Valley Girl Views: Watsontown Record & Star Anniversary Edition Page 12

Find An Index To All Of This Newspaper Here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-watsontown-record-star-silver.html

The Watsontown Door & Sash Company

"The office building is of concrete, and of three stories, like the

others. The other building are of brick, with stone foundations, while the roofs are of fire proof material. The power is furnished by a 288 horse power Corliss engine, and the entire equipment of machinery is of the very best and latest pattern."

The president of the company in 1925 was Mr. J. H. Wagner, "one of the oldest planing mill men in the country ,having been the head of the business continually since 1866. He is ably assisted by his brother D.F and his son J.H. Jr"

In 1925, the Watsontown Door & Sash Company employed 90-100 men, and operated every day of the year. 6,000,000 feet of lumber was handled annually, and they annually produced 58,000 window sash, 38,000 frames, 25,000 doors, 24,000 blinds, in addition to "boxes, shingles, building timer, general mill work, etc"

By 1925, the Watsontown Door & Sash Company had burnt to the ground 5 times.

Read more, and see more photos, here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-watsontown-door-sash-company.html

William Eli Welsh

William E. Welsh was born in Sullivan county October 27, 1833. In connection with this brother he followed barn building until he mobbed to Watsontown in 1865, when he was employed in the Hollopeter boat yard for a number of years. When the match stick factory of Cook & Pardee was started he took the contract for the manufacture of boxes for that firm, continuing at this until the business was discontinued. When the Pardee car works were running he operated the large planer in that industry until it was shut down. Following this he began work for the Watsontown Table Works, in which establishment he was employed until within a few months of his death.

Mr. Welsh served one term in the Town Council, was a member of the Lutheran Church from the time it was organized here, and one of the oldest members of the Watsontown Lodge, No. 401, F. & A.M., serving as Tyler for a long term of years.

Mr. Welsh was a quiet, unassuming gentleman, genial and courteous, and made friends of all with whom he came in contact. He built a cosy, comfortable home at the corner of Ninth and Elm Street, where with his estimable wife he raised a family of one son and three daughters – W. W. Welsh and Mrs. Leinbach of this place; Mrs. Charles Eilert of Perth, Amboy NJ, and Mrs. E. B. Truckenmiller of Delaware Township. He died February 7, 1906.

William Eli Welsh was Dan's great great grandfather, you can read more about him here:

http://heathersgen.blogspot.com/2011/03/welsh.html

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Frederick H. Knight

"The story of Watsontown for the last forty years could scarcely be told did not we make adequate mention of the fair name, fame, and reputation of one of it's oldest citizens and most successful businessmen, Fred H. Knight"

Frederick H. Knight was born at Liverpool, Perry County on November 27, 1837 to Richard Knight who had fought in the Revolutionary War. His father died while he was quite young and he was forced to apprentice with Mr. Ira Sears who was a boatman and a hard task master. He ran away from this servitude and signed on to help build part of the Reading Railroad form Herndon to Shamokin. He then became employed for four years by Amos Kapp of Northumberland saving enough money to send himself to school at Freeburg, Snyder County and then the State Normal School at Millersville, Lancaster County. Mr. Knight became a school teacher at Georgetown, Northumberland County but soon joined the army in 1861 enlisting with Captain Charles J. Bruner’s company at Sunbury. When he reached Harrisburg however the army said he was too frail and refused to take him. He tried again in 1862 and this time was accepted into Company G, 147th Regt., Pennsylvania Volunteers serving until the end of the Civil war. He was mustered out of the service as a Sergeant Major.

On April 12, 1866 he settled in Watsontown. He began a hardware business which grew into one of the largest and most complete hardware and stove stores in the upper end of Northumberland County. Fred married Anna Schoch of New Berlin, Union County on December 11, 1866. They had one son Harry S. born in March 1868. The Knights were members of the Lutheran Church in Watsontown.

Fred served on town council from 1871 to 1872 and again from 1883 to 1884 during which time he served as treasurer. In 1894 Fred was elected Chief Burgess and served from 1894 to 1896. He also served as a school director, superintendent of the Water Company, and president of the Board of Trade. Fred was a member of the Republican party.

Note - My Great Great Great Grandfather Joseph Asher Lumbard, former editor of the Selinsgrove newspaper, served in the 147th Company G with Fred Knight. http://lumbard147thcog.blogspot.com/

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Harry S. Knight