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/317

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES as h erein after prescribed and established. T he a a then described the new county line between the two coun ties as fo llo w s: Beginning at the N orthum berland county line, at or near the house o f Sam uel R c a d cn; thence a direct course to the center o f R oarin g creek, in Franklin tow nship, twenty rods above a m int in said c re e k opposite the house o f Jo h n N'ought: thence down the middle of the stream of said creek to the Susquehanna r iv e r; thence to the m iddle o f said r iv e r; thence up the center of the sam e to a point opposite where the present county line between Columbia and Montour strik e s the north bank of the r iv e r; (hence to the said north ban k; (hence by the present d ivisio n line between said counties to (he schoolhouse near the residence o f David Sm ith; thence to a point near the residence of D avid S m ith; thence to the bridge over Deerlick ru n on the line between D erry and Madison to w n sh ip s; thence by the line be­ tween said tow nships o f M adison and D erry and A nthony to the line o f Lycom ing county. Jd in K o o n s. G ilbert C . M cW aine, o f L u re m c county, an d Bernard R eilly, o f Schuylkill county, w e re appointed com missioners to run and locate th e new tine. Section 4 changed the name o f Franklin township, in M ontour county, and made it Mayberry. S ^ i o n 5 provides that so much o f M ad­ ison tow nship a s remains in M ontour county shall h e re a fte r com pose a part o f W est Hem ­ lock towuship. The present courthouse w as built in 18 7 1.

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It occupies the grounds of the old buildine, with the additional grounds where the build­ ing of the Friendship F ire Com pany stood. T h e total cost o f ground and building w as $55,000. T h e contractor and architect w as M r. O 'M a lle y; the brick w ork w as done by B. K. V a stin e; the stone w ork by H. F. H aw ke & Co. It is a very substantial and commo­ dious building, plain, strong, and yet hand­ some in its outlines and finish. T h e first floor is occupied by the com missioners, pro­ thonotary, recorder, sh eriff and grand ju ry. T h e second floor is devoted to the main court­ room and ju ry rooms. T h e whole is well furnished with all the mod­ em conveniences and appliances fo r the carry­ ing on of the county's legal affairs. T he vaults fo r the records are large, com fortable rooms. T h e large and solid stone ja il known to the generations preceding 1890 w as built in 18 17 18 by C harles M ann, contractor. It had two cells on the first story and two on the sec­ ond, and also a substantial and roomy resi­ dence under the same ro o f fo r the sheriff. T h e present new and beautiful brick build­ ing. <Icsigned by D anville’s competent and much respected architect, Jo h n H. B ru gler, W'as erected in 1892. W hile once in a white (his ja il contains a few prisoners, yet to the credit of the county be it said (hat o ften er it is em p ty; and quite frequently the .sheriff, instead o f feeding pris­ oners. is notifying ju ro rs that their attendance at court is not necessary.

C H A P T E R II SO M F. O F T H E E A R L Y F A M I L I E S Wc are in the second century since the first settlers cam e to w hat is now M ontour county. The only reco rd these sturdy people had time to make of them selves, fo r the contemplation and pleasure of their posterity, consisted al­ most solely of the w orks of their own hands amid trials a n d dlfTicuIties w e can but poorly appreciate n o w. W ithout machinery, tools, money or the rudest appliances o f civilization, they had to car%'e out their w ay g a in s t appall­ ing obstructions. T hat they did it, not only well, but at a ll, is one o f (he m an-els in the history of the human race. T h e w orld’s "seven w on ders” that have ]>assed down fo r the adm iration o f SO many ages are, in the

aggregate and abstract, but childish, simple nothings— floating bubbles— cotnj>arcd to that of the continental conquerors, these liberators o f (he human race, who buildcd, no doubt, w iser than they knew, but yet built fo r all ages ami fo r al mankind. T h e sublime story of these simple, grand men and women has never been properly told and is not under­ stood by their descendants o f to-day. T h e ir memories have been grossly neglected, and too often now we And that (heir wonderful story has passed aw ay fo rev e r with their de­ caying bones. T h e fe w mentioned in this chapter include but a sm all portion o f those wnose fam ily