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/293

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

draped and venerable* which adds beauty to an already charming ensemble. M any residents o f Bloomsburg now staid and gray recall with pleasure the M cial fetes that were given in the past by M r. Lloyd P a x ­ ton* sometimes in the mansion and sometimes on the illuminated lawn— all events o f delight­ ful memories. Ju st across the creek from Rupert and within Ihe boundaries of the town o f Bloomsburg, although apparently fa r from that thriving town* is the "A queduct Mill*” built by Lloyd Paxton two years before the construction of the canal, and subsequently owned by George W. Keiter* whose death put it upon the market in 19 14 . T his mill has never lacked fo r waterpower* being fed from a t a ^ c dam in Fishing creek some distance above. The water ts carrieil un<lcr the old canal and oper­ ates two turbines o f 58 inches diameter each. T h e head o f water is feet, and the capacity of the mill* which is fitted with the modem roller process* is scvcnty-hve barrels o f flour dailv. Near the mill is what is known as the R eu ­ ben Mess farm, which w as purchased by Mr. K citcr some years ago and now is owned by the Gucrnseydalc Stock and Fru it Farm s, a corporation engaged in the dairy business* farm ing, raising Guernsey cattle and DurocJc rsc y swine, and fruit. Outside o f Rupert there is little to tell o f in the township. T he iron mines and lime kilns* in (he northern part, constituted the only im­ portant Industrie William Neal & Sons owned them at first. Dince the exhaustion of the iron ore the limestone is the only source o f re*enue from the propcrtv. There are a number of other small limekilns in operation along Mon­ tour ridge on the farm s of the owners. T he "W hite” mill, near the mouth o f Hem ­ lock crcck, w as huilt by Jam es Barton* son o f Tsabh, about 1842. In its construction were used some of the longest timbers found in any mill in the county. W ater was taken from a d.am below the tailracc of the " R e d ” mill to operate two 15-foot overshot wheels. Caleb Barton, brother to Jam es, took charge o f this mill in 1882, introduced the roller system and replaced the old wheels with two turbines, of 3 5 and 45 horsepower. H e also changed the name to "M ontour M ills.” Since his time the mill has been run hy Thom as J . Barton. Elisha Dricshbach. George W. K eiter and the pres­ ent owner, A lfred Girton. M r. Girton has followed milling all of his life and is constantly making improvements to the plant. In 19 14

he placcil a concrete wall around the entrance of the race, to prevent danger of washing. CHUaCHES Religious worship had its inception in the first frame schoolhouse at Rupert* services be­ ing held there by pastors of the Bloomsburg churches until 1804. From 1869 to 1872 Revs. Bowcrsox* Irvin* Shunebcrger and Hertz con­ ducted Kvangelical services there. The lirst Methodist sermon in Rupert was delivered in the home o f Jam es Farnsworth by R ev. M r. Crccvcr, o f Bloooisbu^* in 1870. In September* 1884* the cornerstone of the Meth­ odist church at Rupert w as laid by R ev, C. W. Stevens* pastor at Buckhom. it w as com­ pleted in the following winter. U is the only church in the township* and is now served by Rev, George Martin. Lazarus Lutheran Church* ju st over the line in Montour county* serves the people of the western part o f this township. A t present there arc no church services held in any part of the township* the nearness of the towns o f Catawissa and Bloomsbuig rendering the main­ tenance o f loca churches difficult. SCHOOU

The first school in (he township was held in a frame shanty once occupied by Ihe contrac­ tors who built (he canal. H arriet Rupert w as the first teacher here, in 18 3 1. but soon re­ moved her class to a log house on Jie r father's land nearby. Later a schoolhouse w as built on the west side of the railroail* dn a triangular piece o f land donated by Leonard Rupert. T he present school building, the third on the site, occupies the old position of the first one built fo r school purposes exclusively. A t present (here arc four schoolhouscs, housing 122 scholars, in Montour township. One is at Rupert, one at the settlement called "Battletow n,” and the other two at the eastern and western ends of the Danville road. T he school directors o f Montour township a r c : Frank Hagenbueh. Hcnr)' Hummel, Isaac Whiteriight. Francis I^ ib y, W illiam Rechel. POPl'|,.TION

T he population o f Montour township in 1840 was 809; in 1850. 409: in i860. 4 8 5; in 1870, 624; in 1880, 6 6 2; in 1890, 6 3 8 : in 1900. 6 1 8; tn 19 10, 625.