"Beginning his career with a single milk wagon, he built up by perseverance, hard work, and honesty, one of the largest businesses of it's kind in Pennsylvania."
The obituary of Charles Sheffer, July 1944
The First Creamery In Dewart
The Creamery In Nicelys Grain House, 1887-1889
" The new creamery at Dewart will be ready for operation about the first of April."
Record & Star February 19, 1887
A local historian, in a letter to the editor in the late 1940s, referenced this as becoming the Nicely & Bailey Milk Products Company.
In March of 1887, the new Dewart Creamery was being constructed, slowly. An artesian well was sunk to a depth of 52 feet, and the cans had arrived. In April, the creamery was completed, and ready to run on a 6 horse power engine. This first creamery in Dewart was operated out of Nicely's grain house. Two years later, in February of 1889, the Creamery was closed, and the machinery and fixtures were sold to the Spring Mills Creamery.
Milk being hauled from Elimsport to the Dewart Creamery (year unknown)
1901 - 1946 - Sheffers Dewart Milk Products Company
Charles Sheffer came to the area from Columbia County prior to 1900. In 1900 he worked with Daniel Gundrum in a Creamery operation in Lycoming County. In 1901, Sheffer came to Watsontown, and beginning with a single milk wagon, gradually built a Creamery in Dewart that became one of the largest in the state.
Advertiement ran frequently in newspapers in 1908
1909 - The First Fire
In October of 1909, A fire destroys the Dewart Milling plant, The Creamery, and General Store. "What is known as the Heckel hotel building, now owned and occupied by Charles Sheffer, proprietor of the Dewart Creamery, for storage."
I'm not certain that these photos are from the fire, but it's possible. The one on the left is the ruins of the Nicely Warehouse, and on the right is the ruins of the Dewart Hotel.
These photos were in with the "Cyclone" photos, from the 1919 Tornado, but I do not think the Tornado damaged the Dewart Hotel. I could be wrong. However, I think it's possible these photos are from the 1909 fire.
The Dewart Creamery Building & Office
1911 - The Second Fire
In July of 1911, flames were discovered in the creamery building. Within an hour, the plant was a charred and blackened ruins.
The Charred remains of the Dewart Creamery, and of the West Branch Fire Co Silsby Steamer.
The West Branch Fire Co. had loaned their Sisby Steamer to Dewart - it was lost in this fire.
November 1911, The New Creamery Building
November, 1911
The new Dewart Creamery Building, completed in November 1911
Dewart Creamery Warehouse
An article in 1925 mentions that a community group is meeting in the "New Creamery Garage"
Dewart Creamery Truck
This card reads "The New Home Of Sheffers White Deer Ice Cream"
Advertisements for Sheffers White Deer Ice Cream were prevalent in newspapers beginning in 1922.
In June of 1944, Mr Sheffer tripped over a small truck on the second floor of the plant. His leg was broken, Twenty seven days later, Sheffer died, from complications related to that fall. His son Robert took over as president of the company, until it was sold in 1946, to settle Sheffers estate.
Today, Cabinet Surplus occupies the former Creamery Building.
The Dewart Milk Products Co. Receiving Station in Turbotville
Thought to have been constructed about 1915, it was torn down in 2014.
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Find More Stories & History Of Dewart Here:
And more local history from the Susquehanna Valley here:
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Time Line Of The Dewart Creamery
- 1887, March - The cans have arrived and artesian well sunk to a depth of 52 feet. We think butter will soon be plenty." NC Democrat 11 March 1887
- 1887, April - Creamery is completed. Run by a six horse power engine.
- 1887, May - "The Dewart Creamery is in successful operation. It is located in a portion of Nicely's grain house and the Watstontown Star says that everything about the place is as clean and orderly as can be" Northumberland County Democrat May 27 1887
- 1889, February - The Dewart Creamery Company sold their machinery and fixtures to the Spring Mills Creamery and the business at Dewart was discontinued.
- 1907, February - Isaac F. Moser represents the Dewart Creamery Co. In Washingtonville.
- 1909, October - Fire destroys Milling plant, creamery, and general store in Dewart. "What is known as the Heckel hotel building, now owned and occupied by Charles Sheffer, proprieter of the Dewart Creamery, for storage."
- 1911, November - The Dewart Creamery was rebuilt. "A much larger plant than the one that had been destroyed"
- 1923 - Dewart Milk Products purchased the Trout Run Cooperative Creamery. They rebuilt the plant and installed a new condensor.
- 1923, December - Dewart Creamery purchased the M&F Ice Cream Company [Bloomsburg] . "It is also understood that Dewarts interests have taken over the Millville Creamery, and that Wilson Eckman will manage the plant, which will be retained as a receiving station."
- 1925, April - Dewart Milk Products company purchased the Liberty Valley Creamery Company at Liberty. The Liberty property will be the feeder for the Trout Run Plant.
- 1925, December "A meeting was held at the New Garage of the Dewart Creamery on Monday evening"
- 1923 - Son Robert N. Sheffer joins his fathers work.
- 1926, September - Mr. Sheffer gave a brief address at a the 6th annual farmers booster meeting. In his address he states that the first plant was established 25 years earlier (1901) in a building 25x40 feet. In 1926, a million dollars would be paid to milk patrons. The June payroll was $90,00. In 1925, $20,000 worth of ice was delivered to customers in Milton, Watsontown, Dewart & Montgomery. Milk flour, another product of the plant, was produced to the extent of 25,000 barrels, one New York firm purchasing Sheffers Milk Flour exclusively to produce 40,000 pies every 24 hours. In 1925 the company shipped 85 card loads of milk, containeinr 12,000 barrels, at a cost of $20,000. 200,000 gallons of ice cream were manufactured.
- Milk was purchased by the company from five counties, through numerous receiving stations.
- 1944, June - 65 year old Charles Sheffer trips over a small truck on the second floor of the plant. His leg is broken. His injuries were severe, he was kept hospitalized, and required a blood transfusion. Twenty Seven days later, Sheffer died. His death certificate lists several causes, all resulting from the accident.
- 1946, November - Penn Dairies Inc purchases all properties and buisiness of the Dewart Milk Product Co.
- The Dewart Milk Products Co was located in Dewart, McEwensville, Turbotville, Trout Run & Martinsburg, and is the largest industry of it's kind in the locality.
- It's development was a life time of work by the late Charles F. Sheffer, who died July 1944.
Misc:
- In 1900, Sheffer was 25 years old, and a boarder in the home of 24 year old Daniel Gundrum. Gundrum & Shreffler both were listed as Creamery Proprieters
- The Sheffers lived at 601 North Main Street, Watsontown.
- Chas. Sheffer born 1874 in Cumberland County, son of Amos & Rebecca Sheffer
My grandfather, "Si" Masteller drove truck and then worked for Sheffer, He and my grandmothers always called it Sheffer's Creamery. He continued to work for Penn Dairy and then later my dad worked from them and later PennSupreme in Dewart.
ReplyDeleteI am Mark Caldwell Mathias. Charles Sheffer was my great-grandfather. His daughter Hazel married my grandfather William Caldwell Mathias of Milton, though they divorced in 1948. They had 2 sons, Charles Frederick (b. 1932), my father, and Richard Wayne (b. 1936). Both are now buried in the Milton cemetary. I do remember as a child meeting Uncle Bob Sheffer, Hazel's older brother, who is mentioned in the article as having had a role in the creamery business.
ReplyDeleteI do have some pictures of my father with his grandfather Charles and of the business.
Thank you for the great research you did on the history of the business.