Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/229

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COLUMBIA AXD MONTOUR COUNTIES

1840 Catawissa had a ]K>pulatioii o f 800, cx* ccvoing that o f Bloomsburg by 150. The town then cuiitamcd tbrcc churches, several stores aiKJ taverns and upwards 01 two huuUreU dwclimgs. I’here were a loundry, a paper mill and several tanneries in and near the town. then. T lt E UOOU 0 .YS
 * i lie Cermans predominated in the jiopulation

T he building o f Ute Catawissa railroad, a description o f which is found on anotltcr page, w as a blessing to the town and caused a rapid increase o f population. S ix months after the opening of the road the headquarters were established in Catawissa and extensive repair shops built in 1864. Thus the town became the home o f many operatives, and as the other roads came in became quite a railroad center. These tq>erativcs brought their familic.s, estab­ lished homes and became imjiortaiu factors in the growth o f Catawissa for a number o f years, until the extension of the Reading road from Shamokin to Milton caused a removal o f much tralhc from the Catawissa division and reduced the number o f employees in the repair sliops. There arc still a number o f employees of the Reading and Pennsylvania roads in the town, but few compared with the past. 'I'he rapid increase o f population and the de­ mand for homes w as the cause that Ic<l to the organization of the Catawissa l.and and Build­ ing Company and the Catawissa Mutual Build­ ing Fund Association, in 1865 and 1870, re­ spectively. The result of their formation was a period o f building activity, extending from 18^9 to 1873, during which many persons who otherwise could not have obtained money were enabled to own homes. The demand fo r homes and lots caused F. L. Shuman to purchase the Z arr fan u ami lay out the Shuman adilition in 1882. One of the prominent citizens o f Catawissa w as Clark F. Harder, who built the planing mill in 1866. He made it one of the chief in­ dustries of the town, and in 1885. during the building boom, put up seventeen houses, fu r­ nishing his own materials from the mill. Most of the iKttcr class o f residences o f that date were built by him. David Cleaver, a pioneer nierdiant of the town, built the ’'Susijuehamia H ouse" in 1868, and leased it to several parties. It is now operated by William (Joodhart.

prcsciiled to the proper court, ll w as opposed by some who feared added taxation, and by others who did not wish to I>c left out of the town. T h e grand ju ry o f that year disap­ proved the petition. Again in 1887 a similar petition met with a like fate. On Sept. 26, 1892, a third petition w as presented by 250 freeholders, and in December of tlu t year con­ firmed by the court. T h e necessary officers for holding an elec­ tion were appointed, and the following officials elected: C. C. W illits, chief b u ig « ss: O. I). L. Kosteiibaudcr, C . O. Brow n, E . B. (iuic, I. H. Seesholtz, T. E. H arder, William Hartman, counciimen. The first school board consisted o f J. B. Yetter, L. B. Kline. S. Raup, C. E. Clewell, ) . J . l.ew is, A . S. Tnickenmiller. T he present borough officials a rc; A . H . Sharplcss. burgess; W. H . Vastine, president of the council; J . Bem inger, Daniel Knittlc, Edw ard Billig, .Alexander l.illie, Joseph Hartzcll, councilm cn;G . II. Sh arp lcss,cle rk : L. C. Mensch, solicitor. The postmasters o f Catawissa borough have been as follows, together with the dates of their ap|K)intmcnts: John Shoemaker, Ju ly t, 18 0 2; John G a rk , Ju ly I, 18 0 3: Joseph Paxton. N ov. 3. 1821; Michael Fom w alt, Ju n e 2 3 ,1 8 2 9; C. A. Brobst, M ay t8. i J ^ l : Paul R. Baldy, D tx. 6. 18 4 4; John Schmick. Dec. 26. 1846; Charles H art­ man. Feb. 15. 18 49 : John Schmick, Jan. 27. •8 5 3 : Cast»er Rhawn, M ay 6. 18 5 3 : L evi K eilcr. Ja n. 17, 1 8 6 1; S. D. K itard, Oct. 12. t 8 6 i; George H. W illis, Aug. 24, 1869: Luther H. Kline, Sept. 24, 18 78; Calvin G a rk, Oct. 24, 18 7 8; Joseph B. Knittlc. Sept. 15. 1885: W il­ liam H. Iterger. .April 27, 1889; J. H. G eary. Dec. 20. 1R89: Charles L. Pohe, .May 6. 1896; G iristian E. Geyer. Ju n e 5. 190 0; G iarles M. Harder. .Aug. 2. 19 13 . C. S. W. Fox' w as mercantile appraiser in 1899. l*OPl'l..TIO.N

According to the United States census figures the [wpulaiioii o f Catawissa township in 1S20 was 2 .52 0 : in 1830. 3 .13 0 : in 1840. 2.060; in 1850. 1 .1 4 3; 1 .1 / 6 : in 1870. 1.6 2 7; in 1880. 2,0 03: in 1890. 2 .34 « : in 1900, 5 ( 0; in 19 10 . 503. T he jKipulation o f Catawissa borough was 2.023 in UfOO, and 1.930 in 19 10 . T his gives SIL’ NlClI*,t ISC('RPOR.TIOS evidence of the fact that most of the popula­ The first movement to make Catawissa a tion of the township resided in the Iwrough borough was taken in 1885. when u petition was in the early <lays.

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