Potts Grove, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Potts Grove, Northumberland County Pennsylvania
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There are two Pottsgrove's in Pennsylvania - on in Montgomery County, and one in Northumberland County.  It can be confusing, when looking at old photos.  

Wikipedia appears to differentiate the two by adding a space to the Northumberland County town - "Potts Grove is an unincorporated community in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.  The community is located along Pennsylvania Route 642 3.3 miles (5.3 km) east-southeast of Milton. Potts Grove has a post office with ZIP code 17865, which opened on January 18, 1830"  

But notice that on the postcards,  "our" Pottsgrove is often one word.  It was also only one word, without a space, in our local newspapers.

Lutheran Parsonage, Potts Grove PA

Ox Roast Parade, Pottsgrove Pa Nov 22 1912

Reading R.R. Bridge, Pottsgrove Pa

The Sam Wagner Covered Bridge

The Pottsgrove School

Zechman's Flour Mill

The Railroad Station at Pottsgrove

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From Bell's History Of Northumberland County:

POTTSGROVE.
This village is situated four miles southeast of Milton, where the road leading from Milton to Danville is crossed by that leading from Northumberland to Washingtonville. It is also located near the Catawissa branch of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad. 

 Two churches, a public school building, several stores, the shops of several mechanics, and a population of about a hundred people constitute the town at present. 

 The land on which it stands was first owned by William Reed, who came to this section during the Revolutionary war and erected the first house in this locality, about a quarter of a mile south of Pottsgrove on the Northumberland and Washingtonville road. He was the first justice of the peace in this part of the county, having been commissioned by Governor Mifflin.

The first house in the village was erected by James Reed, a son of William Reed, in l784, with Alexander Reed as carpenter. In this house James Reed established the first hotel in 18l8, known as "Travelers' Inn." Here the first post office was also established, in 1821, with James Reed as first postmaster. The old hotel building is still standing, and is at present occupied by William Reed, a son of James Reed, who is the oldest resident of this part of the county.  

The first industry was a tannery, built near the present limit of the village by a Mr. Shoemaker, who immigrated from Berks county in1810. This tannery was in operation till some five years ago, when it was destroyed by fire. In 1820 the first blacksmith shop was opened by David Perry, who was for many years the "village blacksmith" of Pottsgrove. The first weaver was Hans Potts, from whom the place derives its name. The first store was established in 1832 by the firm of Sproll & Park, who did business five years. when they dissolved partnership and James Reed started a store in connection with his hotel and post office. After his death the business of storekeeping was not conducted for some years. In 1881 L. J. Beaver built the present store room on the southwest corner of the crossroads, and established therein a general mercantile trade. In 1880 B. M. Beaver established a coal and grain market in connection with a steam grist mill, which business he conducted for some time. His successor was a Mr. Blue, who did a successful business until May, 1890, when the establishment burned and operations ceased. 

Pottsgrove Lodge, No. 623, I.O.O.F., was chartered on the 21st of March, 1890

The Chilisquaque Presbyterian Church Cookbook

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Misc

 Pottsgrove Mentions
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June 19 1780 - James McMahan, hero of the Revolutionary War, captured by Indians on his own plantation near the present site of Pottsgrove. He succeeded in killing his captor and making his escape.

September 30 1866 - Store of A.T. Bisel and Co at Pottsgrove destroyed by incendiary fire.

August 7th 1878 - 1878 - Tannery of Samuel McNinch at Pottsgrove robbed

1890 - Lindner Hall, Pottsgrove [Polling place]

August 11 1906 - Pottsgrove Academy burned to the ground.

In 1914, Edward Wolfe of Pottsgrove believed that he was likely only one of 4 local men still alive,  who had attended Bucknell when it first began, in the basement of the Baptist church.  He wrote of early life at the college, concentrating on the activities more than than the academics, with  his recollections being published in the Lewisburg Journal in July of 1914.   

May 26 1917 -  Patriotic Flag Raising at the Pottsgrove School  

October 25th 1917 - S. Dewey Gitler of Pottsgrove killed in P.R.R. yards at Northumberland

John S. Montgomery of Milton purchased a store in Pottsgrove in August 1888.

He operated it alone, "for a time", and then his brothers Daniel M. & William A entered into a partnership with him. The firm continued to "do a large retail business in taht community".  In 1905 John retired from the buisiness, and moved to Milton. John had also served as the Postmaster in Pottsgrove for 8 years. From the obituary of John Montgomery, May 11 1922

"William Follmer erected a mill on Limestone run in the southeastern  part of the township and operated it for several years; it was then  removed to Pottsgrove, and subsequently destroyed by fire."  and  "The Pottsgrove Steam Flour Mill was removed from Limestone run, Turbut Township, and rebuilt at Pottsgrove by William Follmer, Michael Rissel, and James Smith, and after being successfully operated for some time, was destroyed by fire several years since.  "   - Bells History of North'd Co

In 1964, President of the Union County Historical Society spoke on "the neglected Revolutionary War veteran's cemetery near Pottsgrove".  Listed as buried there is Lydia Hollingsworth Wallis (Wife of Samuel Wallis) and "Several victims of the Fort Freeland Massacre of 1779".

In 1914, Edward Wolfe of Pottsgrove believed that he was likely only one of 4 local men still alive, who had attended Bucknell when it first began, in the basement of the Baptist church. He wrote of early life at the college, concentrating on the activities more than than the academics, with his recollections being published in the Lewisburg Journal in July of 1914.

Read it here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-early-days-of-bucknell-university.html

Photographer - Sleppy

The Miltonian, January 1931

1948

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The "Other" Pottsgrove, in Montgomery County:

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• McMahons Feed store was in Montgomery County
• The Pottsgrove Reservoir is, I believe, Mongomery County.  It is often mentioned in the Altoona Paper, but not in the Daily Item.