In 1976, the Watsontown National Bank published a booklet with the early history of Watsontown, written by Frederick Knight. I've transcribed it below as written. The photos are the same as shown in the booklet, but in several cases I had colorize copies (postcards) or clearer photos than those printed in the book, and I have substituted those photos in place of the often blurry scans.
Old Home Week
Watsontown PA
The Brick City
August 22-28, 1915
The following pages, written by Major Fred H. Knight for the Old Home Week of Watsontown, which was celebrated between August 11-28 1915 traces the very early history of Watsontown through 1915.
In the Bicentennial year of our Nation's history, THE WATSONTOWN NATIONAL BANK thought it would be of interest to bring you these enjoyable pages of reading of Watsontown's early years.
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Watsontown Historically
BY MAJOR FRED H. KNIGHT
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Watsontown Historically
BY MAJOR FRED H. KNIGHT
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It has been said that history is but a record of human events. So the history of Watsontown is a record of the activities of the men and women who who lived their days of usefulness and died in our midst. The aims and aspirations of the men who owned and developed this ground. who laid it out in lots, who developed our resources, built our industries, constructed our public works and transformed this bit of Pennaytvania from a wilderness into a healthy and prosperous hive of industry, constitute the history of
Watsontown. Surely those of us who have added our mite to the building of this ideal community can, with pardonable pride say: "If you would see our monument, look about you."
Skipping over the story of creation and the red men's bloody deeds perpetrated in our midst, we find that the title to the land where Watsontown is now situated passed out of the Proprietors of Pennsylvania, February 3, 1769, and was on that date by Letters Patent granted to Lieutenants —
Housegger and Hunsicker in payment of military services rendered in the French and Indian War, the former owning south and the latter north of the present line of Front or First Street.
A few years later these lands were purchased John Watson Sr, who in 1796. laid out the road or lane beginning at the river, at the foot of what is now Front or First Street, and extending in an easterly direction on the Housegger and Hunsicker line to where the [In 1976 - Old Academy or Watsontown Home at 113 East First Street] Old Academy or Watsontown Home now stands. This was the first road or street laid out in what afterwards became Watsontown and was for many years known as Main Street until that name was very properly transferred to the long principal street of the present borough and the name Front, and subsequently First Street, was given to this first line of streets.
Immediately following the opening of this road Mr. Watson sold small lots of land fronting on the road to several purchasers, among them being James Watson (not, however, a relative of the proprietor), who erected on the north side of what is now Front Street, near where the residence of F. E. Kirk now stands [1n 1976, The Lawn Of Farmers National Bank], a slab shanty for the sale of whiskey. From this building, and a few others of the like construction, the community was given the name of “Slabtown". In this connection it should be noted that Watsontown early developed a strong antipathy to the liquor traffic, for we find it reported that when John Watson discovered that one of the lots of land which he had sold was to become a place for the sale of intoxicating liquors he became so incensed that he sold no more lots, but continued in possession and ownership of his entire estate, embracing about 1050 acres, until the time of his death, when it was divided among his three sons, David, John and George, who evidently being not quite so conscientious as their father, continued to sell lots whenever a purchaser could be found.
We should not, however, gain the impression that a "rippling house" was the first evidence of society in our midst. Tradition tells us that the first church erected within the confines of what is not Northumberland County was a cure building of logs erected in 1775 on the old burying ground at the southern end of the present Borough, where Watsontown Park is now located. This was known as the Warrior Run Church, was Presbyterian in denomination, and was the parent of the present Warrior Run Presbyterian Church about three miles east of Watsontown.
Having established a place of worship, a place for social intercourse (the rippling house, the next in order was a means of transportation and a means of communication. Transportation was opened by Daniel Caldwell, who established a Ferry across the Susquehanna River in 1830 which has been continuously operated form that time to the present, a period of 115 years, and is now being operated by Daniel L. Bly. A means of communication quickly followed when in 1822, a mail route was established and the mail carried once a week over the Ferry thence on horseback by Samuel McKee, to Sugar Valley and other Western points.
Read More About When Watsontown Had A Ferry Here:
In 1828, the West Branch Canal, which passed through Watsontown, was finished as far North as Muncy Dam and by the early part of 1830 the transportation of grain, lumber and heavy freight, which formerly had been floated down the river in boats or arks, was transferred to the canal, which was then the most modern and expeditious means of transportation.
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| The Canal & Lock Tenders House Near Watsontown |
In 1828, the West Branch Canal, which passed through Watsontown was finished as far North as Muncy Dam, and by the early part of 1830 the transportation of grain, lumber, and heavy freight, which formerly had been floated down the river
This made Watsontown an important point along the main highway of travel and to meet the dignity and requirements of its importance was given a post office the same year.
The community, however, made no marked progress until 1854 when the Sunbury & Erie Railroad was approaching completion. The viral question for Watsontown then arose as to the location of the depot or station. The Officers of the Railroad Company favored locating it at a point below the mouth of Warrior Run, known as Port May, in the vicinity of the Old Lock, and it would doubtless have been placed there had it not been for the enterprise and generosity of John L Watson and E.L. Piper, the son and the
son-in-law of David Watson, who promptly made a free gift to the Railroad Company of land for a depot, also a never failing spring near and much higher than the Railroad tracks for water station, and over $600.00 in cash. These inducements decided the question in favor of the donors and the depot was located near the site of the present Railroad Station on the lands of David Watson.
The next year the Railroad went into operation and the future of the town was secured and industries began to thrive, The firs of these was a lumber mill built by Moses Chamberlain and William H. Pollmer on the Canal at the western end of Fourth Street, which was then entirely out of town. This was the beginning of what was afterwards popularly known as the “BILL MILL”
In 1868 Joseph Hollopeter who afterwards became the most important factor in the development of the community, took an interest in this Mill enterprise and in 1859 Mr. Chamberlain retired from the business. On November 3 1860 it was entirely destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and business continued under the firm name of Follmer, Hollopeter, and Chamberlain. In 1863 Hollopeter retired and in 1865 it was purchased by Robert G Cook, Joseph Hollopeter, Enoch and Enos Everitt, and in 1867 R.G. Cook and Ario Pardee became sole owners, who not only continued to conduct the new saw mill, but established in connection therewith a match stick factor, which employed a large number of men and boys, and no doubt many of the visitors today are short a finger or a piece of finger by reason of having been employed in this industry. In 1820, this Mill fell into the hands of J.H. Wagner and J.L. Highbee, who continued to operate it until lumber became scarce and the West Branch Canal was abandoned. The Mill was dismantled and Elm Street extended in a southerly direction, and today some of the best dwellings of our Borough take the place of the old "Bill Mill" and doubtless many of the Old Timers who are visiting the town this week will have some difficulty at locating the former site of saw dust and match sticks.
No history of this, the fine industry of Watsontown, or no sketch of Watsontown, would be complete without a passing note of the tragedies in the lives of he two men who formed this enterprise. William H. Follmer, at the very zenith of his usefulness, while swimming his horse in the Canal near the old "Bill Mill" slipped from his horse and was drowned. This ended what promised to be a most useful career. Joseph Hollopeter who it will be seen was prominently identified with almost every industry from the time of his coming to Watsontown until the time of his death, passed from us in his old age almost unhonored and unsung, having given his money and his energy to promote this community, and today his remains rest in our Town Cemetery.
The operation of the "Bill Mill" brought new families to the town and in 1857 E. L. Piper who became the owner of the land which subsequently comprised the town (having purchased the same from the estate of his deceased brothers-in-law David and John Watson), laid the land out in lots and offered many inducements to prospective purchasers.
This era was marked by the erection of the Cooner hotel by William Cooner, which from that time to the present has been known by that name and has been continuously and efficiently conducted by him and later by his sons, for a period of fifty seven years, the present proprietor being the genial William S. Cooner.
Read More About The Cooner House Hotel (Today The Watson Inn) Here:
The real dawn of prosperity came to Watsontown upon the erection and completion of what was commonly known as the "Big Bill", erected in 1866 on the land at the lower end of town, now owned by James Dixon and completed in 1867, by Ario Pardee of Hazelton for the purpose of sawing the timber brought from the head waters of White Deer Creek. This was built at a cost of $100,000 and so complete was it that it was able to cut in nine years the timber taken off a tract which it had been estimated would take thirty years to cut.
The building of this Mill marked the beginning of the activity of the Bly boys. These young men, or particularly James and William, had the contract for bringing the logs down from the lumber tract, down the White Deer Creek, thence into the Susquehanna River, and deliver them to the boom directly in front of what was known as the "Old Jack Mill," from whence they were transferred into the basin which covered a large portion of land surrounding the "Big Mill."
Shortly after the completion of this mill [fenced area South Of Watsontown Park], a large planning mill was erected directly south of the "Big Mill" at a point near where the tanks of the Atlantic Refining Company are not located. The upper part of this mill was used for general planing mill work and the lower part, or basement was used for the manufacture of wooden pails. The planing mill work was also the enterprise of Ario Pardee and connected with him in this enterprise were A.T. Goodman, John H. Goodman, and John Bly, trading under the name of the Watsontown Lumber Co. The pails manufacturing part of the enterprise, however, was conducted by Stearns & Hall, who came to Watsontown from New England.
The building of this "Big Mill" was a great boom for Watsontown. Many new families took up their residence here and many new buildings were erected. It was upon this tidal wave of prosperity that your historian, on April 12 1866, cast his lot with Watsontown and started its next industry, a tin shop, in the building now occupied as a residence by Mrs. Scott Levan on Railroad Street.
The business placed of Watsontown at that time consisted of the general store of A.T. Goodman, located at the southeast corner of Main and First Streets where the W. A. Lesser residence now stands, the store of Joseph Hogue, located at First Street where the S.B. & B. Railroad office is now situated, and the store of Enoch and Enos Everist, located in a small building facing the Canal, the second house north of the First or Front Street. These, together with the blacksmith shop of B.F. Grier, located on Second Street, near the present residence of his son, Daniel Grier, and the blacksmith shop of A.B. Porter, located on the north side of the Second Street on the site of the present Cronrath residence, together with the "Bill Mill" and a small Planing Mill and Boat Yard at the food of Second Street, constituted Watsontown's stored and business industries in the latter part of 1866.
Log House on the left first built in Watsontown
House on the right, second house built
The Lutheran Church
At that time there were no buildings north of what is now the T.G. Cladwell residence, at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets, except the residence of William Banghart,, between Ninth and Tenth Streets. From Main St, to the Canal and from Fourth to Tenth St, was one large wheat field and it was no unusual site to see boys picking berries along the fence paralleling Main Street. The lands on the east side of Main Street north of Third Street were all cultivated as farm lands, there being no buildings between Third Street wand what was then the Lippincott residence, later known as the Rank residence, above Tenth Street. Later the land as far north as Eight Street came into the possession of Moses Chamberlain and Ario Pardee and north of Eighth Street came into the possession of S.M. Miller, who plotted it into lots rapidly sold them to the then eager buyers . In fact so rapid was the growth of the town at this time that from a population of 300 in the spring of 1866 is grew to a population of 900 in the spring of 1867, and your historian distinctly remember when, in 1868, there were thirty houses in court of construction at one time.
From this time on Watsontown, for a period of fifteen years, developed so rapidly that the causal observer could a'most see changes over night.
In 1867, Fegly and Dixon built a planing mill between Fourth and Fifth Streets and operated it for a short time. This was of short duration and for a number of years remained idle until it was taken over ty the Watsontown Car Mfg Company and then used by them for a foundry plant.
In the spring of 1866, the religiously disposed people of the town concluded that the holding of church services in the Old Academy building which had been the place for all the religious services for many years prior to that time, was no longer in keeping with the prosperity of the community, and that a church edifice befitting the then industrial center should be erected. This resulted in the Lutheran and Reformed Congregations erecting a Union Church, upon the site of the present Lutheran Church, the cornerstone of which was laid July 15 1866, and the exercises in connection therewith held in the old "Bill Mill" in order to avoid the heat of that burning sun. The two denominations worshipped in the edifice until 1868 when the old building was razed to the ground and the present Lutheran church erected on the old site, at the northwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets, and dedicated March 6 1887. At the same time, the present Trinity Reformed Church was erected at the northeast corner of Sixth and Main streets and dedicated February 20 1887. The erection of the Union Church was followed in quick succession by the building by the Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian congregations, respective, of their houses of worship.
After industrial prosperity and religious fervor always follows civic pride and social activity. Watsontown following along these lines was incorporated into a Borough, November 4 1867, holding it's first municipal election November 16 1867, electing its First Chief Burgess, Joseph Hollopeter and the Members of its first Council, Thomas Carl, F.S. Whitman, C.O. Bachman, John Bly and D.C. Hogue. The geography of the Borough has never been changed and its boundary lines stand today the same as when incorporated.
Following close upon the incorporate of the Borough came the institution on December 16 1867, of a Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, known as the C.O. Bachman Lodge, No 619, subsequently changed to Watsontown Lodge. From that time to the present this organization has ministered to the wants of the orphans, the widows, and the needy, and has brought comfort to many homes.
In August 1867, Joseph Hollopetere not only active in industrial prosperity, but as well in social welfare, with J.M. Follmer, Geo Burns and R. H. McCormick met at the store of Joseph Hogue, located where the SB. & B. Railroad offices are now located, and conceived the idea of instituting a Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons. An application was made to the Grand Lodge for a charter for a local lodge to be called Fort Freeland Lodge, but before the charter was granted the name was changed to Watsontown Lodge No. 401. The Foresman House, now the Mansion House, at the Northwest corner of Second and Main Streets, had just been completed by its owner, John Foresman, and the third story was rented for a Lodge Room, where on the 16th of January 1868 Watsontown Lodge No. 401 F & AM, was instituted by the then Right Worshipful Grand Master Richard Vaux of Phila. This was followed, in June 1874 by the institution of Warrior Run Royal Arch Chapter No, 246 with Robert B Claxton Jr Most Excellent High Priest; Oscar Foust, King; James Taylor, Scribe; F. H. Knight, Secretary, and J.H. Wagner, Treasurer.
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| The Mansion House |
Turning from the activities of the living, the then leaders of the community, found it necessary to prepare & resting place for the dead and on November 5, 1866, the Watsontown Cemetery Association was incorporated. Its first Officers were: President, George Burns; Secretary, A. B Latshaw, Treasurer, Silas Rombach; Directors, Joseph Hollopeter F.S. Whitman, Peter Shaffer and D. S. Kramer. This Association purchased a tract of land of about eight acres lying upon the hill on the north side of First Street, east of the Old Academy (now the Watsontown Home) and started to improve it—the first interment being the body of Mrs. Joseph Everitt. Since that date much improvement and new land has been added to this silent city until it has become a most beautiful spot overlooking the West Branch River wending its waters to the sea, but it is not only beautiful but is peaceful and harmonious as well.
Turning from the dead again to the living, we fire that about this time a new star had come into the industrial firmament of the community. It was on the night of March 6, 1868 that the small planing mill and boat yard at the foot of Second Street, near where Hope House now stands, owned by W.H. Follmer, Joseph BLy, and J.H. Wagner, was destroyed by fire. Immediately following this fire the new firm of Wagner, Starr & company was formed, who rebuilt the old planing mill at the foot of Third Street, where the McClure houses not stand. This enterprise was the first dawn of a new industrial star in the person of J.H. Wagner, who from that time to the present has been prominently identified with almost every movement that went into the upbuilding and prosperity of the community.
This mill, at the foot of Third Street, was successfully operated until the fall of 1875 when it was destroyed by fire. Again a new company was formed, consisting of J.H. Wagner, J.W. Muffly, William Hackenberg and D. Frank Wagner, who built the planing mill east of the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks, between Sixth and Seventh Streets. This partnership, with some slight changed, but always with J.H. Wagner at it's head, conducted this small planing mill until February 16 1899, when it was destroyed by fire. In the meantime the ownership had become vested in J.H. Wagner and his brother D. Frank Wagner. By associating with them some of their trusted employees, the mill was again re-built and operated until October 1 1904, when it was set on fire by a spark from a passing engine on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and was again re-built by the same owners with J.H. Wagner at their head, a larger and better mill than any of those before it, and is today a hive of industry. Few men could have met the discouragement and losses of four fires and four wrecked enterprises with the same fortitude and optimism that has always characterized our townsman J.H. Wagner. Like a Phoenix he has always risen from the ashes to build a better and larger mill than before, and has been an untiring factor in employing labor in this community.
Again we are compelled to draw from the biography of Joseph Hollopeter, who in 1868 with William M. Wagner built the Watsontown Tannery in the northern part of town on the land where the Silk Mill Tannery now stands. So extensive was their business, consisting of the tanning almost 1000 hides per month, that in 1869 the same persons formed a company and built a large frame building near the Tannery for the manufacture of boots and shoes., and installed Col. O.S. Lawrence as its Superintendent. At first he principal output were boots and lumberman's shoes. The business grew and in 1873 the present shoe factory building on Main St was erected. Its ownership passed through various hands until 1898 when H.F. Algert became the sole owner, after which a finer grade of shoes were made and a trade developed that reached into every state in the union. Upon the death of Mr Algert, in 1908, according to the provisions of his will, the ownership and management was largely turned over to several of his trusted employees, who since that time have been successfully conducting it, under the superintendencey of L.L. Lewis and Charles F. Heyl, who have been worthy successors to their benefactor.
With the development of industry and politics came the development of controversy which opened the way for Oscar Foust, the first Attorney at Law to locate in Watsontown, who on October 1 1867 in a small building that stood in the rear of where the Diehl Confectionary Store now stands, near the site of the Moritz Barder Shop, opened the first law office known to the community. The building has since been moved to Railroad Street and is now owned and operated by John Hill. Mr. Foust is not Judge of the Allen and Wootson County Courts in Kansas.
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| Main St & Third |
that it soon absorbed the business of the old Watsontown Record the merged paper was first issued to the public in 1884 under the name of the Record and Star, since which time it has been published and edited by Lew C. Fosnot, and latterly by himself and son J. Clyde Fosnot. Through their tenacity and untiring efforts they have built a publication that has greatly aided in the development of the community, These, together with the Watsontown Blade, published for a short time in 1889, by J. Ward Diehl, the founder of Old Home Week, comprised Watsontown's newspaper enterprises.
Next in line of development came amusement and entertainment. In response to the first of these demands the Minerva Hall was erected in the fall of 1869 at the southeast corner of Main and Second Streets, where the Klapp Drug Store now stands. It was a two story, sixty by ninety feet building, with two store rooms facing on Main Street and two facing on Second Street on the first floor and the entire second story used as an Auditorium equipped with stage, scenery, curtain and gallery, and gave a finished structure that, at that time, was the pride of the community. Who of the Old Timers does not remember the two egg cylinder stoves and the long line of cain seated chairs for reserved seats, and the wooden benches in the rear, the gallery with its gallery gods, the oil footlights with their tin reflectors, and the deep maroon of the curtain with its yellow rope tassels. Here was produced “Ten Nights in a Bar Room" Uncle Tom's Cabin,” “East Lynn,” “The Drummer Boy of Shlloh" and other dramas of a generation or two ago. Here the Beau Brummels of other days escorted their sweethearts for entertainment and here, too, were danced the minuets, the mazurkas, quadrille and numerous other gentle steps that would put the present day "tango" and "hesitation" to shame.
In December 1894, a fire which swept the entire half block from Second Street south to the present residence of Dr. Hummel, leveled the building to the ground.
Following shortly upon the completion of this place of amusement came the organization of the Watsontown Silver Coronation Band, in December 1872, with Dr. J.E. Housel as it's instructor and leader and Fred A. Willart, Samuel A. David, A.H. Cooner, Ambrose Lamm, Clem Bly, J.E. Cooner, S.P. Burns, John Carl, Joe Fisher, John Hample, John Peterman, Oliver Eilert, and Sam Beaver. They had a band of fourteen pieces, uniformed in Cadet grey, that for that date had reached a high degree of efficiency. Many of these men have passed to the Great Beyond, but the Watsontown Band, which its same leader and organizer of forty three years ago is still in existence, now furnishing music to the grand-children of the men who organized it. Only two other bands were ever organized in the Borough. ONe the Citizens Band, which was of short duration, and the other the present Trate's Military Band organized and trained under the leadership of the late C.E.Trate and continued as one of the prize organizations of that town.
Trate's Military Band
Watsontown now began to look toward civic betterment and improving her financial accommodations. Up to about 1872 or 1873 the citizens did their banking business in Milton, the merchants taking turns in carrying the deposits of their fellow merchants to the neighboring Borough, usually walking the return trip rather than wait the entire day for the train.
Prior to this date pedestrians groped their ways in the dark or by moonlight after the hour of setting sun and it was no unusual sight to see men and women wending their way along the streets with hand lanterns. The water supply of the town consisted of a well in each backyard with an old fashioned pump or windlass. The fire apparatus was made up of twelve heavy ladders, twelve fire hooks and poles, a few buckets and plenty of energetic men and boys.
To meet these requirements the Borough had a post erected at each street crossing upon which was mounted a kerosene lamp, all of which were lighted on evenings when the mood didn't shine, but for economy's sake and to give the tired lamplighter a monthly vacation, these lamps remained dark during full moon. This method of lighting was used until the present Borough plant was put in operation in 1898.
Civic improvement followed and in the fall of 1872 the old bucket fire brigade was supplanted by a hand engine and hose carriage, followed by the organization of the Hope Hose Fire Company No. 1. on June 11, 1873, with O.F. Benson as its first foreman and the organization of the Eureka Fire Company with Austin Stull as its first foreman, the first Company taking charge of the hose cart and the second taking charge of the hand engine. The first temporary engine house was the stable of Mrs Elizabeth Follmer on West Third Street. These purchases were subsequently followed by the purchased of the present Silsby Steam Fire Engine, the disbandment of the Eureka Fire Company and the organization of the West Branch Fire Company. This fire fighting machinery and the men behind it performed much valuable service for this and neighboring town and to the Watsontown Fire Department the borough of Milton and the City of Williamsport owe no little debt.
With civic betterment came business efficiency and March 27, 1872, found the Watsontown State Bank chartered, with an original capital of $100,000, subsequently increased to $120,000, with Ario Pardee as President and DeLa Green as Cashier This was the nucleus of the present Watsontown National Bank, into which the State Bank was merged June 17, 1880, changing the capital at that time of $60,000 Their first home was in the Miller Building, now the Municipal Building, from where they subsequently moved to Third and Main Streets, where they are now completing the erection of one of the best appointed banking houses in his section of the State.
This enterprise was shortly followed by competitor known as the private banking house of Piper, Holden, Lentz and Sallada, who opened a banking institution in what was then the old Vincent Building, situate where the Central Restaurant is now located, and was soon abandoned as unprofitable
As the town grew, however, there grew with it a demand for greater banking facilities and in 1886 the Farmers National Bank of Watsontown was organized with a capital of $50,000, and from that time to the present has been doing a successful business, making money for its stockholders and establishing confidence and credit among its depositors, and for this work and reputation credit is due largely to a Watsontown boy, Mr. E.D. Deitrick, its Cashier.
These developments were followed successively by the Watsontown Car Shops , promoted by A. Pardee, Joseph Hollopeter, Levi Lynn, A. T. Goodman, John Goodman and S. M. Miller, comprising a plant covering the ground from Fourth to Seventh Street, between Ash Street and the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Although built in 1873 they were owing to the panicky condition of the country brought about by Jay Cocke's failure, not operated for several years, and later through the efforts of William Field Shay Esq, and A.R. Sechulin, a new Company was formed which began building cars in 1882 under the management of Henry F. Snyder and after his industry until the death of Mr. Pardee in 1892, shortly after which the plant was destroyed by fire.
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| Breon Table Works |
The table industry which has become such an important factor of our community was launched by the father of our industries, Joseph Hollopeter, who associating with him Charles and James McLain, first made tables in the car shops. This subsequently became the Bower and Miller plant which, after numerous vicissitudes, is the present West Branch Table Company, on Main Street, opposite the Pennsylvania Station. From this plant spring the nucleus of the Watsontown Table and Furniture Company, organized in 1893 by G.W. Rombach, T.G. Caldwell, William Follmer, Chalres B. McLain, and others under the efficient management of Howard W. Rombach, pays larger dividends than any industrial enterprise in Central Pennsylvania.
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A better photo of the table company located across from the railroad station
The Watsontown Steam Flour Mills, established in 1868 by John McFarland and John Hunter, the Watsontown Novelty Works, owned and operated by Start, Durham, & Company, is not a part of the West Branch Table Works, the Watsontown Nail Mill, owned and operated in the latter eighties by D.C. Hogue, E.L. Matchin, Luther Morgan, J. H. Wagner and others on the site of the "Big Mill", the Watsontown Water Company, organized with a capitol of $40,000 by Robert Buck, J.H. Wagner, S.B. Morgan, J.F. McClure, and Wm. Field Shay in 1885, furnishes a never failing supply of pure water from the White Deer Creek with a pressure of seventy-two pounds; all have added to the growth and prosperity and health of the community
To this should be added the Wilkes-Barre and Western Railroad, wrenched from the hands of our neighboring towns by the inability of Milton to raise $14,000 to make Milton its terminus. This first opened for travel in 1886 brought McEwensville, Turbotville, Millville, Berwick, and intervening eastern points to our doors to trade. And soon, through the untiring efforts
of Ex-Burgess Wm. C. Brimmer and his loyal supporter, a bridge will span the Susquehanna and open up new fields in the West; and after 83 years of effort Watsontown will at least have a river bridge. For be it remember that a charter was granted for the purpose of building a bridge at this point in 1832, another in 1854, and one refused by Gov. Geary in 1867 for the reason that two charters had already been granted and no bridge built. Surely it had been a long road to a Watsontown Bridge.
From a single Lodge of Odd Fellows, the fraternal spirit as spread so that today the town has representative bodies of almost every phases of fraternal life, including the G.A.R. and Sons Of Veterans.
From a single school building, known as the Old Academy, brought into the Borough from the Township upon the organization of the Borough education spread to the northern end of town and demanded what was for years the Oley School Building, situate on the west side of Ash Street, a short distance south of Eigth Street. This was followed successively by school being held on the first floor of the Baptist Church, and the second floor of the Methodist Church and in the old Lyceum Hall at the western end of Second Street. This was followed by the erection , in 1882, at a cost of $12,000, of the present building at the corner of Eighth and Elm Streets. The erection of this building, the grading of our schools and the adoption of a course which led to graduation was largely the work of the then efficient superintendent George W. Twitmyer, who graduated the first class ever graduated from a Watsontown School, in 1884, consisting of Joseph D. Lowry, Thomas K. Smith, Ida Caldwell, all living and all among you today.
From a single employee, viz. J.P. Starr, to handle all of the freight and passenger business of the Railroad Company in 1866, and from a passenger accommodation of two trains daily, Watsontown today has sixteen passenger trains daily and employs twelve men at the passenger and freight station.
School At The Corner of 8th and Elm
[Note - I have a clearer more readable copy of this in my files somewhere, but was unable to locate it quickly. When I find it, I will replace the copy shown above. The date may be 1893, not 92]
Class of 1892 of Watsontown High School
Fred Hartranft, who now resides in Fulerton Calif, was high school principal at the time of the class of 1892 was graduated. Mrs. E.D. Dietrick of Watsontown was assitant principal. Those pictured in the class were Besse Dunkel (Fleming) seated at left, Fred Hartranft in center, Nellie Leiser at right. Standing left to right, Anne [unreadable] Winifred Schooley, Capitols Heiney (Dietrick) Irene Morgan (Rombach) and Carrie McKee. Miss McKee who died recently left a liberal bequest to the First Presbyterian Church Of Watsontown.
Now, after fifty years of activity, Watsontown finds itself in the midst of acres of diamonds in the form of inexhaustible shale beds, which have already developed four brick plants with a total capacity of over three hundred thousand brick per day, with the promise of other plants yet to follow.
Watsontown, however, has not only developed within, but has left its imprint on the world without. In the past third of a century, she has produced twelve lawyers, three of whom are judges and many others have held positions of responsibility, honor, and trust; seven ministers of the Gospel, two bankers, five doctors of medicine and five doctors of dentistry. One of the educators of note in the great state of California is a Watsontown boy; a Professor of Psychology in the University of Pennsylvania and known the country over as an authority on the development of delinquent children is a Watsontown boy; the head of the largest underwriting insurance agency in Philadelphia is a Watsontown boy. Her captains of industry are active in almost every state in the Union. Among Philadelphia's leading lumbermen are Watsontown boys, pupils of the Wagner Mill. The largest match stick factory in the country is under the foremanship of a Watsontown boy, the product of the old Bill Mill. A most important factor in the lumber trade if not the controlling factor in the shingle trade of Michigan is a Watsontown boy, and two of the largest commercial organizations in this section of the state are headed by Watsontown boys. Even the present day automobile owes much to Watsontown. The first steering knuckle, (now commonly used on automobiles) placed on a front axle for commercial use was made and marketed by the Herd Wagon Company of Watsontown about 1875, and the first commercial test ever made of of electric lighting by the storage battery system was tried out for store and house lighting in Watsontown.
When I compare the town of today as I knew it a half century ago, with her paved streets, cozy homes, attractive store, banks, comfortable churches and efficient schools of today, I feel that the men of my generation have beuilt wiser than we knew. But when I look around me and see here young men of greater education and financial opportunities than we, living in a time of far greater opportunity, I feel that this Old Home Week should be the beginning of a greater and better Watsontown than ever before.
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This ends the history by Fred Knight.
The next section of the booklet includes various photos
For many of these, I have clearer scans or versions that I could not quickly locate at this time. I'll replace them as I come across them.
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Old Mandolin Club at Watsontown
This picture of the old Mandolin club in Watsontown was taken on April 26 1896 when at an Odd Fellows Anniversary Day was celebrate in Watsontown. All the members of the club are deceased, but Edward Kelmble, who lived on East first street in Watsontown. The two seated in the front are DeLa Rombach and William Kramer. Those in the second row, left to right, Frank Krum, Seth Michener, and Howard W. Rombach. In the top row are Oliver Sanders, Edward Kemble, and Frank B. Fisher.(From an early newspaper)
Watsontown Park Promoters
They Wanted A Park To Park In Watsontown Back in 1906
The three gay blades and ten demure and proper maidens shown in this picture banded themselves together back in 1906 and called themselves the Watsontown Park Promoters. They were the original promoters of the park project in Watsontown, and the picture was taken on the grounds they wished to have developed as a pleasant place for ball game and Sunday afternoon strolls. These grounds are now known as the Watsontown Community Park.
Left to right in the front row are: Nellis Saxton Bly, Vera M. Baker, Anna Shook Wenner, Bruns Spole Wieden, and Mildred Brimmer Bennet.
In the Second Row are Seymour Wolfe, or at least a small portion therefor at the extreme left of the picture; Ethel Shannon McWilliams, Alma Wolfe, Raymond Boughter, Helen Gold McDermott, Sarah Dietrick, Alette Brimmer Sterner and Fred Sprote.
Joe Burkhart
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Frederick H. Knight
From the Watsontown Record & Star
Silver Anniversary Edition
See the Paper Here:
"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.
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