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/275

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

Jacob Eyer* who built a gristm ill and store on the site o f a sim ilar structure erected in 1807 by Robert Montgomery. Successive owners since K yer have l^en William Kreamer* C« W. Eves* Heacock & M asters, D r. G. P. Gehring, Hileman & Johnson and W. D. Hilcman. The present mill has live stands of modem milling machiner)’, operated by a i/-fo o t overshot wheel o f iron. The mill race is over h alf a mile long and 40 horseM w er is generated. A steam engine is used in low stages of the creek. T he mill is a thrcc-story red brick building of imposing appearance. llie present postmaster and storekeeper is G . M . Ikeler, a nephew of the late Ju d ge Ikeler. A hotel w as run by different proprietors until 19 13, Rudolph Yankee being the last landlord. SiiK e (he building of the Susque* hanna, Bloomsburg & Berw ick railroad the town has improved in commerce and now has about forty houses* a Methodist church built in j86 o * and a fine schoolhouse. lOLA

T his village is ju st north o f MillviUe on Little Fishing crcck and w as started in J82S by the building o f a gristm ill by John and J o s ­ eph Robbins. Elisha Hayman* who owned the mill from 18 5 1 to 18S0, named (he town after his daughter. M . V . Gehring was a later owner* and the present one is 5^m ucl Fought. T h e mill is operated by a lo-foot overshot wheel and the output ts buckwheat flour and chop. lola Lodge* No. 7 1 1, F . & A . M.* w as organ­ ized Ju ly 5, 1870, and in 1881 removed by spe­ cial disjUnsation to Pine Summit. A n!. O. O. F . lodge was founded here before (he M a­ sonic lodge and at one time possessed a fine hall, but is now out o f existence. KeLIGIOUS

A meetinghouse of the Society o f Friends w as built in M illville in 1795 and in the fol­ lowing year William Ellis* "fhomas E llis anti John Hughes were appointed supervisors. In 1799 the M uncy Meeting was established and alternate sessions held at M illville. In l8 j6 the name was changed to the Fishing Creek Montlily Meeting. In June o f each year the session is held at Catawissa. T h is record of unbroken meetings for almost )20 years has never l^ceii equaled in this part of the State. T he present meetinghouse of the Friends is a neat brick building in a grove at (he edge of the town. The Friends at M illville belong to

the Hicksite branch* while those at Green­ wood post office are o f Ute Orthodox branch. T he first services of the Methodists were held in 1809 at the E v es mill ui M illville by a class of eleven. Jacob E van s was appointed leader. F o r sixteen years services were held in the barn o f WiUiam Robbins. A church w as built in 1825 and occupied until 1857. It was located at the forks of the road from Millville to Rohrsburg. A second building w as erected at M illville in 1882 and the present one in 1897. It is a fine brick structure* wiUt a belfry* and cost $4,000. The pastors o f tliis church have been Revs. Joseph S. Lee* George H. Day, D. Y. Brouse, C W. Rishell, W. H. Hartman* Joseph A. Dretz* A. C. Logan* F red A. Goelcr* 2 acchcus Weston, WiUiam A. Faus. T he last named gave up a more lucrative charge in order (0 minister to the congregation at MillviUe* the home o f his mother, E lv ira W right. T he mem­ bership at MiUvnlle is scvcnt>*-five and the Sunday school about fifty. The charge in­ cludes the churches at Jerseytow n, E y e r’s Grove, Pine Summit, lola qnd Ikeler’s. The Presbyterians organized at Rohrsburg in 1847* having previously attended the Orangeville Church. Among the first mem­ bers were Philip Sibley, E lias Smith, Jam es Wilson and G tarles Fortner. The co n g re p tion was served for many years by Revs. W il­ liamson* Thompson and Boyd, the services be­ ing held in WiUiam M ather’s l>arn until the church was built in 1850. at a cost o f $ t . w . This church has a membership o f twenty-tour and is served occasionally from Denton. The Christian Church at Rohrsburg w as or­ ganized in 1870 by Elder J . J . Harvey, with a membership o f thirly-onc. Services were held in Applcman’s shop until the house o f worship was completed in the following year. Elders H arvey and Rodenbaugh held scr*iccs occa­ sionally ill the seminary at MillviUe until 1880* when the " F r e e Church” w as huilt for the use o f all denominations. Josiah Heacock* S . B. K isncr and R . M . Johnson were the founders o f this church. For some time other denomina­ tions used the church, but at present it is prac­ tically an cxcUisive O iristian edifice. R ev. W. I. Burrell o f Benton Is the pastor there at pres­ ent. T he Lutheran Church at MillviUe was or­ ganized in i8Rt by Rev. F . P. Manhart and a charge w as formed embracing also the church at Pine Summit. In 1894 a building was erected fo r (he congregation at a cost o f $4*800, and (he membership has increased; the Sunday school mimhcrs about one hundre<l. Rev. F . P. Manhart, now president of