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/289

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

T lie first Troi) plow in the county was brouglit to Mifiiinvillc by Samuc) Sm itn, who had It made fo r him in his lUtiVe city o f BaU timorc. H e located at the eastern edge of the town soon after its founding. T he building of the "N o rth Branch canal" might have greatly helped the town had there been any convenient and rapid method o f com­ munication with the opposite shore. F o r many years ferries had been operated at tliis point, but the shallow stages o f water, alternated by fresiicts and icc gorges, made the Susquelianna an unreliable means o f communication. Efforts were then made lo liavc a bridge erected across the river, but the project failed by a small margin to receive financial backing. T h is dis­ heartened the proprietors of the village, and they ccascd to supervise the affairs of the com­ munity. The result w as that many lots were occupied without warrant or purchase, and the titles o f many at the present time are based solely on "squatter rights." M any of the resi­ dents also cncroaclieiL on the wide streets, alleys and squares, the result being tlu t in many places there was hardly passagew ay for a single vehicle. T he old spirit o f civic pride w as not lost, however, and in 1K35 a meeting o f thirty-one citizens w as held to discuss the propriety o f ojH'ning the streets. Capt. S. B. M. Y ants w as called to the chair, and B en ja­ min Scidic w as appointed secretary. A town committee was elected for six years and em­ powered to take measures lo resurvcy the town, rent the public lots and call all necessary meetings of the citizens. T his committee con­ sisted o f Jo h n K cllcr, S. B. M. Y ants, Benamin Scidtc. Samuel Harman and D iaries less. Though never regarded as a legally constituted body, these town committees were never opposed in their actions. T he work o f resurvcy w as given to Ezra E. Hayhurst and so well did he accomplish (he duty that the original plans of the founders were practically duplicated. T h us the village was again given the proud title o f chief among the many lovely towns o f eastern Pennsylvania. The rcsun-cy was accomplished in but five days. A n old magazine published in 1847 states that "M iftlinburg" then contained about thirty dwellings, several stores and taverns, a Luth­ eran and a Methodist church. .t that perinorlation until the construction of the North and West Branch railroad, Mifflinville has never offered any inducements for the location o f indus­ tries. an<l after that road w as built Ihe greater

attractions of the larger towns to the east and west diverted any projected manulaccorics or mills, in 1855 a small powder mill was opened in the town by Mattticw Brown and Samuel Snyder, to supply the nearby coal mines. T he mill was blown up three days after its opening, but rebuilt and operated as long as the mines were operated ui Beaver townsliip. The station of the Pennsylvania railroad here is called Creasy, owing to the similarity of the town's name to another on the same line o f railroad. T he bridge here w as built in 1907 and a description o f it w ill be found in tlic chapter devoted to bridges and rivers. There arc but three survivors of the M e x­ ican ivar in Pennsylvania and Mifflinville has the lK>nor o f being the home o f one of them, Jolm S. M yers, who served as a marine in the bombardment and capture o f V era Cruz in 1847. In 19 14 he is ninety-five years old— the oUlcst man in the town, and one of the liveliest. Post No. 59, 0. A. R ., o f Berw ick, has twelve members living at this time in Mifflinville. The town committee for 19 14 consists o f Samuel J. K cllcr and C. Whitney H ess, who hold office indefinitely. RELICIOUS

The I.utheran and Reform ed congregations were the first to avail themselves of the gen­ erous donations of the founders o f Mifflinville. In 1809 articles o f agreement fur the erection o f a union church at Race and T hird street's were signed. T h e building was Iwgun the same year, but not completed until 18 13. In Jan u ary, 1882, the unkm between the two congregations w as dissolved, the Lutherans preparing to build a home of their own, the dedication o f which took place in Dcccmticr, 1883. T his building is the one standing at present op(>osite (he site o f (he first union church. It w as remodeled in 1892 and is nowvalued at $3,000. T he parsonage adjoining is valucil at $2,800. H ie I.uthernn congregation was o^tanizcd in 1800 as St. John’s by Rev. J . P. F . K ram er. Previous to that time the Lutherans had been occasionally served by Rev. M r. Shclhardt, one of the pioneer pastors of the .Susquehanna v a l­ ley. The successive pastors o f this congrega­ tion since K ram er have been Revs. Rarnitz. K essler. J . Schindcl. Isaiah Bahl. W . B . F o x . S . S . Hcnri-, Thom as Steck, J . P . Germ an, W. E . Roney, and the present incumbent. R e v . C. F . D ry. T he membership of the church is