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The Danville Bridge | |
Riverfront Park (& The Fountain) |
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The Post Office |
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.jpg) Danville's City Hotel |
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The Geisinger Portraits |
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John Cain, his wife, and and child, walked from Reading to Philadelphia in search of two children taken by the Childrens Aid Society from the Danville and Mahoning Poor district. |
When Garet Garret Came To Danville To Research His Historical Fiction Novel | |
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 |  Photos From The National Register of Historic Places Application |  |
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When A Tightrope Walker Came To Danville & The Crowd Broke The Canal Bridge |
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|  YA Historical Fiction Chronicles Of Danville |
- Flood Study
- Jubilee memorial volume of the Danville Conference of the Evangelical Lutheran Ministerium of Pennsylvania and Adjacent States / 1898 edited by S.E. Ochsenford and O.E. Pflueger
- Official Reports Of The Trustees & Officers Of Danville State Hospital
- The George F. Geisinger memorial hospital, Danville, Pennsylvania : The Scranton-Lackawanna trust company, Scranton, Pennsylvania, trustee. Issued on the occasion of the dedication of the new surgical and service pavilion, January 12, 1928
Fifty Years Ago
The recollections of Mr. John Frazer, now of Cincinnati, are so interesting and so admirably detailed, that I copy them entire, exactly as written by himself, as I also copy many other sketches in relation to the olden time. In kindly replying to my request for sketches on various points, historical and biographical, he has given them, not only more correctly, but in better style than my own, that I felt bound, in justice to the reader, to insert them without the change of a syllable.
This is my own, my native land.”
It is half a century this day since the writer bade a final adieu to Danville as a place of residence. He was then a youth, and regretfully parted from kindred and friends, to whom he was attached by the closest ties of consanguinity and friendship. His reminiscences of that period are very distinct; he proposes giving you a brief summary of them.
The population of the village was then seven hundred and forty; the buildings numbered eighty; most of these were dwelling houses on Water, Market, and Mill streets. They were bounded by the river, Church street, Sechler’s run, and Factory street; these limits were very much less than the present area of the borough. They were chiefly frames, but many of the primitive log buildings yet remained. The brick buildings were the court-house, Goodman’s tavern, Dr. Petrikin’s and Mr. Frick’s residences, and Mr. Baldy’s store. Subsequently many brick structures were erected, all, or nearly all of which remain.
The pursuits of the citizens were confined to the ordinary mechanical trades, the professions, and for so small a population, a large amount of merchandising. There was scarcely a germ of the manufacturing interest which has grown to be of such vast importance since that day. About r8’7, on Market street, near Pine, William Mann manufactured nails in a primitive way, by hand. The bars or hoops of nail iron were cut by a machine worked by a treadle with the foot, and by a second operation, the heads of the nails were formed by a blow or two with a hammer; by unremitting industry, I suppose a workman could only produce as many nails in a month, as one can now, by the aid of machinery, in a single day. And this simple, modest manufacture was the precursor of the immense iron manufactures of the present time, which has earned for the place a high reputation excelled by few in that industrial pursuit, and it has been the cause of the rapid increase of the population of the place, so that it now more than equals all the residue of the county.
The nucleus of the settlement, around which the accretion of population was subsequently gathered, was American, originating during the last two decades of the last century, by emigration from south-eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Sunbury, and Northumberland. To these were added, from time to time, European emigrants-chiefly Germans, British, Irish, and Swiss, a few French and Dutch, possibly some Danes and Swedes. Of British emigrants up to that date, I do not recollect a single Welshman, although they soon after became a most important element of population employed in the iron manufacture. These apparently discordant elements soon yielded to the potent attraction of association, so that early in the present century, the homogenity of the young and vigorous community was assured. Seldom did any people enjoy a more happy harmony. This uniformity extended both to religion and politics. They derived their revealed theology from the Bible, as expounded by the followers of Calvin and Knox; their moral theology from the Presbyterian pulpit, the Westminster catechism, and, to no inconsiderable extent, from Milton’s Paradise Lost, which was received as a commentary by some, as a supplement by others. With what awe they read,
Of Providence, foreknowledge, will, and fate; Fixed fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute.”
Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress was also a work of great authority. The libraries were very limited; neither Aristotle, nor Pliny, nor Buffon were in demand; but AEsop’s Fables, Weem’s Life of Washingon, Cook’s Voyages, and Riley’s Narrative were among the most popular books for miscellaneous reading. Shakespeare’s Plays were placed on the index purgatorius by some, and few advocated their general use. The venerable Doctor Nott, who was president of Union College for the unprecedented term of sixty-two years, used to say to the students: “If If you want to get a knowledge of the world and human nature, read the Bible; but if you will read any other books, read Homer and Shakespeare. They come nearer Moses and Paul than any others I am acquainted with.” Fox’s Book of Martyrs was esteemed a much more suitable book for youthful readers than the great English bard; they were also allowed that most captivating of boys’ books, Robinson Crusoe.
All were not Calvinists; yet, under the wise and judicious pastorate of that good and faithful shepherd Reverend John B. Patterson-ever honored for his blameless life and unostentatious piety-they were kept within one fold and one baptism until the close of his long ministry. He was occasionally aided by pastors from neighboring towns. I can now recall the names of Reverend Messrs. Dunham, William Smith, Nicholas Patterson, Isaac Grier, John Bryson, and Hood.
The Reverend William B. Montgomery and his wife, nee Jane Robinson, of the Presbyterian church, the devoted missionaries to the Osage Indians, had recently departed for Union Station, the scene of their labors, which then seemed to us tenfold more remote than Japan does now, and took a longer time in journeying thither. For more than thirty years they labored there, under great privations, until they both fell victims to epidemic cholera.
For a number of years, the followers of Wesley increased in number, and through the zeal and labors of William Woods, William Hartman, William Whitaker, of the village; Judge Jacob Gearhart, of Rush township, and others, a church was established about 1815. It was supplied by itinerant preachers. Of these, I can now only recall the name of Reverend George Dawson. There was a local preacher, Simons by name, who occasionally exhorted and preached at his own house, on Market near Church street. I well remember the appearance of these devoted . itinerant preachers in their journeys around the circuit, with their jaded horses, their portmanteau and umbrella tied on behind their saddle, and hat covered with oil cloth to protect it from the storms, and their extremely plain garb, such as I saw Lorenzo Dow wear at a subsequent date.
The Catholics, now so numerous, were scarcely known as sectaries, Michael Rafferty and Francis Trainor being the only two I can recollect. The Reverend Mr. Kay, a Socinian or Unitarian, preached at times, but without making proselytes. The Reverend Mr. Shepherd, a Baptist of the Campbellite portion of that sect, preached occasionally. He was an eloquent and popular divine. There were a number of Lutherans, to whom Reverend Mr. Kesler, from the vicinity of Bloomsburg, preached at long intervals. The Episcopalians were not numerous, and it was suggested that they and the Lutherans unite and form a union church; but this was impracticable, and the former erected, own, and occupy the church edifice on Market street, on ground included in what, at an early day, was called Rudy’s woods. These sectaries were all destitute of church buildings, except the Grove church. This was the spacious log church, built more than forty years before the time of which I write, in the form of a T, and was amply large for the congregation.
Besides the sects named I can recall none others of that date.
The old log church had recently been demolished and F. Birkenbine was building a brick church edifice under a contract with James Donaldson, Robert Curry, Robert C. Grier, Herman Sechler, and John C. Boyd, the trustees, for the consideration of $1,775.
The social relations of the community were eminently pacific and cordial, doubtless promoted by the matrimonial unions between members of the several very large families of some of the early emigrants. The Montgomerys, of whom there were two brothers, Daniel Montgomery the elder; and his brother; General William Montgomery, whose sons were General Daniel, Colonel John, and Alexander. The son of the senior Daniel Montgomery was Judge William Montgomery. The Woodside family was a large one, consisting of Thomas, Archibald, John, James, Daniel, William and Robert. Of the Moores; Asa, John, Abner, Burrows, Samuel, Charles, Andrew Y., Edward S., and several daughters. Of the Mauses; George, Elizabeth, Philip, Susan, Samuel, Lewis, Charles, Joseph, and Jacob W. Of the Sechlers, I recollect Rudolph, George, John, Jacob, Samuel, and Harmon. At a later date came Mrs. Cornelison and her children, Joseph, Wiliiam, Jacob, Isaac, Cornelius, James, Ann, and Mercy. Of the Whitakers, John, Thomas, William H., Irwin, Jane, Elizabeth, Polly, Nancy, Fanny, and Juliana; William Wilson, the long time justice of the peace, with a large family of eleven children and their descendants, now numbering about one hundred. There were also the Clarks, Gear-harts, Gaskinses, Blues, Rishels, Phillipses, Diehls, Sanderses, Fousts, Frazers, Donaldsons, Willitses, and Brewers.
Many of the pioneer customs still prevailed. Manufactures of the most pressing necessity were found in almost every household. The spinning-wheel for tow and flax; the big wheel, as it was called, for woolen yarn. These were woven in the place, and made into clothing at home, and most of the villagers and their children were clad in these domestic suits. The tailor and shoemaker itinerated here and in the vicinity and were almost constantly employed. A dwelling without a detached bake-oven would have been deemed incomplete; there were no bakers by profession, and of necessity each housewife was her own baker. The Franklin stove and the six-plate stove were still in use; the ten-plate stoves had recently been introduced and were a great improvement on the former, as much so as the Palace Cook and Heater are upon the latter. Our stoves were then manufactured by Mr. Hauck, and bore the legend, “JOHN HAUCK, Catawissa Furnace;” and it was one of the mysteries that troubled the brains of the boys, how it ever got there in iron letters, as much as did the effect of the music of Orpheus, which “drew iron tears down Pluto’s cheek.”
By industry and frugality the people lived in comparative comfort, paid their preacher and school-master promptly, and their printer as soon as convenient, thereby preserving a good conscience and securing peace of mind.
The school-master was abroad. Thomas Grier taught a classical school and prepared boys for college. Stephen Halff also taught a private school, and Reverend Mr. Painter was principal of the Danville Academy, then a new institution. The predecessors of these were Master Gibson who taught in the old log school-house near the first edifice of the Grove church; Messrs. Andrew Forsythe, John Moore, Thomas W. Bell, Don Carlos Barret, an eminent teacher, John Richards, Samuel Kirkham, the distinguished grammarian, and Ellis Hughes, a most competent and successful educator, favorably remembered by many of his pupils still living. In all these schools the girls and boys recited in the same room, which I. then thought contributed much to the decorum and good order of the schools, and think so still.
The houses were then chiefly on Water, Mill, and Market streets, and with scarcely an exception had gardens attached to them, with a portion of each allotted to flowers. The damascene rose, guelder rose, flowering almond, peony, narcissus, lilac, lily, pink, and other familiar floral productions were wont to ornament it and make it “unprofitably gay.” The boys, after school hours, often reluctantly, tried their ‘prentice hands at horticulture, and the most onerous part of their labor was the removal of the water-worn stone, rounded by attrition in by-gone antediluvian ages, in fluviatile or oceanic currents. They abounded on Market street lots and other elevated portions of the village. Doubtless by this time a succession of youthful gardeners have removed them all and made horticultural pursuits less laborious.
Amongst other amusements the boys enjoyed skating, sledding, sleighing, nutting, trapping, fishing, playing ball, bathing in the river and in the Mahoning; in the latter, west of Factory street, hard by a buttonwood or sycamore, was a famous bathing-place. Flying kite and playing marbles in the spring were not forgotten. All these afforded them the needed recreation from study and labor.
But I must not omit the muster days of the military. The old Rifle Blues was one of the oldest, if. not the oldest, volunteer military organization of the county. The Light Dragoons, Captain Clarke, were the admiration of all the boys of the place and their parades were gala days. The Columbia Guards was a fine company of infantry, numbering over sixty, commanded by Captain James Carson. The train band, Captain Yorks, was also one of the institutions of that day. The regimental musters were generally held at Washingtonville, and drew together crowds of spectators to witness their grand maneuvers, discuss politics and tavern dinners.
The Watchman was then the only newspaper. George Sweeny, the veteran editor, was its proprietor. He had published the Columbian Gazette in r8 r3; which was succeeded by the Express, by Jonathan Lodge in 1815, and afterwards by Lodge & Caruthers. The Watchman was established in r8ao. It was published on Market street, east of Ferry, and had a sign in front of the office upon which was painted the head of Franklin with the legend from Milton, “Where liberty dwells, there is my country.” There were then few painted signs in the place, and this one was very conspicuous. Although the Watchman was not half the size of the American it was esteemed a grand journal and had great influence in the politics of the county. It was made up chiefly by copy from other papers and seldom contained editorial articles. Readers were not so exacting then as in these latter days.
The politics of the village like those of the county were largely Democratic. What Democratic principles were I had no very definite idea, but had a vague impression that they were just the reverse of Federal principles, and I suppose that this negative definition quadrated with the ideas of the dominant party. State politics absorbed the attention of politicians and banished from their minds national politics to an extent that must have gladdened the hearts of those stolid politicians, the States’ rights men. I remember how a villager pertinaciously urged the nomination of General Jackson for Governor, and he honestly believed that the gubernatorial honor was the highest that could be conferred upon the old hero.
The members of the bar were few in number. Ebenezer Green ough had recently removed to Sunbury. Judge Grier, from his profound legal attainments and fine scholarship, stood at the head of his profession. Alem Marr, the pioneer lawyer, was a good classical scholar and a graduate of Princeton. He represented the district in Congress in 1829. LeGrand Bancroft was district attorney. The other members were George A. Frick, William G. Hurley, John Cooper, James Carson, and Robert McP. McDowell. A short time subsequently John G. Montgomery, Paul Leidy and Joshua W. Comly were added to the number. All of them are deceased, except the latter.
The medical men were not numerous. The first in the place was Doctor Forrest, the grandfather” of Mrs. Valentine Best. His successor, Doctor Barrett; his, Doctors Petrikin and Daniels. At the period of which I write there were also Doctors McDowell and Magill. The latter was then a young practitioner in the beginning of his long and successful career, and now remains, beyond the age of four-score years, the honored head of the profession which has increased fourfold since he became a member of it. And now Danville began to rear medical men of her own. Herman Gearhart and Alexander C. Donaldson were initiated into the profession, under the tuition of Doctor Petrikin. At the same time Samuel Montgomery and Matthew Patterson were divinity students. John Martin was a law student in Mr. Marr’s office, and subsequently practiced in Clearfield county.
General Daniel Montgomery was the fast merchant, but, having acquired a fortune, was now residing on his fine farm a mile or two above town. His cousin, Judge William Montgomery, an old citizen, was now the oldest merchant, with his store corner of Mill and Market streets and his residence on the opposite corner. He bore his full share in the burden of improving and bettering the condition of his fellow-men; was one of the pillars of the church and founder of the first Sunday school; when many others, if not opposed to it, aided it only in a prefunctory way, and he lived to see it permanently established. Peter Baldy, though still a young merchant, was engaged in an extensive business and dealt largely in grain. He commenced in the old log building which had been occupied by King & Hamilton; from thence, he removed to his well-known store on Mill street where he continued his business for half a century, when he retired having accumulated a fortune. The other merchants were John Moore, John Russell, and William Colt, all old and esteemed citizens; and William Bickley, Boyd & Montgomery, John C. & Michael C. Grier, and Michael Ephlin who had more recently engaged in business. Mr. Loughead had retired from business to devote his time to the post-office, and Jeremiah Evans had recently moved to Mercersburg.
The old Cross-Keys tavern, kept by Mrs. Jemima Donaldson was the best in the county and it is doubtful whether it has been surpassed to this day. The Union hotel, the first three-story brick building and the best one in the place was built and kept by Philip Goodman. John Irwin kept a tavern, corner of Market and Ferry streets. And the most ancient hostelry of them all, the Rising Sun, the old red house at the foot of Mill street with the walnut tree at the door, and its crowd of the devotees of Bacchus who made it resound with
Tipsy dance and jollity.”
The Ferry tavern, by George Barnhart where I often hurried by, fearing the sound of the fiddle, judging that old Satan could not be far distant from the violin, thus condemning that first of musical instruments, from its association with much that is vile. Then there was the Jackson tavern, Mill street near Mahoning, by William Clark, a soldier of the revolution, with the likeness of General Jackson painted on its sign, thus superseding that of Washington, as the latter in its day had replaced that of George III: tern/oni parendum. The taverns then had a monopoly of retailing intoxicating liquors dealing them out by the gill; and rye whisky was the chief liquor used, and doubtless was less hurtful than the villainous compound now sold under that name. Some who then indulged in “potations pottle. deep” nevertheless attained a great age; when one of them was warned against indulging too freely in it, as it was a slow poison, replied that he was aware of that for he had been using it sixty years and it must be very slow. The coffee-houses, now destitute of coffee, the saloons, groceries and other refined modern drinking places were then unknown.
In addition to these taverns, Mrs. Spence kept a boarding-house, and had for her guests some of the most respectable people of the place.
Amongst the active and industrious citizens were the blacksmiths. John Lunger was one of the earliest, and had a shop on Ferry street. John Deen’s smithy was on Market near Ferry street, where by many and well-directed blows he hammered out a fortune. Joseph Cornelison’s was on Mahoning near Mill street.
George McCulley was one of the pioneer carpenters and removed to Ohio, near Wooster where some of his descendants still reside. Daniel Cameron, a worthy Scot and the great pedestrian who walked from Harrisburg to Danville in a day without deeming it any great exploit was a skilful carpenter and builder. Adam Schuyler and George Lou were also engaged in that business.
The chairmakers were William Hartman who was also a wheelwright, and the brothers Kirk. William Mann was also engaged in that calling for a year or two.
Shoemakers-William Woods, Gideon Mellon, Henry Sanders, Thomas Wiley.
Tailors-William M. Wiley, who removed to Harrisburg, William Whitaker, Amos E. Kitchen. William Ingold was a vagrant workman who plied his needle at the houses of his employers, and was noted for his quips and quirks and idle pranks whereby he amused and often astonished the boys of the village.
Honest John Reynolds, from Reading, was the veteran hatter, who for long years supplied men and boys with hats. Martin McCollister was a more recent and very skilfull workman.
Thomas Blackwell carried on the fulling-mill and saw-mill near what is now the junction of Mill and Bloom streets.
The first brewer was Richard Matchin. The citizens of that day were not, as we now phrase it, educated up to a due appreciation of that beverage, consequently it proved less profitable than brewing lager, weiss, and buck beer at the present time.
George Wilson was the first cabinet-maker, and some of his substantial old-style furniture has survived to the present days. Burrows Moore was long engaged in the same business.
The Scotch weavers had been famous in the early days of the settlement. Of those who were engaged in the business fifty years since I can now only recall the names of Christopher Smith and Peter Goodman. The latter was a most respectable and industrious German from the Fatherland.
Coppersmiths and tinners-Alexander Wilson, James Wilson, John C. Theil.
Watchmaker and jeweler, Samuel Maus.
There were several saddlers-Alexander Best, Hugh Flack, Daniel Hoffman, and possibly others.
Rifles were in demand, and had always been much used by the pioneers. ‘These were supplied by Samuel Baum and George Miller; the son of the latter succeeded him and still continues the business.
Of public functionaries, we had but few, and their removals were few and far between. In the language of an eminent statesman it might then have been truly said: “Few die and none resign.” Judge Seth Chapman was long the presiding judge of our courts. He was a man of moderate legal attainments, yet he made a good presiding officer. He was assisted by his associates, Judges Montgomery and Rupert. George A. Frick was prothonotary, having been appointed to that office by Governor Snyder in 1813.
William Wilson, Rudolph Sechler and Joseph Prutzman were the justices of the peace ; Andrew McReynolds, sheriff; Daniel Cameron, constable. Mr. Sechler was also register and recorder. James Loughead, a dignified yet popular gentleman of English origin, was postmaster, and held the office for the long term of fourteen years, twice as long as any other, with one exception. The office was first established in i 8o6, Judge Montgomery being the first one appointed, and held his commission from President Jefferson, and filled the office for seven years. This just and pious man discharged this trust, as he did all others, to the entire satisfaction of the Government and the community. He was succeeded by that other faithful public servant, Rudolph Sechler, who held it for a like term of seven years, until Mr. Loughead’s appointment. I never knew a more honest man than Mr. Sechler. With him it was innate. He could not be otherwise than honest. His countenance, his actions, his words, in short, everything about him proclaimed his sterling integrity; and what gave a charm to it he was quite unconscious of his being more honest than other men. Of his large number of connections I.never knew one whose integrity was called in question. It is highly gratifying to know that in the seventy years the office has been in existence, there has never been a defaulter to the National Government, and that all of the thirteen incumbents of the office have diligently and faithfully discharged the trust reposed in them. Had the same care and discrimination been exercised in making appointments elsewhere the nation would not have been disgraced by the peculations and plunderings of the people’s money by unfaithful officers.
One of the eccentric characters of the vicinity was Mr. Finney, who died ten or twelve years subsequently to the period of which I write, almost a centennarian. He was a man of gallantry, a kind of Beau Nash of more than eighty, with a peculiar child-like tenor voice, who delighted to play the gallant with the young ladies of the village, and drive them around the place and vicinity in his old style chaise. Robin Finney, as he was always called, from his great age and attention to the fair sex was a great favorite with them, and was well-known to the people of that day. His chaise and one owned by General D. Montgomery and one by Judge Montgomery, were the only pleasure carriages of that kind in the county. The old time carriage of Philip Maus which attracted the attention and excited the wonder of the village urchins and the more modern .carriage of General Montgomery were the only pleasure carriages of that style. Traveling on horseback was then the proper thing for both sexes, old and young, gentle and simple, and its general disuse is to be regretted. But it was too slow a mode of locomotion for this fast age.
Abe Brown was an African, or an American of African descent, and the only one in the place. He had been a mariner, and after he came here was a servant to Mr. Loughead. He emigrated to Mahoning county, Ohio, where by industry and frugality he acquired a competency and enjoys the respect of the community where he resides. Jack Harris was an octoroon, a fine looking lad, and so nearly white that he might pass for an Anglo-American. Though not darker than a brunette, the rude boys persisted in calling him Black Jack. These boys attended the schools, and were treated with more justice and consideration than fell to the lot of their race after the dictum that black men had no rights which the whites were bound to respect.
The members of Congress resident in Danville were as follows: General Daniel Montgomery, in i8ro. This eminent citizen was one of the leading pioneers, and enjoyed the confidence and respect of the people. He was the Nestor of the community and resided in dignified retirement on his fine farm a mile or two up the river. Mr. Alem Marr who had from the organization of Columbia county been one of the leading lawyers, represented the district in 1830. Doctor Petrikin, a man of great energy, with strong attachments and equally strong resentments, was a member from r837 to 1843. Although no great orator, he was a man of influence in the House. I met him at Washington during the exciting times in which he served and was impressed with his power as a politician. Mr. John G. Montgomery, an able lawyer and member elect to the Thirty-fifth Congress died in 1857 before the time arrived to take his seat. Mr. Leidy, his successor, served in 1858-9. Doctor Strawbridge was the last resident who represented the district in Congress.
The great flood of 1817, usually called the August flood, surrounded the place so that, for the time, it became insular. The only approach was by boats, I saw the bridge over the brook on the road, then an extension of Church street, float away with a man on it who secured it before it reached the river.
The inhabitants were supplied with flour from the mills of John and Alexander Montgomery and Joseph Maus all propelled by the water of the Mahoning. Farmers in the vicinity took their grain in sacks to the mills; the miller ground it for a toll of one tenth. Except for the Baltimore, Philadelphia, or Reading markets, it was seldom put up in barrels. Steam power had not been introduced in the place or neighborhood, except at Boyd’s mill which was then a new one on the left bank of the river above town.
Whiskey was the Archimedean lever that moved the world. Contracts could not be made or performed without its potent aid. The merchant kept it on his counter, for his customers would not purchase goods without it. It was indispensable at musters and elections. The farmer’s fields could not be cultivated without its use as a motor. Mr. Robinson, in the vicinity, offered the laborers who were employed in his harvest fields extra pay if they would dispense with it, but they refused. The temperance cause was advocated by its friends, but its opponents, numerous, defiant, and violent, determined that their liberties should not be subverted by a few fanatics who were worse than the Federals.
The Mormon delusion was in its incipiency. Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Pearly B. Pratt were its chief apostles. Through their zeal it was introduced in Palmyra, Kirtland, Jackson county, Missouri, Nauvoo, and, finally, at Salt Lake City, at which latter place its most revolting feature of polygamy was introduced. The present revelator and prophet boasts that he has more control over his people than Moses had over the Israelites, yet he claims more credit for having produced ninety-three bushels of wheat from one acre than for any other of his deeds.
Slavery was acquiesced in under its constitutional guaranty. It was to be let alone, but no more slavery. Slaves were to be given up, but the area of slavery was not to be extended.
The first half century of our Independence was at its close. On the 4th of July, its two powerful advocates, Adams and Jefferson closed their long and eventful lives just fifty years after they had signed our great Charter of Liberty.
At that time, John Quincy Adams was President and J. Andrew Shulze, Governor. Stealing the public moneys was not then disguised under the mild terms of defaults and discrepancies.
The half century just closed has been an eventful, almost a marvelous one. In 1826, we had no railways, telegraphs, type-writers, gas, petroleum, no canals, iron furnaces, forges, rolling-mills; no bridge over the river, no fire engines of any kind, nor many other indispensable improvements, deprived of which we would speedily retrogade to what we were at that period. The population has increased more than tenfold, and Danville has kept pace with the rest of the world, and shown an energy and perseverance worthy of her, notwithstanding the many depressions and conflicts incident to her position as a great manufacturing center. Her numerous sons, dispersed throughout the great West, and in other portions of our vast Republic, now in exile from her borders, look with pride upon her onward course in material prosperity, and her commendable progress in religion, morals, and science, the social virtues and the amenities of life, which they trust may continue, and enable her, for all future time, to maintain her elevated position in the good old Commonwealth.
SOURCE: Page(s) 30-44; Danville, Montour County Pennsylvania; D.H.B. Brower, Harrisburg; 1881
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