen acres from Sansom tract, and fifty acres from the John Olden tract. Jacob Wilcox buys twenty-nine acres from the John Olden tract. Jacob Ryman appears, for the first time, as a single freeman, and seats 100 acres of tract in warrantee name of Josiah Lusby. Ransom Demund seats eighty acres of tract in warrantee name of Alexander Emsbry. Francis P. South- worth buys sixty-eight acres of Alexander Emsbry tract. 1 834-1 835. William C. Roushey appears, for first time, as a taxable. Philip Kunkle and James Shaver elected school directors, they being the first to be elected under the new school law providing for the establishment of common or public schools, which have continued to this day. Dallas township continues to fill up very rapidly, and the unseated lands are taken up and seated so rapidly that in the year 1835, the long list embracing hundreds of tracts of unseated land at time of organizing the new township in 18 1 7, was reduced to the following, viz : DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. n No. of Acres. Name of Warrantee. 400 Simon Dunn, 430 Jacob Dunn, . 438 . Aaron Dunn, 400 Anthony Dunn, 354 James Dunn, . 100 Jacob Downing, 258 Alex. Emsbry, 340 John Eley . . 50 Lawrence Erb, 442 George Fell, 440 Simon Harman, 338 Josiah Lusby, 316 Josiah Lusby, 85 Patrick Moore, 200 John Olden, . 58 Joseph Sansom, 41 . Amos Wickersham, 417 Jos. Wyllis, , 421 Wm. Wyllis, , 200 Wm. Sansom, 60 Abiel Abbott, 186 Jos. Shotwell heirs, 65 acres and 6 perches, Charles F. Wyllis, 1 50 acres and 5 perches, John App (owner), 240 Joseph Mears, . . Assessed Value. ^400.00 430.00 438.00 400.00 354.00 100.00 258.00 340.00 50.00 442.00 440.00 338.00 316.00 85.00 200.00 58.00 41.00 417.00 42 1 .00 200.00 60.00 I 86.00 65.50 150.75 240.00 1835-1836. John Anderson buys fifty acres of land from Joseph Anderson. William C. Roushey assessed as car- penter, and buys three acres and one house of Joseph Ry- man. Joseph Ross, carpenter, buys thirteen acres of Thomas Irwin. Jonas Randall settles in the township and buys fifty- one acres and a house of John Wilson, also 175 acres of Leclere.(?) William Randall appears, for first time, as a "single freeman." Charles Smith and William A. Barnes buy seventy-five acres of Sylvanus Fuller. Henry Ander- son appears as a "single freeman" for first time. Daniel Spencer, Jr., buys fifty acres of land of Joseph Anderson. 1 836-1 837. Joseph S. Allen buys 130 acres of land with 74 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. house and barn from Charles Moore. John Anderson buys fifty and Henry Anderson ninety-four acres of land from Joseph Anderson. Joseph Castleline buys ninety-five acres from Alfred D. Woodward. William Honeywell, 2d, buys thirty acres of Simon Anderson. Richard Honeywell buys one acre of Joseph Ryman. C. Butler buys 264 acres from G. M. Hollenback and Joseph Ryman (part of lots i and 2 certified Bedford). A. Thomas buys 100 acres at sheriff's sale of H. P. Hopkins and George Shaver (part of lot 5) (?). Thomas Sweazy buys fifty-one acres of Joseph Hoover. Joseph Hoover buys twenty-nine acres of Philip Hoover. Joseph Reiley buys five acres of Jonathan Husted. C. Kunkle buys twenty-five acres of Felix Hoover. Henry King buys thirteen acres and one house of Ephraim Moss, also twenty-two acres of Jacob Rice (part of present Rob- ert Norton farm, now John Reynolds plot of lots). Jacob Gould buys 165 acres of Nicholas Keizer. Rev. Griffin Lewis dies. Christopher Snyder buys 118 acres, house and barn of J. Fisher. J. Fisher buys twelve acres, house and barn of William Snyder. A. S. Honeywell buys lot of land of T. Tuttle and Peter Seaman. Daniel Spencer buys fifty acres of Joseph Anderson. 1 837-1 838. Solomon Frantz is assessed as cabinetmaker. Jacob Miers takes out a tavern license and starts a hotel on southeast corner at cross-roads near the "Goss" or "Corner School House," about one-half mile north of McLellons- ville on road to Kunkle post-office. Excepting the license granted to Peter B. Roushey in 1823, before referred to, this was the first hotel or tavern license within present ter- ritory of Dallas township. Jacob Miers kept this tavern for about two years, when he died of smallpox, which he caught while on a rafting trip down the Susquehanna River in the same manner as in the case of Levi Hunt before re- ferred to. Miers was buried alone a few miles back of the DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 75 spot where his tavern stood. The well in the corner of the field south of the Corner School House now nearly marks the spot where the Miers hotel stood. The level ground at that point made it a favorite spot for the Dallas millitary company to meet and drill on training days. The last train- ing there was the day when the first of what proved in a few days to be Miers' fatal illness began to appear. Miers was up and about that day, but was feeling very ill. A week later he was dead. On that day, as on previous oc- casions, there was a great deal of drinking and fighting after the training was over. These fights grew more from an ex- huberance of masculine strength and physical good feeling, accompanied by a desire to see who was the "best man," than from any anger or bad blood, though what was begun in sport often ended in angry and brutal affrays. Among the trades which appeared this year on the as- sessment books are Abram Huey, cooper; Nathan Mon- tanye, blacksmith ; Joseph Orr, carpenter (moved in this year); Edward O'Mealey, cooper; William Shaver, carpen- ter; Peter Shaver, 2d, carpenter; Peter Seaman, shoemaker; Joseph Castiline, blacksmith ; Abram Huey, Jr., cooper.' 1 838-1 839. Jacob Frantz buys sixty acres of land from Thomas Irwin. David Fulmer buys 100 acres from Griffith Lewis heirs (Eypher farm) (?). P. N. Foster buys sixty acres, house and barn from Almon Church ; Thomas Irwin buys fifty-seven acres of William Hoover. William Hoover buys fifty acres of the William Sansom tract. Jacob Rice, 2d, appears for the first time as a taxable, and buys thirty-seven acres from Abram King. William A. Kirkendall buys sixty acres of Abram Thomas. Philip Kunkle sells 112 acres to Conrad Kunkle. Peter Ryman dies. Abram Ryman attains his majority, and buys twenty-five acres from Abram Thom- as. Jacob Ryman conveys his land to Nathaniel S. Honey- well and moves west. Thomas Sweazy sells out to William Coolbaugh and moves to Wilkes-Barre. 76 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 1839-1840. Wesley Kunkle appears for first time as- sessed as single freeman. 1840-1841. 1 84 1. Thomas Irwin becomes one of the county com- missioners. John Fisher appears this year first time as "single freeman." Samuel Honeywell buys twenty-five acres of Simon Anderson. Nathaniell Honeywell buys twenty-four acres of Abram Ryman. Elijah Harris buys nine-four acres of the James Wyllis tract. Henry H. King dies. Philip Kunkle is made postmaster. Wesley Kunkle buys eighty-three acres of Chester Butler. William W. Kir- kendall buys same amount of same. Miles Orr opens his tavern, first time (1840), in village of McLellonsville, though still assessed, 1841, as carpenter. Abram and Richard Ryman buy 100 acres of heirs of Oliver Pettebone. Concerning this purchase I will quote from a letter received from John R. Bartron, an old resident of Dal- las, but now hving in Madison, Indiana. "I often think of the time when the Ryman boys bought the Pettebone farm (part of lot where present Ryman and Shaver steam saw-mill stands) of 100 acres for ;^iooo before daylight. Other parties were after it, but their mother pre- pared breakfast soon after midnight for the boys, who walked down to the valley (Kingston) and closed the sale. On their way back they met the other parties going to buy it. All wanted it because it had on it a mill seat and lots of pine, oak and hemlock timber. This was in 1841, and the be- ginning of their lumber trade. Some folks said the boys were 'daring and would break,' but all worked well to suc- cess." John R. Bartron also writes me some interesting remi- niscences of the early days of the nineteenth century in Dal- las. He says : " I can count many families living in log houses with a ladder only for a stairway to the loft, where one or more DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 77 beds and sometimes house plunder and grain were kept ; while the room below — kitchen, dining-room and parlor — where the wool was carded into rolls, spun and sometimes woven into cloth, prepared for the puller, to be made into good warm winter goods. Here, too, flax goods for sum- mer wear, sheets, towels, etc., were made. It was a busy place; and then, sometimes grandmother, in her younger days, had carried to Wilkes-Barre butter and eggs. I heard her say she sold her butter readily to a tavern-keeper whose name was Steel for three cents more on the pound than the common price. I have been told that she cleared off the ground where the old Ferguson house stood on the day before a son was born. That son was a leader in de- bates at the old log school-house debating club, involving questions of history and science. Conrad Kunkle told me that he debated with the young man. This boy's father kept books in his house, took a weekly paper, and was a kind of Socrates in the home circles and neighborhood. Pine knots were plentiful and they made a good light." Wilham Shaver is made justice of peace in absence of Thomas Irwin. John King and Christian Rice are assessed as owners of watches, and the latter is also assessed as the owner of a carriage. This is the first instance of anyone being found in Dallas township who indulged in either of those luxuries. I am told, by those who remember the carriage, that it created a great sensation. Young and old went miles to see it, and Jacob Rice, for whose use it was purchased, was the envy of all who saw it. This carriage, I am informed, was an open buggy, and was taken from Wyo- ming to Dallas by Miles Orr, when he moved over there, and was by him traded to Christian Rice in exchange for a lot of land in the village of McLellonsville, which is now owned by Chester White, Dr. Spencer, and estate of William Randall, deceased. Peter Stots appears and is assessed as "silversmith." He 7^ DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. was a traveling clock-tinker, and followed this till time of his death, which occurred within a few years past. He was afflicted with a very large wen in the neck just below his chin. His voice was very heavy, and he spoke with dis- tinctness and deliberation that was quite marked. He trav- eled all over the country on foot, and always carried his clock tinkering tools with him in a little bag. He was lia- ble to drop in at any time to see if anything needed atten- tion about the clock. His charges were little or nothing, but he expected to be invited to the table wherever he might be at meal time, and usually was so invited. Thus he made a living. 1 841-1842. In 1842 William C. Roushey was assessor, and makes one or two characteristic records, Joseph Orr he returns as "carpenter, .j^jo, and wants to keep tavern." Henry Overton, constable, ;^50. Abram and Richard Ry- man build mill on land lately purchased of Pettebone heirs (where present steam mill below Dallas village now stands). This was the beginning of the lumbering business with both. Jacob Rice also begins lumbering on his father's mill in the village of McLellonsville. The new county of Wyoming is set off from Luzerne by Act of Assembly passed April 4th, 1842, but not to take effect until May ist, 1843, except so far as to enable the county commissioners to erect new buildings and to com- plete the survey by the courses and distances named in the Act. 1842-1843. Thomas Irwin resumes the office of Justice of the Peace, which he held continuously thereafter for many years. No better evidence of his fitness for the position can be asked than this fact that, like Captain Jacob I. Bogardus, before spoken of, he was so long and so continuously re- tained in it. Miles Orr continues to be inn-keeper at Mc- Lellonsville. Ebenezer Parrish and A. C. Cowles assessed as "mill rights." Isaac Hughey, "shingle-maker." Mr. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 79 Hughey afterwards became quite famous as a shingle-maker. Whenever any extra nice or extra good shingles were wanted in Wilkes-Barre during his day, Isaac's shingles were quite sure to be sought ; and, if found, were equally sure to be satisfactory. He was proud of the reputation he had made in this respect, but he was poor and never could pay an old debt, either at a store or for rent. He moved annually or oftener, and lived wherever he could find an empty hovel that would hold him. For his last wife he married a Miss Moss, and the favorite joke with him was that he was a living refutation of the old adage, ''A rolling stone will gather no moss!' Franklin township is this year (1843) set off from parts of Kingston, Exeter and Dallas townships. This was the last pruning, except small corner from west- erly end of Lake township, that Dallas township, as origin- ally laid out and formed, was obliged to suffer. This leaves Dallas township with the same shape and size that it now has, and I give the list of taxables in Dallas township for the year 1844, the first complete list after Wyoming county and Franklin township had been cut off of, viz : Fayette Al- len, farmer; James Anderson, shoemaker; Henry Ander- son, farmer; Joseph Anderson, farmer; Elijah Ayres, farmer, and has money at interest; Alexander Albron, laborer; Harris Brown, laborer, single; Joseph Blasier, farmer; Miles Burbeck, farmer, "money at use" ; Abed Baldwin, farmer ; Daniel Brown, farmer ; Lawrence Beam ; Jacob W. Bishop, sawyer, single; Henry Boon, laborer; William C. Brace, farmer ; Stephen Brace, farmer ; William Croop, farmer ; Charles Cairl, laborer; George Cairl, sawyer; Palmer Carey, wheelwright; Garret Durland, farmer; Henry S. Low, farmer; James Durland, carpenter; Martin Davis, laborer; Ransom Demond, farmer ; David Donley, weaver ; Charles Deremer, laborer, single; Samuel Elston, farmer ; Solomon Frantz, farmer ; Jacob Frantz, farmer, half saw-mill ; David 80 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Weston, half saw-mill (this was the Weston saw- mill before referred to) ; David Frantz, farmer ; David Fulmer, farmer ; Charles Ferguson, laborer, single; Anthony Foss, farmer; Alexander Ferguson, farmer; Jacob Fisher, farmer, John Fisher, laborer ; Joseph Fleet, laborer ; Almon Goss, farmer, "money at use"; Samuel Gould, farmer; David Gibbs, farmer; William H. Goble, carpenter; Samuel Honeywell, farmer; Abram Hughey, cooper; N. S. Honeywell, farmer, "money at use" ; Thomas Honeywell, laborer ; Daniel D. Honeywell, farmer, single; Elijah Harris, laborer, saw-mill (first time for saw-mill) ; David Holcomb, farmer ; Joseph Hoover, shoemaker; William Honeywell, farmer; A. S. Honeywell, 2d, shoemaker, single; Joseph Honeywell, farm- er ; Thomas Hoover, laborer; Philip Hoover, laborer; C. C. Honeywell, farmer; James Huston, farmer; Charles Huston, farmer, single ; William C. Hagerman, tailor ; Richard Hon- eywell, farmer ; Isaac Honeywell, farmer; Levi Hoyt, farmer, saw-mill ; Isaac Hervey, laborer, shingle maker; Abram Hoo- ver, laborer; A. S. Honeywell, farmer; Jonathan Husted, farmer; John J. King, farmer; Wesley Kunkle and William Salmon, saw-mill; John H. Low, laborer; Peter Lewis, laborer ; James M. Lord, carpenter ; George C. Lord, farm- er ; Michael Lee, farmer ; William Montanye, farmer ; Owen Martin, mason ; Isaac Montanye, farmer, single ; Margaret Montanye, widow ; Charles Montanye, farmer, single ; San- ford Moore, farmer; Joseph Matthews, laborer; Ruben MuUison, farmer; William Mullison, farmer; Isaac Nulton, farmer ; Stephen Northrup, shoemaker ; Zachariah Neeley, farmer, tanner; Thomas Henry Nutt, doctor (first doctor); Henry Overton, farmer ; Leonard Oakley, laborer ; William Perrigo, laborer ; George Puterbaugh, laborer ; Andrew Puterbaugh, laborer ; Peter B. Roushey, tailor ; Jonathan Rogers, laborer ; Abram Ryman, farmer ; Jacob Rice, 2d, farmer, saw mill ; Christian Rice, farmer ; Enoch Reiley, laborer; Stephen Reiley, laborer, single ; Richard Ryman, DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 8 1 sawyer, saw mill, single ; William Reiley, laborer ; William C. Roushey, farmer; Deming Spencer, farmer, "money at use" ; Erastus Shaver, laborer, single ; Israel Stewart, labor- er; John Sigler, farmer; Nathaniel Schooley, laborer; Daniel Spencer, farmer; William Shaver, justice of the peace, "money at use" ; William Shniven, laborer ; John P. Shaver, laborer ; Joseph Shaver, farmer ; Peter Shaver, carpenter ; Charles Shaver, carpenter, single ; Asa W. Shaver, farmer ; James Simmers, laborer ; Peter Stetler, farmer ; Simeon Spencer, farmer ; Miles Spencer, farmer ; William Snyder, farmer ; Manning Snyder, farmer, carpenter ; John Snyder, farmer, saw mill ; Christopher Snyder, farmer ; William Smith, blacksmith ; John Smith, laborer ; Simon P. Sites, laborer; Thomas Tuttle, farmer; Chance Terry, laborer; John Thorn, Jr., laborer, single man ; George Thorn, labor- er; John Urtz, mason; Jesse Vausteemburgh, carpenter; Elisha H. Venning, farmer; Charles Vanwinkle, shoemaker; John Waldon, shoemaker ; Heirs of John Wilson, deceased; William Wilson, farmer; Peter Wilson, laborer; John Wea- ver, mason ; David Westover, laborer ; Levi Wheeler, la- borer; Joseph Wright, laborer; John Wright, laborer, sin- gle : George Wright, laborer, single ; Edward Williams, cooper : Joseph Wordon, farmer, single ; John Wordon, farmer; Samuel Worden, farmer; Abram Worden, farmer ; David Weaver, laborer, single ; Henry Weaver, mason ; Jo- seph Orr, tavern keeper ; Miles C. Orr, ex-tavern keeper ; Philip Kunkle, f u'mer ; Phineas N. Foster, farmer ; Abram Vanscoy, farmer ; Orlando T. Hunt, laborer, single ; Sam- uel Myers, laborer, single ; Brasson Willis, shoemaker ; William B. Taylor, Jesse Fosbinder, Hitchcock and Church, Joseph Boon. Total 173. 1844-1845. Isaac Whipple appears as doctor (second one), and Jonathan Husted gets a pleasure carriage (second one in township). 1 845- 1 846. William W. Kirkendall dies. Jesse Kreid- 82 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. ler starts blacksmith shop near Goss or Corner School House, afterwards continued by his son, Abe Kreidler, who was accidentally shot by William C. Smith about 1856, and killed. Joseph Orr justice of the peace this year. Elijah Harris starts the first lath mill in Dallas township (near present "Ryman's Pond"), Abram Ryman gets a pleasure carriage (the third one in the township). John Rainow moves on John Honeywell farm (lot four in certified Bedford, where John Welch now lives). Christopher Eypher, wheelwright, moves into township. 1 846-1 847. George Cairl starts a tannery at Green woods near Kunkle. Anthony Peche, laborer, moves into town- ship, 1 847-1 848. John Bulford starts his blacksmith shop in village of McClellonsville. Miner Fuller builds saw mill on Toby's Creek one-half mile above Jude Baldwin's mill, near Lehman township line. Almon Goss made postmaster. Henry Hancock and Joseph Shaver, as Hancock & Co., go into lumber business at Jude Baldwin mill. 1 848- 1 849. A. L. Warring starts a hotel or tavern, which continues but a short time. 1849-1850. Jacob Rice appears first time as merchant. Albert L. Warring, tavern keeper. John Thorn makes ap- plication for hotel license. LIST OF UNSEATED LANDS, 185O. No. of acres. Warrantee name of owners. 66 Abiel Abbott. 100 ...... Nancy Diley. 719 Simon, Jacob, Aaron and James Dunn. 250 Anthony Dunn. 85 Patrick Moore. 125 John Opp, owner. 186 Heirs of Joseph Shotwell. 90 Heirs of T. B. Worthington. 50 Chester Butler. 50 Lawrence Erb. DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 83 STORES, FOOD, CLOTHING, ETC. After the abandonment and removal of the rolHng mill from South Wilkes-Barre, about the year 1844, the firm of Stetler & Slyker, which had been keeping a general mer- chandise store there, stopped business and removed their remaining stock of goods out to McLellonsville. Stephen Slyker, one of the partners, who is still living (1886), at South Wilkes-Barre, went out with the goods to close them out. There was then a wagonmaker's shop owned by one Jerome B. Blakeslee, standing on the southeastern bank of Toby's Creek, where the present store of Ira D. Shaver, in Dallas borough, now stands. Slyker secured this shop, put in shelves and a counter, and otherwise fitted it for use as a store, and moved in with his stock of goods. This was the first store started within the present territory of Dallas township. Before this time, about the year, 1840, Almon Goss kept a few goods at his house near the Goss or Corner School House, just north of McLellonsville, from which he supplied his men and others who wanted to buy ; but the Slyker store was the first real store in a separate building devoted exclusively to the business. My father, Abram Ryman, also for many years kept a few goods in his house at the homestead farm, between Dallas and Huntsville, to accommodate his employees and others who wished to buy. He also began along in the forties. He went once or twice a year to Philadelphia, and bought a few staple articles. Some dry goods of the com- monest and most substantial kind were kept in the "spare room" laid out on a board, which rested on two or three chairs. Molasses, pork and damp goods of that class were kept in the cellar. Sugar, tea, coffee and that class of grocer- ies were kept up stairs over the kitchen in a large room next to the roof where we boys and sometimes the hired men slept. Many times were we wakened after going to bed by 84 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. my father coming up stairs with some late customer to weigh out some coffee or sugar or the like. His counter in that room was a large table. Just over the table, suspended from a rafter, was a pair of balancing scales. Weights were put in either side, and the article to be weighed was put in the other side. My father kept store in this way until about the year 1856, when he erected a separate building for it near the road. After ten or eleven years he erected another store down in the village of Dallas, which is still in use by the firm of A. Ryman & Sons. The Slyker store did not remain long in McLellonsville. About 1846 Samuel Lynch, Esq., now of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., leased the Slyker building, and started a branch to his Wilkes-Barre store, and thus conducted business there for about two years. About the same time that Lynch's store was started (Mr. Lynch thinks a little before) Henry Hancock came up from Kingston and opened a store in the front part of the house where J. J. Bulford now lives (ground since occupied by Lehigh Valley Railroad and station). Bulford lived in the back part of the house at the same time. Lynch abandoned his Dallas store soon afterwards, and Hancock moved his store to Huntsville, where he continued in business until just prior to the war. When the war broke out his sympa- thies were with the South, and, not wishing to shirk any duty toward the Southern cause, he went South and joined the Confederate army. He was afterwards taken prisoner, and died during his confinement in one of the Western prisons. About the year 1848 Jacob Rice, 2d, of Dallas, and Dr. James A. Lewis, of Trucksville, formed a copartnership un- der the firm name of Rice & Lewis, and continued business in the Slyker building (which Mr. Rice had in the mean- time purchased) as successors to Mr. Lynch. Dr. Lewis left the firm in 1841, and the firm of Rice & Kirkcndall DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 85 soon followed, with George W. Kirkendall, deceased, late of Wilkes-Barre, as the junior partner. The successions in that store since then have been Rice & Sons, John J. Whit- ney, Whitney & Shaver, Brown & Henry, Smith & Garre- han, Garrehan & Son, and now Ira D. Shaver. The old store building burned down about 1861, while occupied by Brown & Henry, but was immediately rebuilt by Whitney & Shaver. Another store was started at McLellonsville quite early in the fifties by Charles Smith, now of Trucksville, in a store building which until quite recently stood on the ground now occupied by Dr. C. A. Spencer's residence. Still an- other store was started there about the same time as the Smith store, on the corner where now stands the residence of Chester White. It was more of a "fluid" grocery store where oysters, cider and even stronger drinks could be had. The Smith store building was used for like purposes after Smith went away. The best of these first stores in Dallas would hardly be dignified by that name now. Only a few necessaries were kept in any of them, and "necessaries" then had a much scantier meaning than now. A few of the commonest and cheapest cotton cloths were kept in stock ; the woolen goods used for winter wear, for both men and women, were all homespun. It took many years for the storekeepers to con- vince the farmers that they could buy heavy clothes of part wool and part cotton that would be as durable and cheaper than the all wool homespun. The time spent on the latter was counted as nothing, and the argument failed. A few other goods of kinds in daily use, such as coffee, tea, sugar, molasses, tobacco, powder, shot and flints and rum were of course necessary to any complete store. Hunting materials and supplies were in great demand. A hunter's outfit at that time was proverbially "a quarter of powder, a pound of shot, a pint of rum and a flint." Tobacco was always in demand. The flint was the box of matches of that day. 86 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. Before the invention of the lucifer match, the matter of keep- ing fire in a house, especially in winter time, was one of ex- treme importance, in that sparsely settled country. Every one burned wood then, about there, and fire was kept over night by covering a few "live coals" with ashes in the fire- place. Sometimes this failed, and then, if no flint and punk were at hand, some member of the family had to go to the nearest neighbor, probably a mile or more away, and bring fire. It is not difficult to imagine their sufferings during the winters in this respect. Had food, clothing and other things been plenty and good, this hardship could have been better endured ; but they were not, and worst of all, there were almost no means of procuring theuL There was an abundance of game and fish for a time, but they did not satisfy a civilized people. Buckwheat was early introduced in Dallas, and was afterwards so extensively raised there that the expression "Buckwheat-Dallas" was frequently used by way of marking this fact in connection with the name. It is a summer grain and quick to mature. In ninety days from the day when the crop is sowed it can be grown, matured, gathered, ground and served on the table as food, or, as has been often remarked, just in time to meet a three months' note in bank. Another practical benefit from raising this grain was that, in gathering it, a large quantity of it shook off and was scattered over the fields. This afforded a most attractive pigeon food, and during the fall and spring seasons, and often during much of the win- ter, pigeons would flock in countless numbers all over that country. They came in such quantities that it would be difficult to exaggerate their numbers. When a boy I used to see flocks that extended as far as the eye could reach, from end to end, and these long strings or waves of birds would pass over so closely following each other that sometimes two or three flocks could be seen at once, and some days they were almost constantly flying over, and the DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 8/ noise of their wings was not unlike the sound of a high wind blowing through a pine woods. They cast a shadow as they passed over almost like a heavy cloud. Often they flew so low as to be easily reached with an ordinary shot gun. The skilled way of capturing them in large quantities, how- ever, was with a net. William, or Daddy Emmons was a famous pigeon trapper as well as fisherman. He used de- coy pigeons. They were blind pigeons tied to the ground at some desired spot, and when they heard the noise of large flocks flying overhead, they would flap their wings as if to fly away. Attracted by this the flock would come down and settle near the decoys, where plenty of buck- wheat was always to be found. When a sufficient number had settled and collected on the right spot, Mr. Emmons, who was concealed in a bush or bough house near by, would spring his net over them quickly and fasten them within. After properly securing the net, the work of killing them began. It was done in an instant by crushing their heads between the thumb and fingers. Hundreds were often caught and killed in this way at one spring of the net. Pigeons were so plenty that some hunters cut off" and saved the breast only, and threw the balance away. Pigeon trap- ping in Dallas twenty-five and thirty years ago was almost if not quite a parallel with the great shad fishing days in the Susquehanna. On the morning of September 5th, 1887, while walking along the roadside in Dallas borough, "Daddy Emmons" was knocked down by a wagon loaded with hay, through some carelessness of the driver coming from behind. Daddy Emmons was pushed off the lower bank of the roadside, a broken thigh was the result, and he died from the shock at the house of his daughter, Mrs. Davis, in Dallas village, within a few days, at the age of ninety-two years. I quote the following tribute to his memory, written soon after his death, by Hon. Caleb E. Wright, formerly of the Luzerne bar : 88 dallas township, pa. Daddy Emmons. "I never seethe name of this harmless and gentle spirited man, or hear it pronounced, but with reverential emotion. Many years have passed since it was first my pleasure to become associated with him in the mystic art of capturing fish — an occupation that everybody knows is, and always has been, with all men, one of the characteristics of genius. "The first time I met this ancient fisherman was at Harvey's Lake. There he had his summer cabin, invited to it by the genial warmth that lured also the osprey and the kingfisher, and like them devoting him- self to the one occupation. He had his boat, his bait net, and all his tools of trade at hand ; and with the morning dawn was up and abroad upon the waters. "At our first interview I thought I discovered his merit; and then and there we grew into bonds of affinity. On the little inland sea I was constrained to acknowledge his superior sleight of hand, and often wondered where such matchless skill in capturing pickerel and catfish could have found growth. Rut when on the bold stream issuing from the density of the Sullivan county woods, armed with the coach- man or yellow-sally, my companion laid down his arms at my feet. The most cautious and alert of untamed things, the trout, challenges a prowess not thrust promiscuously upon the sons of men. It is a special gift. "With every yard square of that noble sheet of water, largest of Penn- sylvania lakes. Daddy Emmons was familiar. The places where, at different times of the day, bait shiners could be scooped up with his net, and at what spots, at different hours, lay the largest of the fish he sought. "A man may be good on water without much knowledge of wood- craft. This was once demonstrated when the old fisherman under- took to guide George Lear, of the Bucks county bar, and myself from the north shore of the lake to Beaver Run. We wished to reach the run at the foot of the great meadow. It was once a meadow, but of late years an inextricable confusion of alders, through which the stream found its way, a mile or so in extent. Instead of reaching it below the jungle, our conductor brought us in above. Our Bucks county friend started in first. A short distance brought him to the alders. We found his track, where he had penetrated the tangled under- growth, but that was all. The future Attorney General of the Com- monwealth was lost. In hunting for him, having wound up our lines, we got lost too. I don't know how many hours we wandered in the DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. 89 dismal slough, chiefly in circles, but Squire Kocher, hunting his cat- tle, found and rescued us. Mr. Lear, getting out upon a log road, followed it to the lake, and a lad of Judge Barnum's rowed him across to the hotel. "There was a pleasing simplicity and honest candor in this old nav- igator of the lake that commended him to the regard of men far above him in social rank. Judge Paxson of our Supreme Bench, for many years a summer resident of the celebrated resort, spent his days in company of Daddy Emmons. Their communion was a pleasant thing to behold, and the disdnguished jurist, in common with many others, will ever bear a kindly remembrance of this old piscatorial veteran, deploring the sad catastrophe that hastened his descent to the tomb." Death of Daddy Emmons. THE CELEBRATED OLD FISHERMAN PASSES AWAY AT THE AGE OF NINETY-TWO. "At half-past eight o'clock Wednesday morning the celebrated Har- vey's Lake fisherman, William, better known as "Daddy," Emmons, passed to his eternal rest. Two weeks ago, as then stated in this pa- per, he was knocked down and badly injured by a hay wagon, near Dallas, his thigh being broken. From this shock he never rallied. His death occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Davis, in Dallas, who during his last days administered to his every want, and did everything that a loving heart and willing hands could suggest and do to make him comfortable. "Daddy Emmons went to Harvey's Lake from New Jersey about thirty-five years ago, and ever since has been a prominent character at that favorite resort. Up to about two years ago he lived in a hut in a copse of woods on the banks of the lake, and was looked upon as the ideal fisherman of the neighborhood. He knew just where the finny tribe was most numerous, and seldom failed to make a catch when a proper effort was put forth. He taught many of the promi- nent men of his day the art of angling, among his pupils being the late Judge Paxson, of Philadelphia. Since leaving the lake he has resided with his daughter, Mrs. Davis, from whose home the funeral will occur to-morrow." — Leader, Sept. ij, iSSj . As the forests were cleared away and the country became more thickly settled the pigeons grew timid and gradually ceased to return in such large flocks. In later years Daddy Emmons turned his attention more to fishing, at which he 90 DALLAS TOWNSHIP, PA. was as successful as in trapping pigeons. His home was at Dallas, but early in each returning spring he went to Har- vey's Lake and took possession of his cabin, which stood at the edge of a little grove near the eastern end of the old bridge at the southeastern inlet, and there lived alone, spending his whole time at fishing. He made a business of it, and for many years, until his strength failed on account of his age, he succeeded in getting a living out of it. His honest old face was for many years associated with the memory of Harvey's Lake, and with many of us it will never be forgotten. Harvey's Lake at one time abounded in speckled trout, but the artificial introduction of other fish has exterminated the trout. Game of every kind was also very abundant about there. It was a famous hunting and fishing ground. Ephraim King once imformed me that he had killed over a hundred deer in and about Harvey's Lake. Hunting dogs were seldom needed in his best hunting days, fifty to seventy years ago. The deer were oftenest killed by rowing quietly up to them with a light in the boat while they were feeding in the shore grass or drinking just at the edge of the water. The torch dazed them, and its reflection in their bright eyes made a sure mark for the hunter. Bears and wolves ceased to be a terror before the first half of this century was ended, but they were seen occasionally in and about Dallas and Lake township at a later date. Watch dogs were employed at one time to protect the sheep from attacks by wolves, but the dogs had to be of such a fero- cious kind that it sometimes became a question as to which were the more destructive in the sheepfold, and many good watch dogs had to be killed for this reason. The need of watch dogs for that purpose ended in Dallas years ago — about 1855. Fox hunting was rare sport at one time in Dallas, and during the winter season was extensively indulged in. For this huntin