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/441

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

close, but as a place o l entertainment it had been closed fo r years. One of the prominent fam ilies o f Exchange was that o f Patrick Montague, who lived above the hill. Another well known resident, David Wilson, lived to be over eighty years o f age. Cliarles Clark, who lived to a very ripe old age, lived with his fam ily a short distance north o f Exchange. Mr. C lark was the first merchant of the community, building and opening a store in 1838. For a lime he w as a boarder at the hotel which was con­ ducted by W alter Johnston. The Odd Fellows have long maintained an established foothold in this community. E x ­ change Lodge, No. 898, I. O. O. F .. has had a long and useful history. It w as organized in 1874 with Isaac A cor, noble cran d; A. H. Litchard. secretary; and Daniel Liebc, treas­ urer. They have a fine meeting hall and a good membership in I Q1 4. Exchange Grange. No. 65. Patrons o f H us­ bandry, also have a substantial frame hall and a large membership in this agricultural com­ munity. Among the prominent men of the county w as Hon. Lloyd W. W elliver. member of the I.«mslature and fo r many years postmaster at Exchange. H e held the latter office under three presidents, tuniing it over to his daugh­ ter in 1894 when he took his seat in the I.egislature; Liter he was associate judge of Montour county. Exchange is the only place in the county outside o f Danville which lioasls a bank. It seems strange to note a fine brick lianking house near a com er of the two main streets of a tiny village, with a stretch o f forest on one hand, the new St. Jam es Catholic Church on the other, and a few rural homes along the opposite side of the road. T he Farm ers’ N a­ tional Hank was chartered in 1906, with a capital o f $25,000. T he present deposits average $50,000, and'thc institution has a gooopulation o f about eighty, two stores, kept by Boyd E. Stead and Thomas Deniiin, the hotel o f Wtlliam Houghton, the gristm ill o f Charles J. Vagcl. and two black­ smith shops. A planing mill was at one time operated by W. II. Dildine. but was destroyed by fire in 1Q12 and not relmilt. Com ly is a small settlement in the north­ western part of the township. T he only storekeeper there is John Smith.

RCLICtOUS

One of the Lindmarks of the county and the oldest Presbyterian G nirch outside o f Danville is D erry Church, which was given to Anthony township when the partition oc­ curred, because o f its location well within the new township’s territorial boundaries. In 1802 a little pine-log .schoolhouse, a sliort distance from the D erry Church, was erected. T he structure w as of the most primitive character, having a dirt fioor. in the center o f which was built a fire in extremely cold weather. ,- g a l­ lery was erected in the interior of the school­ house, Init the stairw ay to (he galier)' led up from the exterior of the building. On one .side of the gallcr)' w as a rough pulpit, and in front a space w’as boarded up and resembled a rough wooden lx>x, con trii-^ for the use of the choir. T he pupils of the school came from fa r and near, daily traversing the trails and little traveled highways that cd to and from the adjoining sparsely settled communities. .Students were enrolled in this .school from com])aratively great distances, from homes that would now lie in Columbia. Northumber­ land. Luzerne and Lycoming counties. T his church was probably organized by the p o n ^ l Presbyter)' not later Sian 1792. h is mentioned in the records of the Presbyter)' o f Carlisle, which w'as founded in 1786. as though D eri7 Church had existed before the Presbytery itself. In common with all the older churches o f this Presbytery, the origin o f Derr)' is rather mythical. William McV’ickar and Thom as .Adams were prominent in the first church o f Anthony town-ship. T hey assisted in the organization of the institution and were numbcrcti among its first elders. Rev. .Asa Dunham, the first Presbyterian minister here, preached under the trees. H is title o f “ F ath er" showed the great affection that his people had fo r him. The first regular pastor, in 1799. was Rev. John B . Patterson, who pcrformetl the func­ tions o f minister, father and friend to the members o f this little congregation, in connec­ tion wilh Mahoning. In 18 3 1 he severed his connection with Mahoning and thenceforth de­ voted his lime to D erry Church. A fte r min­ istering to his con gr^ation fo r forty-four years he passed aw ay in their midst, and was laid to rest in the Presbyterian graveyard at Danville. Mr, Patterson was succeeded by Rev. John H. Rittenhouse, who came from near Milton. Soon after his in­ stallation as pastor of the church the new le.'ider commenced to agitate the question o f