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/257

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

T he ItiK-en C reek post office w as established in 1872, with Peter Laubach in charge. R. T. Sm ith w as appointed to the Taurus post office in 1686. These two offices had a tri-weekly service, .and in winter it w as a try-if-you-can service, owing to the bad roads. There is not a single post office in Benton township now, all of them having been abolished at the time rural free delivery w as established. Deliveries arc made from the borough post office. Outside o f Benton borough there is but one settlement in this township, that o f Kavcncrcck, where C. K. Shultz is the sole store­ keeper. There are a few houses here and a Presbyterian church. VETERANS

T he Fishingcreek Valley Veterans Associa­ tion was organized in 19 14. with the following officers and memlwrs: Ale.sandcr Knousc. o f Iknton, president: B. D. Cole, o f lamison City, vice president; John R. Keeler, of Benton, sec­ retary: A. S. Larish. o f Benton, treas. l l i c other mcmlwrs a r c : A. R. Pennington, G. V. Knousc. S. S. lla rv c y, 1. E. Edson. George Gibbons, Peter Shultz. Joseph .Ash. o f Ben­ ton; Je r r v X’ansickle, .Aaron X'ansicklc, John K linger, W esley H arvey, o f Su garloaf town­ ship; Frank Lutz, o f Cambra. A ll of the members arc veterans of the C ivil war. Other societies of Benton arc the Russell K a m s Camp, Sons o f Veterans, No. 3 1 9; Washington Cam 5. N o. 12 3. P. O. S. o f A. : and Benton Loc gc. No. 746. Independent O rder o f Odd F c lows, which had the follow­ ing officers in 1 9 14 : Percy Brewington, noble g ran d : R. E. H ess, vice g ran d; P. L. Apple­ man. treasu rer; S. S. Fritz, chaplain: R ay Fritz, inside guardian; W arren Thompson.

outside gu ard ian; Charles Rcm lcy, F. O. Search, supporters; R ay Rider, warden. 'Fhere is also a flourishing lodge o f Masons. T he Benton Band is an important organiza­ tion of the town, and lias cal s for its services from many distant points. T H E PRESS

The Benton A rg u s is now in its twenty-fifth year, and is in this year o f 19 14 housed in a new building on Center street, erected espe­ cially for newspaper purposes by the Colum­ bia County National Bank. The site is that of the store o f Miah Cole, which w as destroyed in the Benton fire o f 19 13. M r. Cole has also passed aw ay in death. The new quarters con­ sist o f .an office, composing room and press room, and the plant is increased in capacity by the addition o f a Unitypc typesetting machine. Percy Brcwington. the cilitor, has been asso­ ciated with the A rgu s since 19 10. having as­ sumed ownership a fte r the death o f John G. M cHenry. H e has l>ccn in active charge since the death of William l i. Sm ith, the founder, and has built up the ]>apcr into a power throughout the northern part o f Columbia county. The A rgu s w as founded in 1889 by W illiam II. Smith. It was issued from the Smith building until the fire o f 19 10, a fte r which the home of the paper w as in the lK>rough hail until 1914. P O PU LA TIO N

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T he ponulation o f Benton township in i860 was 8 9 3; in 1870. 1.0 50 : in 1880, 1.0 6 2: in 1890. 1.2 5 2; in 1900. 8 5 7 : in 19 10. 7 ^ . T h e population o f Benton borough in iqoo w as 6 3 5. and in 19 10 it w as 719.

C H A P T E R XX B R I A R C R E E K T O W N S H IP In 1797 the "Tow nship o f Orccn B riar­ creek" was fonncd from territory formerly included in Fishingcreek township. In 1844 the erection o f Centre township reduceil it lo its present dimensions. T he liorough o f B er­ wick was separated from it in 1850. T he settlement of the township followed soon after the founding o f Berwick. A numIier o f families removed there from Mount Bethel. Northampton county, among them lieing found the old fam ily names o f Frcas.

Bowman. Hutton. Rittenhouse, Cauley and Mack. T hey emigrated in a Iwdy, entering this region in 1793, coming by w ay o f Bethle­ hem. Nazareth and Beaver (endows. In this w ay they • were of mutual assistance in the clearing of the land ami erecting homes. 1'homas Bowman built the first stone house in (his township in 1S02. H is brother Je sse settled at the junction of the river road and B riar crcck. William Rittenhouse obtained title to an extensive tract lying on both banks

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