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/454

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES In 17 0 3, Philip M aus built his sawm ill, and fo r y e a r s cut the lumber fo r every building that w a s erected in the neighborhood. T he lim estone that w as found in abundant quan­ tities in the neighborhood form ed another n atu ral resource to construct the homes of the settlers, and a s FTanville grew into a flour­ ishin g industrial community proved a great sou rce o f supply fo r her iron furnaces. Seven y e ars la ic r this sturdy pioneer built a flouring m ill, which for its d ay w as an imposing struc­ ture. .An anecdote covering his ex[>eriences in d ig g in g the mill-racc has descended to the present time. One portion o f (he work w as being done by the Catholics, and the other by the Protestants, and such w as the factional feelin g that the proprietor had to take |x>ssession of the clubs and shillalahs of the con­ tending elements in order to prevent blood­ shed. T radition has it that eleven barrels of w hiskey were con.sumcd during the progress of the w ork, which apparently w as a com­ m unity aflfair, and the whiskey w as contribute<l because (he new mill w as to be a public con­ venience. E a r ly in the days of their settlement the M au s fam ily cultivated two acres o f flax, and took the product to a Scotch fam ily in the ham let, who did much of the ncighliorhood w eaving. From the flax w as woven the linen cloth which made their summer clothing. T heir h eavier winter garm enturc w as obtained from the wool clipped from the hacks of the sheep that they raised. B efore the era o f wool and flax, cured and dressed animal skins provided thcir clothing. During the long evenings o f w inter the M aus fam ily, by the light o f lard oil lamias. j>cruscd the literature o f (he day. which, so tar as their library w as concerned, consisted o f such works as "C ook's V oyage," W eem s’s “ I J f c o f W ashington,” the works o f O liver GoUlsmiih—the "Dcscrte*! V illage.” "V ic a r o f Wakefield'*— and even "D on Q u ixo te." It is slatc<l that on rare and festive occasions. M aus senior would add to the en­ joym ent of the reading by apportioning the d ran u tis personae anwiigst (hem. When (he M aus fam ily fortunes had grown to the point that justified the acquisition o f a fam ily carri.ige. one of the style o f I..ouis X I V . was purchased, and its arrival in the valley created a profound sensation among the neighbors. T his vehicle is thought to have been the first

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one o f its kind im])ortcd into the vicinity o f what is now Montour county. One of the first neighbors of the Maus fam ily was Sam uel M usic, who soon became known to the community as a Godly man and an excellent citizen. H e w as subject, how­ ever, to periods o f moroseness, and when in that mood was exceedingly gruflf aird brusque to all. H is neighbors understood him, even in the grim nKst o f tempers, and his roughness o f speech was a source o f amusement to them. T he pourhouse farm o f (his township was cstarlisncd a few years after Danville and .Mahoning had establishe<l sim ilar institutions. T he gnstm ill at M ausdaic has not been run­ ning fo r several years. The building erected by Philip M aus is still in use and is a substan­ tial stone structure, which bids fair to outlast the present generation. T h e N'alley b'umace was built in 1846 by (he sons o f Philip Maus. It used anthracite and w as oj)eratc«l by them for many years very successfully. 'The present |X)stm as(er at M ausdale is F.tnicr Rcnn, and the storekeeper is Edw in S. Delsite. A rthu r M ourcr and George .Artman operate sawm ills in diflferent parts of the township, but the timber is now practically cxiiaustcd. KELICIOUS

Strau b’s Lutheran Church in Frosty valley is a very old organization, dating from the last years of the eighteenth century. It has a brick building and the services are held by pastors from Danville. St. Jo h n 's Reform ed Church at Mausdale w as dedicated Feb. 12, 1858. ami in 1892, a fte r extensive repairs, was redcdicated. Some of the ]>astors here, who had several other churches in their charge, have been: Revs. F. If. Fisher, 18 9 3 : Charles D. Ixirch, 19 0 7 : J. E. .Stamm, u/>8; J. W. .Alliertson, 1 9 1 1 : F. W. Brow n. 1 9 1 2 :} '. W. Bean. 19 13 -14 . SCH00(2!

T h is township has five good schools, most of them built within the last twenty years. T he school directors fo r 19 14 a r c : Frank Hendricks, N. E. Sidler. .Andrew Steinman. .. H. U 'citzcl, Edw ard Volkman.