Tuesday, May 14, 2019

The Sidler Schoolhouse In Montour County Pa



"Which stood on the road leading to Jerseytown"
The School was still referenced in Newspapers as late as 1937

(I'm in the process of collecting information on the Sidler School house, in my efforts to learn more about Christianna Sidler who married James Crossley.  We know that Christianna's son Joseph attended the Sidler School house, so there's a good chance there is a family connection)


Teachers:
Martha Crossley
George B. Kase
Tuilla McNinch

"In 1813 there were but three schoolhouses between Danville and Milton, a distance of fifteen miles, and not more than eight in what is now Montour County.  Most of these schools were built by voluntary subscription whenever enough children were within reasonable walking distance to justify the movement.  On a certain day the neighbors assembled, went to work, and in a few hours the log schoolhouse was ready for service." Page 307 of JH Beers History of Columbia & Montour Counties

Montour American
August 1903


"Andrew J. Wintersteen was educated at the Sidler schoolhouse in Valley township"
Joseph H. Crossley attended Sidler School house, he was born in 1817.
"Joseph H. Wintersteen attended school more or less regularly until he was nineteen years 
of age, in the Sidler schoolhouse in Valley township, and among his teachers he recalls very
 kindly Martha Crossley and George Kase."  Born in 1863

George Bonham Kase was born in Illinois in 1859, making him just 4 years older than Joseph
 Wintersteen.  In 1870 George was age 11, living with the kilmers, and a variety of what 
appear to be Kase siblings in Illinois.  In 1900 he is found in Montour County PA.
  I do not know what years he taught at the school, but since Joseph would have been 10
 in 1873, and 18 in 1881, I assume he taught there sometime between 1871 and 1881.   

=================

St. John's Evangelical & Reformed Church (now known as Mausdale Christian Church) was organized in 1856 in Sidler's Schoolhouse in Valley Twp.
 A Church building was constructed but was destroyed by fire in 1928. 
After the fire, the Congregation acquired the present site from the Geisinger Memorial Hospital
In September 1929 they erected the building which you can see today on Rt. 54 1.6 miles west of Danville. 

This card shows the Church's Christmas decorations on Dec. 25, 1908.

 ===============





No comments:

Post a Comment

I'll read the comments and approve them to post as soon as I can! Thanks for stopping by!