Assorted Stories, History, & Photos, From Benton, Columbia County, Pennsylvania
The Wilkes-Barre Record, after the 1910 fire, described Benton as "nicely laid out and was a delight to the eye, for the large majority of residents owned their homes and the utmost pride was felt in keeping both buildings and lawns in good conditions."
The Benton area was first settled by two families in 1792. A schoolhouse was opened in 1799. Starting around 1860, tanning and lumber industries began to grow north of the borough. By 1868, Benton had about fifty houses. The Benton dam was built in 1915
"For several years, Benton borough has been in the public eye as a genuine, bona fide, hard-luck town. Disaster after disaster has swept the community."
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Fires & The Fire Company
1911 Distillery Fire
J.H. Beers, 1915 History Of Columbia & Montour Counties
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Town Hall & Opera House
Corner of 3rd & Center Streets, Benton Pa
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The Rohr McHenry Distilling Company
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The Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad
The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad, (e.1888-d.1972) also called the B & S Railroad, was a long-lived independent shortline railroad that existed under that name operating independently from 1888 to 1928 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, when it was made a subsidiary of the Reading Company, which closed it in 1972.
The shortline railroad was 29 miles long, running from south of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania past the town, then northwards to Jamison City, Pennsylvania, with 4.45 miles of yard tracks.
The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad was one of five railroads serving Bloomsburg near the turn of the 20th century.
The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad Company's headquarters was in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the managers of the company were James Corcoran and Thomas Wheeler. The Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad owned five locomotives and seven cars in 1917.
McHenry Whiskey being loaded at the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Station, Benton Pa
When the Bloomsburg and Sullivan Railroad reached the town in 1886, it became a stimulus for economic growth. Benton had a viable commercial center with nearly twenty merchants and four industries, McHenry Distillery, Long Wagon Works, Benton Shirt Factory, and the R. T. Smith & Son Planing Mill. "From a business point it would indeed be difficult to paint a more prosperous town for its size than Benton."
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Drug store, confectionary, and stationary store
Main Street, Benton Pa
"The Benton Fair Grounds were once owned by Thomas McHenry. For those not familiar with the location of the fair grounds, they were at the location of the present Northern Columbia Community & Cultural Center. The first fair was held October 29 through November 1, 1884. Bloomsburg newspapers noted that the grounds were "conveniently located and suitable buildings were erected for the protection of exhibits." The Bloomsburg papers, however, paid scant attention to the fair. The fair closed in 1891 when Mr. McHenry passed away."
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Hotels
As described by J.H. Beers:
"The "Exchange Hotel," which was destroyed in the great fire of 1910, was built by Hiram Hess in 1872 and opened to the public early in the following year, and for a long time was the most important hostelry in upper Columbia County and adjacent territory. The last owner of this hotel was Daniel J. Donavan, who remodeled the structure and entered upon a career of prosperity which was cut short by the fire. Since that event the hotel has never been rebuilt.
Elmer Rantz & Mr. Percy Brewington in an ox pulled cart, in front of the Exchange Hotel in Benton Pa. [Prior to the 1910 fire]
Benton's second hotel, the "McHenry House," was erected in 1886 by James Boyd McHenry, much of the planning of its interior being done by his wife, a lovely and estimable woman. This hotel passed unscathed through the fires of later years, and later operated by F.V. Zwilling, who catered to a large trade from all parts of this and surrounding counties.
The old "Travelers Inn" stood on the west side of Main Street some distance above the other hotels, and was in its day a famous meeting place for the residents of this section."
Moses Van Campen Hotel, Benton Pa
Juntion of Routes 115 & 239
Entering Benton Pa
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Frank Charles Laubach (September 2, 1884 – June 11, 1970), from Benton, Pennsylvania was a Congregational Christian missionary educated at Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University, and a mystic known as "The Apostle to the Illiterates." In 1915 while working among Muslims at a remote location in the Philippines, he developed the "Each One Teach One" literacy program. It has been used to teach about 60 million people to read in their own language. He was deeply concerned about poverty, injustice and illiteracy, and considered them barriers to peace in the world.
Read More Here:
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Schools
The above photo was found on ebay, and it is labeled only "School house, Benton Pa"
J.H. Beers, 1915 History Of Columbia & Montour Counties
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Sports
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Grassmere Park, Benton PA
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Believed to be the first aeroplane to land at Benton, circa 1925
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From Beers History of Columbia and Montour Counties, 1915
The last issue of the Benton Argus was published October 30, 1969.
Benton PA
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The Benton Foundry
"The property on which Benton Foundry resides was originally part of the 45,000 square mile grant that King Charles II gave to William Penn in 1681. The granted land, which includes all of Eastern Pennsylvania was sold to the first private owners from 1682 all the way up into the mid 1900’s.
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1876
Five hundred of those acres were purchased by Jacob Harrington in 1836 when he moved to Upper Coles Creek, Sugarloaf Township. Jacob was in the timbering business, manufactured shingles and in 1841 he erected a sawmill. Jacob’s son, Newton Harrington, fought in the American Civil war and, upon his return, built a small iron foundry.
In the early years, the foundry produced sled shoes used to transport timber and stone. The foundry also produced laths and stands for shoe repair, griddles and plows. During World War II, the foundry produced stove parts for the Army and Navy, as well as 75mm shells. The foundry continued operations, through multiple generations of Harrington’s until 1958.
Meanwhile, in the early 1900’s, Al Hall apprenticed with the Lackawanna Railroad (now part of the Steamtown National Historic Site), then worked for foundries in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He and a partner bought Hallstead Foundry for $1,500 in 1929. Hallstead was a jobbing foundry, making all kinds of iron castings for many different customers. Hallstead flourished, and in 1958 Al Hall and his partner purchased Harrington Foundry for $25,000 and renamed it after the nearby town of Benton.
In 1974, Al died suddenly. At the time, Benton Foundry was a separate corporation, about one-third Hallstead’s size, owned by the same two families. Without a succession plan, the companies and families became divided. In 1975, Al’s sons, Fritz and Butch, took over Benton Foundry. This experience drove home an important lesson for Fritz and Butch: business survival depended on solid, long-term planning. "
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MAPS
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The Columbian, February 1894
"We had a pleasant trip to Benton one day last week and found many of the town discussing the propriety of getting Benton into the shape of a borough. A large number of the citizens are in favor of a borough. Found the new firm of Pennington & Seely busily engaged selling goods and keeping up the reputation of the old firm. Found Mr.
Heddon in his element selling goods with this firm. Mr. Heddon is a leading spirit in the P. O. S. of A. The accessions to the Benton camp have been large ever since the public installation of officers, couple months ago. This camp numbers now nearly 100, with prospects of greater additions. There is no Order superior to this one in America. The G.A.R. Sons of Veterans and P. O. S. of A. are about on a par as to patriotism, and they go hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder.
The McHenry boys are rendering good service as postmasters of Benton. J. B.
McHenry is keeping up his old reputation as first class hotel proprietor. The public find in him an obliging and attentive landlord his table and bar furnish the best viands and brands the market affords. Pennington & Seely took in 500 R. R. ties last Friday and Saturday.
They have received large car loads of timothy and clover seed. They are indulging largely in this line of goods with which they are supplying the public. Met Mr. Stiles Clewell who is also prominently identified with the P. O. S. of A. Hotel proprietor Kline buried an interesting little daughter recently. She had been sick but a short time with the measles.
Rohr McHenry and son, J. G., engaged in the distillery business have an extensive reputation and some of their brands are eagerly called for in Philadelphia and Baltimore markets.
Dr. Patterson is very busy in his medical practice mud and measles are plenty. William Kline who was the active superintendent of the McHenry livery stable is now the active man in the McHenry house and clerk behind the bar, who is ready and willing to attend 1 to all the wants and wishes of the public.
Met Prof. Johnston at Benton, who was busily engaged visiting the schools. There will be a Teacher's Institute at Benton the coming Saturday.
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Benton Township Pa
From the Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties Pennsylvania: Volume I, 1915, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago
Benton Township, established in 1850, was named in honor of Thomas H. Benton, then at the height of his political power. Benton Township has always been a farming district, although at first the dense forests caused the building of many sawmills to utilize the abundance of timber.
The most interesting item regarding the lands in Benton Township concerns the establishment here in 1769 of one of the famous "Manors" of the Penn family.
These divisions of land were set apart for the exclusive use of the Penns themselves, and in many instances were the last of the lands in the Commonwealth to be disposed of. The Manors here were two tracts of 530 acres each, and were "situate on a large branch of Fishing Creek, eight or ten miles above the end of Fishing Creek Mountain," that is, about two miles north of the present town of Benton. In the original survey the name of "Putney Common" was applied to those lands.
The first recorded settler in Benton Township was Benjamin Coleman, who bought land from Daniel McHenry and founded what was later the Laubach farm. Jonathan Colley was another settler who came to this section prior to 1797. The house in which he lived was built near the Swartwout mill, and the orchard he planted is still to be seen at that point. James Peterman and Jesse Pennington also came about the same time. The latter built the first sawmill in Benton Township, on Upper Fishing Creek. A Mr. Robbins built the Swartwout mill before 1850. It was later operated by J. Swartwout and Bent Cole. Isaiah Cole built the mill on the creek a short distance above Benton Borough about 1806. A cloudburst in 1848 destroyed both this and the Swartwout mill. The Thomas mill on West Creek, built in 1865, was then operated by N.B. Cole.
Others of the first settlers were Joshua Brink, Robert and John Moore, William Eager, Samuel Rogers, John Keeler, Daniel Whiteman, Peter Robinson, Jonathan Hartzell and Daniel Jackson. The house of the latter for some years after 1833 was all that existed of the village of Benton. After the settlement of Sugarloaf and the growth of the second generation of the families, the McHenrys, Hesses, Laubachs and others of that township moved into and helped to populate Benton Township. Later, many of their descendants were still living on the old farms.
Early in the history of Benton Township the tiny hamlet of homes located within what is now the Benton Borough limits was destined through its geographical position to be its principal settlement. During the last year of the eighteenth century two families had penetrated up the valley of Fishing Creek and had chosen sites in the vicinity. In the first sixty years of the nineteenth century the growth of the community was hardly perceptible to the passing generations. By 1868 the settlement had grown into a considerable village. Some fifty houses clustered around a tavern, a church, a schoolhouse and a sawmill. The post office had been established in 1852, and Daniel Hartman, who had started the first store, was appointed postmaster.
From 1868 to 1886 Benton grew slowly. The number of dwellings increased to sixty or more, two churches ministered to the religious needs of the community, entertainment and accommodations for the wayfarer were furnished by two hotels, and several stores supplied the requirements of residents. The "Exchange Hotel," which was destroyed in the great fire of 1910, was built by Hiram Hess in 1872 and opened to the public early in the following year, and for a long time was the most important hostelry in upper Columbia County and adjacent territory. The last owner of this hotel was Daniel J. Donavan, who remodeled the structure and entered upon a career of prosperity which was cut short by the fire. Since that event the hotel has never been rebuilt.
Benton's second hotel, the "McHenry House," was erected in 1886 by James Boyd McHenry, much of the planning of its interior being done by his wife, a lovely and estimable woman. This hotel passed unscathed through the fires of later years, and later operated by F.V. Zwilling, who catered to a large trade from all parts of this and surrounding counties.
The old "Travelers Inn" stood on the west side of Main Street some distance above the other hotels, and was in its day a famous meeting place for the residents of this section.
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The Columbia County National Bank, Benton, PA, was chartered in 1902 with John G. McHenry, president; and J. Boyd McHenry, Alfred McHenry,Charles A. Wesley, Russell Karns, C. F. Seely, George B. Hummer, W. L. Yorks, directors.
The bank occupied a frame building next to the former Main Street site of the Benton Post Office until the fire of 1910. The present building housing the Columbia County Farmers National Bank was built immediately after the fire at a cost of $16,000. Additions and modernization's have been made since.
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