Memories Of Early Sunbury, by Calvin Shipe, written in 1937

 

At the end of 1936, the Sunbury Daily published a 78 Page Anniversary edition.  [Unfortunately, I do not yet have a copy of this paper].  In January of 1937, a variety of newspaper editors had written letters to the Daily congratulating them on their anniversary issue.

One such letter came from Calvin E. Shipe, a former reporter for the Sunbury Daily who in 1937 worked for the Philadelphia Inquirer  His letter included many memories from his time in Sunbury.

Calvin E. Shipe was born in 1875 in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, the son of Enos & Mary Shipe. Enos Shipe operated a store on Market and fourth street for many years.  Calvin married Mary Caroline Cotner on July 1 1904. He began his newspaper career with the weekly Northumberland Democrat, later worked for the Sunbury Daily, before moving to New Jersey, where he then worked for  a variety of Philadelphia newspapers.  He died, age 78, in Camden New Jersey.

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Reminisces Of Early Sunbury, From Calvin Shipe
[With Added Photos When They Were Available]
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"Ever since I received the Progress Edition of The Daily I have been trying to get time to write to you about that very fine publication.' I read the numerous tributes you have received and they have said most of the things I had intended to say.

The Progress Edition is more than a special newspaper - edition to merit is a voice from up home. It is the past speaking to me.  It is even more than a trip up home.  

Heber Gearhart's  story on Sunbury was very Interesting. My sister, Mabel, was born at Fourth and Market Streets, on July 4, 1879, the day the Cameron monument was dedicated. I was not so very old. but I remember the parade that day. . 

My  grandfather and father conducted a store at Fourth and Market Streets and we lived back of the store with the Fourth Street side , as the yard. I remember floods that inundated that yard.  Boats brought food and carried us on errands. Soring Run. in those days, always flooded Market Street from Fourth to the 'Horn.' It also flooded Market Street east of the 'Horn' to the foot of the Market Street hill.

 My grandfather, David Shipe, was one of the first to  build in Purdytown, later East Sunbury, and now a part of Sunbury. His house still stands and is the home of City Commissioner Shipe.

In 1884 my father, Enos Shipe, moved to a farm, just east of the Orphanage, and while living there I attended the East Sunbury High School. Benjamin Apple was assistant , principal, and incidentally the entire, faculty. When I was 15 years old I worked for the Hoovers, who owned the farm now occupied by the Orphanage, and drove a roller and; harrow over the field where: the orphanage buildings stand. 

The Sunbury Nail Works

When we moved back to Sunbury, in 1890, I worked in the nail mill,; then at the Whitmer planing mill and in September of that, year I started on The Daily, where I worked until 1897. 

Foremost men to Sunbury of the days of my boyhood and young manhood were Judge Rockefeller, Lloyd T. Rohrbach, Simon P. Wolverton, John B. Packer, W. Cameron. Packer, James C. Packer, Samuel Packer, William, I. Greenough, Eben Greenough, the elder John Haas, Dr. Daniel W. Shindel. Dr. William, W, Moody, Dr. Hiram Long, Truman H. Purdy, John Youngman,  Emanuel Wilvert, Henry Conrad, Silas Conrad. George Hill, Dr. R. H.  Awl, Thomas J. Vastine, Henry Fagely,  J.. A. Cake, J. W, Cake, Clay Gearhart,  the elder Hackett, founder of  the hardware firm; Gehred Snyder, Jerome B. Reed. George B. Reimensnyder, Millard Fillmore Reimensnyder, brother of George Reimensnyder, who had a drug store at Fourth and Market Streets; Mark Scupham, Edward T, Drumheller, , proprietor of the City Hotel, Dr. Charles Martin, General Clement, Don Oberdorf, Peter Oberdorf, Philip Moore, Dennis Snyder. William  Whitmer, William Foster, Ira T. Clement, Henry Clement Philip M. Eckman, Peter Burrell. proprietor of the Central Hotel, and the owners of the Neff House back at the time when it was called the Washington House. 

Edison's Light Plant, Sunbury Pa

I often saw Thomas A. Edison, when he lived at the City Hotel, while putting the first commercial electric light plant in operation, and was frequently in the light, plant at Fourth and Vine Streets. 

Elks Building, Sunbury Pa

As a reporter of The Daily I attended the meeting  held in the office of Congressman Wolverton, now the Elks building, at which the arrangements were made that resulted in bringing of the Susquehanna Silk Mill to Sunbury. 

The Sunbury Silk Mill

 As a reporter of The Daily I also attended and reported all the meetings that established the borough of East Sunbury, and also also attended all its council and school board meetings, as well as the meeting of the council and school board of the borough of Sunbury. 

When I was on The Daily I was its only reporter: and covered the town on foot.  Telephones were few. There was no street car line at first.  I knew all, heard all, saw all, but did not write all.

As a small boy I played to Plum Creek near the Dewart farm, at the junction of the Plum Creek road with that which led past the farm. That was a favorite picnic place. We did not know anything in those days about the name, Tulpehocken, now applied to the Plum Creek road. 

This Is about all I can recollect just now. When the spirit moves me I will send you  some more about the good, old days and those who I moved in the world with. And Sunbury was the world.

 Your Progress, Edition deserves more and better words than I can find. I send my most earnest good wishes to all at The Daily. The autograph feature was one you will cherish all your days, but I think the only names I know there are Eddie Keefer and Roy Eisely. His father, later, to be  associated with me on The Daily, was employed at the nail works at the same time I worked there In 1890.

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