Saturday, April 24, 2021

On This Day In Local History - May

JAN    FEB    MAR   APR    MAY    JUNE   JUL   AUG   SEP   OCT   NOV   DEC

In the early 1920's, the Miltonian newspaper ran a weekly page of Historical Notes, with history listed by day.  It's one of my favorite things to read, and many of the articles on this blog have come from those blurbs.  This is my version of those 1920's pages, in a month format rather than a daily one.  (They typically post daily on my facebook page, when I remember to schedule them to do so)


For an index of history posts by Subject & Town, go here:
https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html
=============================
THIS MONTH IN LOCAL HISTORY
May
=============================

1st
Sketches, engagement announcements and after graduation plans for the Watsontown High School Class of 1957 The Orange And Blue -  Volume 27, Issue 5, May 1957

2nd
3rd

4th

5th
6th
7th
In May of 1927, after more than 80 years of arguments and controversy, the bridge project at Watsontown finally began.  The controversy was far from over, and the "white elephant at the northern end of the county" continued to be  blamed for all of Northumberland Counties financial problems for years to come.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/11/building-watsontown-white-deer-river.html

8th

9th
1948: The F.P Pursel Department Store, Bloomsburg, celebrated its 55th anniversary. It dates back to 1893, when F.P., father of Frank and Charles, bought the McKelvy Store, which was already more than 50 years old. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/10/pursel-store-fire-1909-bloomsburg.html

10th

11th
In May of 1937, an archaeological dig of the Indian Burial Grounds at Muncy began.  The excavation uncovered a Thunderbird Altar, one of only 3 ever found in the Northeast.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/08/indian-burial-mound-at-muncy-farms.html


12th
13th
14th
15th

In May of 1950, "Prints [mostly lithographs) by Hubert Davis shown...  in the graphic arts division's little gallery at the Smithsonian Building convey the impression that this artist observes life shrewdly, and also sardonically.  His expressive line enables to say what he pleases about everything, but not everything pleases him.  Man, his habitations and activities bring out the beast in Mr. Davis, whereas confronted by nature he becomes a tender romanticist.  Canal By Moonlight, Trees At Twilight, and Sleeping Fawn, for instance, are tonal poems, with velvety blacks and shimmering lights." - The Evening Star


16th
  • 1778  - Three men scalped in field near Pine Creek along the  West Branch. Supreme Executive Committee orders 31  rifles repaired and forwarded to Northumberland County  on account of the desperate situation in that section. 
  • 1780 - Indians appear in Buffalo Valley and kill four men at Gronzong's Mill
  • 1913 - Public Playground formally opened on south Turbot avenue, F. A. Godcharles speaker
  • 1928 - Secretary of Commerce & Future President Herbert Hoover was at the Texas Blockhouse Fish and Game Club,  Waterville Pa,    He had been at Ognotz Lodge the previous two days. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/06/when-presidents-came-to-fish-in.html
  • In May of 1976, the Catherine Smith Historical Marker was moved to the mini park along the creek in White Deer.   https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-widow-catherine-smith.html
  • On  May 16, 1962, James Bressler of the Lycoming County Historical Society interviewed Mr Antes, who had witnessed first hand lumbering on the Susquehanna River from 1884 to 1894.  Read the interview here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/04/personal-reminisces-of-lumbering-era.html

17th

18th
  • 1757 - Bateaux with 2 four pound cannon arrive at Fort Augusta from down the river.   Three companies of Col Weisers battalion sent to Fort Augusta
  • 1811 - Great horse race at Derrstown, now Lewisburg. Much excitement over this important event https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/10/when-union-county-fair-was-held-in.html
  • 1857 - Home Journal published at Lewisburg
  • 1877 - Tobacco Store of Daniel Oswald at Lewisburg robbed
  • 1891 - Thomas Beaver died.  Beaver, a  trustee of the Danville Iron and Steel works, not only build the library in Danville,  and YMCA, but he also donated 6,000 volumes to fill its shelves, and gave the library a trust fund of $100,000 [ nearly 3 million dollars today].  In his will, he left the library an additional $50,000. Other Area Donations Made By Thomas Beaver include the Howard Clock on the tower of  St Joseph's Catholic Church, Danville PA  & the Pipe Organ to Mahoning Presbyterian Church [1882].  THomas's nephew James became Governor of Pennsylvania in 1887. James was acting president of Penn State University from 1906-1908, and Beaver Stadium at Penn State is named in his honor  Read more about the Beaver Library in Danville, here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/08/when-thomas-beaver-built-library-for.html
  • 1947 - Two planes smashed in mini-cyclone at the Selinsgrove Airport - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/04/when-mini-cyclone-crashed-two-planes-in.html
  • Steamers was destroyed in a fire on May 18th 1984.  The building had originally been the clubhouse and tennis courts for Riverside Amusement Park. Read more about the former Rendezvous building in Milton Pa, here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/08/rendezvous-milton-pa.html

19th
  • 1820 - Margaret Junkin, born in Milton, became poetess-laureate of the South.  Died March 19 1897. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-poetress-of-confederacy-was-born-in.html
  • 1834 - Cornerstone of the German Church laid at Lewisburg with English and German Services
  • 1854 - Susquehanna Dental Association organized
  • 1870 - Howard Reed of Lewisburg had his hand shot off by a premature explosion of a cannon while attending a reunion at Lock Haven.
  • 1898 - James Richard Cleaver Died.  Before his death, he penned his recollections of his early life in Columbia County Pa.  Read them here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/12/reminiscences-of-james-r-cleavers-early.html
  • 1910 - The earth passed through the tail of Haleys Comet.  At the time, that year anti comet pills were stored, houses were sealed up to keep the gasses from entering, and in Oklahoma, one religious group attempted a ceremony, including the sacrifice of a virgin, to warn off the comets ill effects.  (They were stopped).  Locally, the comet couldn't be seen on May 19th, but a professor at Bucknell had viewed the comet earlier in the month.  Read his account here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2023/05/when-valley-saw-earth-pass-through.html
  • 1980  Author Robert Newton Peck came to Warrior Run  to research a book he planned to write.   A reception was held for him by the Fort Freeland Historical Society. He played ragtime on a piano and spoke about his childhood, and the characters in his novels. He was reported to have been considering a novel based on Fort Freeland, and is quoted as saying "It could make the site into a historic site like Gettysburg". Peck wrote nearly 100 books, but never did write about Fort Freeland.
20th
  • 1760 -  Tellinemut, an Indian, bearing wampum, arrived at Fort Augusta concerning the release of prisoners. 
  • 1778 - Savages attack and massacre settlers near Lycoming Creek on the West Branch.
  • 1851 - Great railroad convention held at Sunbury.  This was in the interest of the Susquehanna Railroad.
  • 1881 - Milton Church and Novelty Works established in Milton
  • 1904 The Milton Elks  Lodge was established.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-elks-home-milton-pa.html
  • 1910 - The earth passed through the tail of Haley's Comet 
  • On May 20th 1979, the Fought's Roller Mills in Hughesville were destroyed in a fire.
  • 2017 - The Algert Fountain, donated to the  borough, was dedicated at corner of Brimmer & Main streets.  [The fountain is once again being moved in 2023 - this time to the corner of  first and main] https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-algert-fountain.html

In May of 1867 the Sunbury Gazette reported that workmen had been engaged in cleaning up that portion of the square "lately occupied by the old court house, which gives it a more sightly appearance.  The square should by all means be enclosed by a suitable fence, and we hope measures will soon be taken by our citizens to have if effected."

Read more about the history of Cameron Park in Sunbury, here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2025/01/cameron-park-sunbury-pa.html

21st
  • 1757 -  Gov. Denny instructs Thomas McKee to conduct the Indians from the treaty at Philadelphia to Fort Augusta where they are to be furnished com, ground to settle on and to be treated civilly and aided by all. 
  • 1769 - Survey of 245 acres for Ensign Stine, which included the mouth of Muddy Run, made.  Capt Hawkins Boone erected mill and fort soon afterwards.
  • 1770 - Gov. John Penn appointed Col. Turbut Francis prothonotary County Cumberland and he moved to Carlisle.  Both Tubotville & Turbut twp were names for Col Francis. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/11/how-turbut-township-got-its-name-and.html
  • 1850 - Abraham Straub and Isaiah B. Davis of Milton and D. Rockefeller of Sunbury appointed commission to survey and run boundary line of Montour County
  • 1864, The Muncy Creek Railway was chartered.  It was intended to provide a railroad outlet for Laporte, the newly established county seat of Sullivan County, via the valley of Muncy Creek.  The Muncy Creek railway was foreclosed on August 9 1882, and reorganized September 1 1882 as the Williamsport & North Branch Railroad. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-hughesville-railroad-station.html
  • The office of the Milton Record, newspaper, was destroyed, along with almost all of the rest of the town of Milton, in May 1880 fire.  "With  no  part  of  the  former  outfit except  the  subscription  list,  publication  was  resumed.  May  21,  1880,  in  two  box-cars  at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Filbert  streets." Read more about the Milton Record here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-milton-record-newspaper-1889-1909.html
  • 1966, at the Travelers Inn.  Restaurant Equipment, dishes, utensils, a 2 car frame garage, etc.  "Must evacuate due to road construction." Mae D. Platt Owner, Neil S. Moyer Auctioneer https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/12/travelers-inn-lewisburg-pa.html
  • 1982, Nick Rosato opened a studio and art gallery in Cogan Station, next to his home. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-art-of-nick-rosato.html

22nd
  • 1757 - Fort Augusta alarmed by sounds of Indians on the west side of the river. Bullocks and guards called into the fort and a scouting party of 40 men sent across the river. Scouts report many fresh Indian tracks from opposite the fort to George Gabriel's at the mouth of Penns Creek. Later camp fires are discovered at George Gabriel's and the Indians flee in haste down the river. General review held at Fort Augusta.   More about Fort Augusta - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/07/fort-augusta.html
  • 1865 - Fishing Creek Confederates released from Fort Mifflin
In May of 1940, Mr & Mrs William Eberly took charge of Betty's Coffee Pot, one mile north of Lewisburg on Route 404. Mrs Eberly was the former Miss Bertha Stassner.


In May of  the Swank hotel was being repainted. The Sonestown Hotel is still open today.
Read more about the Sonestown hotel:

23rd
 In May of 1970, the fair was cancelled due to lack of interest.  The last fair in Turbotville Pa was held in 1969, When Turbotville Had A Fair:   https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/10/when-fair-was-held-in-turbotville.html

It was in  May of 1923,  that a group of capitalists headed by S.M. Weist purchased 18 acres of land on Packers Island for an Amusement park. Nine acres were to the south of the concrete highway, and nine acres were to the north.  A concrete driveway and walk was planned to be built under the abutment of the bridge, to connect the two sections of the park. Plans included building a dance pavilion, a restaurant, an athletic field, a theater, boat and bath houses, and various rides and "amusement contrivances"
 A history of the Island in Sunbury - https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/06/sunbury-island-park.html

24th
25th
26th
27th
  • 1851 - Ground broken for Sunbury and Erie Railroad at Farrandsville
  • 1882 - Free Masons laid the cornerstone of public school building at Watsontown
  • 1885 - Monument to Ex-Governor Simon Snyder unveiled at Selinsgrove
  • 1888 - Hon Eli Slifer former secretary of the commonwealth and state treasurer, died at Lewisburg from injuries received in a  fall from his carriage.
  • 1908 - William H. Showers, White Deer Twp, killed on the P. and R. at East Mahanoy Junction in the performance of his duties as a brakeman
  • 1914 - Reber warehouse gutted by fire at Lewisburg
  • On May 27th 1921, Harry & Sigmund opened their 26th Weis Pure Food Store, in Selinsgrove Pa.  It was located on the corner of Market & Walnut Streets.  It moved to the middle of the same block in 1934, and was destroyed by a fire on February 15th 1938.
  • On May 27th 1925 - Six Tons Of Hershey's Chocolate was spilled into the river at Sunbury when a train derailed on the bridge there.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/06/when-train-dumped-load-of-chocolate-in.html
  • On May 27th 2013, former President Jimmy Carter spoke at a Memorial Day event at the Wyoming Monument.  Other presidents who had visited and spoke at the ceremonies there include  Rutherford Hayes & Teddy Roosevelt.
  • https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-wyoming-monument.html
In May of 1937 the Williamsport Sun Gazette reported that those taking stones from state land must have a permit, and that no permission would be granted to remove stones from the Devils Turnip Patch, "which is considered by local persons an unusual formation of much public interest"  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-devils-turnip-patch.html

28th
  • 1757 - Bateau men refuse to do any duty not with the boats while lying at Fort Augusta, and are ordered to parade, whereupon they are ordered to report their decision the following day. 
  • 1892, May 28 - President Benjamin Harrison stopped in Williamsport  on his way to Rochester NY to dedicate a Civil War Monument.
  • 1910 - Riverside Park, The Amusement Park built by the trolley between Milton and Watsontown, Opened.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/04/riverside-park-milton.html
  • 1920 - Meeting held at Milton, to further the plans of building a Dairy League Co-Op building there.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-dairymens-league-milton-pa.html
  • 1946,  In the last week of May, 1946, there were 4 straight days of heavy rains.  "In the mind of residents, the river was area was the ever-present danger of high water, water that could be seen rising as the result of four days rain... However, optimistic radio reports served to lull many into a sense of false security and not until quite late did this medium of warning begin to sound ominous. All doubt was removed with the sounding of the fire alarm at Lewisburg, and whistles at plants at nearby Milton." Residents awoke to find themselves in the midst of a full fledged flood. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-1946-flood.html
  • 1946, The Valley flooded, severely. In all of the stories I read, Memorial Day Services went on as planned - serious flooding did not stop the ceremonies. In Lewisburg, a radio station mistakenly announced they had been cancelled, but the residents showed up anyway (and the ceremony had never been cancelled) https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/05/memorial-day-in-valley-through-decades.html
29th
  • 1757 -  Bateau men parade at Fort Augusta and agree to do as ordered. Col. Burd then sends them four miles down the river for limestone. Garrison holds a general review. 
  • 1851  - First telegraph message sent out of Milton, office in Nagles Store
  • 1867 - Attempt to change name of Watsontown to Ario City in honor of Ario Pardee failed as Mr Pardee objected to the new name. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/05/ario-city-1867-watsontown.html
  • 1870 - Grist Mill of Henry Snyder at Washingtonville burned
  • 1871 - Enos Hilliard nearly killed when whirled around a shaft in the Wagner and Starr planing mill

30th
31st
  • 1834 - Black frost so severe that almost every species of plant life in this section was killed.
  • 1878 - Uriah Moyer, Emanuel Ettinger, and Mary Hartley were arrested for the brutal murder of wo elderly German Fortune Tellers in Snyder County.  Ettinger would later poison himself to avoid the gallows.  Uriah & Jonathan Moyer were executed.  The scaffold is on display at the Snyder County Historical Society. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/12/when-german-fortune-tellers-were.html
  • From the diary of William Maclay: May 30th, Sunday.—I rested but badly last night; had ugly dreams. Am to dine out this day. I had best be careful and attentive. How idle this idea! Dreams are but fallacious things. I have dined out and have met with no disaster. I had one strange dream of seeing a man fall from a place like a saw-mill. I thought the mill was mine, yet it differed from my mill at Sunbury. What a heap of idleness! My head ached, hence I suppose my dreams. The man was not killed. A dead child plagued me at another time. I have really little to do, or I would not note all this down." Read more about Pennsylvania's first senator, who lived in Sunbury Pa, here: https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2024/05/william-maclay-one-of-very-first-us.html
  • 1881 - Henry Fauver ages 12 rescued Charles Townsend aged 6 who had fallen in the canal lock near the flood gates.
  • 1928 - A Sink Hole Was first noticed on the Ira Dougherty Farm,  at the highest point in the Nippenose Valley.   Thousands of tourists flocked to the area to see this.  Bands played, hot dogs were sold.  https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/08/swallowed-by-earth-suddenly-appearing.html
  • 1985 -  The deadliest tornado to ever hit Pennsylvania occurred on May 31, 1985. It struck  the area between 9:25-10:15pm, hitting Allenwood, Dewart, and Watsontown, including Hidden Creek Campground and Spring Lake Village.  Rated an F4, the tornado was 1.5 miles wide and it's path was 19 miles in length. It resulted in 6 deaths, and more than 60 injured, in our local area alone. More than 60 people were killed across the state. https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/05/when-tornado-ripped-through-our-valley.html

Photo labeled simply "May 1904, Selinsgrove"

==============

Misc May Events

===========

First woman bootlegger in the county

May 1750 Homes of "squatters" along the Juniata Valley burned by Richard Peters and Conrad Weiser at the order of the Proprietaries.

May of 1815 "locust prevalent in local territory" 

1822  Jury in trial of the John Snyder's Heirs vs. Simon.  Snyder Case dismissed as a relative of the Plaintiff was found on the jury after same had been sworn

1829 - May , The River road between Lewisburg and Selinsgrove  surveyed and laid out by James F. Linn

1885 - Governor Snyder Monument erected in Sharon Lutheran Cemetery

======================

In January of 1923, the Miltonian ran several pages recapping the news of the prior year.

This is what they had to say about May 1922:





============


===========
READ MORE 
===========

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, Pennsylvania) Monday, May 24, 1875
Our Neighbors - Union County
Snow is still lingering in the mountains bordering Union county.
Although the furnace of Winfield is not in operation, the proprietors keep all their men engaged in other work.
At a late meeting of the dental association held in Scranton, Pa., Dr. Gerhart of Lewisburg, was chosen treasurer.
The energetic and music loving young men of Hartleton are about to organize a brass band, with Prof. Feehrer as instructor.
Work on the new German Reformed church at Laurelton was commenced by the builder, Mr. S. S. Miller, some time ago.
Mr. Wm. Young, of Mifflinburg, has purchased a $30,000 home, near Philadelphia, and he and family are preparing to occupy it.
Wm. Cameron, Esq., nearly an octogenarian, Mr. Hafer, of Kelly, three months older, and Mr. McCurley, of White Deer, seven years still above that, were noticed standing on a street corner in Lewisburg the other day discussing the situation of affairs.


Posted by on
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

I'll read the comments and approve them to post as soon as I can! Thanks for stopping by!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)