HISTORY OF POTTSGROVE by John F. Mack

 
Pottsgrove, on the 1858 Map of Northumberland County

HISTORY OF POTTSGROVE 

by John F. Mack 

Written about 1922/1925

With added notes in 1974

"The oldest building we have record of is the old log house which was built by William Reed in 1770. He fought as an a Ensign in the Revolutionary War and the house was given in 1817 to his daughter Mary who was Mrs. William Fisher. Mrs. Fisher lived in the house until her death January 16, 1864. Her husband died in 1824. They had two daughters Sarah Jane, married to Charles Huff and Mary, married to Samuel McNinch. They have one daughter, Carrie McNinch, now Mrs. Walters. 

After Mrs. Fisher's death the property passed to her two daughters. Mrs. Huff lived in the home until 1878 when she took up her residence with her niece, Mrs. Ada McNinch Rayer. The house was occupied by different tenants from that time on until it was taken over by the school board in 1920. Mr. and Mrs. William McNinch, Mr. and Mrs. William Stout and Hr. and Mrs. John Hinebauch occupied the house during the time it was rented. 1 

The property belonged to William Reed and his descendants for one hundred and fifty years as it was part of the original land granted to his father in 1765. Pottsgrove was built on this Land. The old Reed homestead was located on the hill south of Pottsgrove where Linskills now live. For many years this was known as the Foresman farm. 2 

The only hotel Pottsgrove has ever had was built by William Reed on the lot where Zechmans now live. The hotel was occupied by the Reed family until about 1900. 3

 Where Hacks store now is was a store building and was occupied by descendants of William Reed. 

The house now known as the John Auten home was built by William Reed for his great-granddaughter, Mrs. J.R. Smith. 4 

Pottsgrove has had two tanneries operated by Samuel McNinch from 1842 to 1878. The one was situated in what is now known as the Robbins yard. This was the McNinch homestead for nearly 50 years. 5  The second tannery was built on the East side of the road close to the railroad station. 6 This building burned in the eighties. A mill was built on the ground where Charles Kelly's house now stands. 7 This mill burned down. 

Then Samuel Russel and Mr. Custer, who were in business in Milton started to build the mill. Shortly after the building was started, Mr. Russel was found dead in bed. The mill was then turned over to a stock company. They ran it for a number of years and it was sold to Mr. Edgar Blue. He sold it to the Rohm Brothers. Walter Rohm sold his interest to Lee Lindner, but they failed. Then it was sold to Mr. Wagner and son. They ran it a year and failed. Mr. Lewis from Mahanoy City bought the mill at the sale. He kept it a few months and sold it to Cloyd Zechman.                                                                                                                                                     

 The blacksmith shop which is now the present shop is about 47 foot long and 28 feet wide. Part of the floor which is 17 1/2 feet by 28 foot is concrete. The first proprietor as far back as is known was Mr. John Kerstetter. It was formally a brick building which was built about 1850. It has always boon a blacksmith shop.

Mr. Jacob Reed purchased it from Mr. Kastettor and he hired help to do the work. Mr. Reed built the wooden part of the shop and about half of it is still standing.

Mr. Harry Deiffenderfer purchased the shop from Mr. Reed in 1899 and is still proprietor of it. He tore half of the wooden structure down in 1920 and rebuilt it of concrete. This part is 28 feet wide and 35 feet long. 8   

Mr. Thomas Reed owned the land where now stands John Mack's store.      

 Mr. Thomas Beiber tried to purchase land to build a large department store.  If Mr. Beiber could have purchased the land the store would have extended to the house where Mr. and Mrs. Rolland Bennett now live. 9  This store was never completed while Mr. Beiber owned it, but later Mr. Frank Lindner purchased and completed it. He then sold the store to Mr. Montgomery.

Later the Montgomerys moved across the street, now known as Mr. Rummage's store. 10  

Then Mrs. Lindner and son Harvey started business in the building. Later Lake and Vandine purchased the store. They did not keep the store long as their goods were sold at auction. Soon Mr. Lee Lindner bought the store. He was then a boy of fifteen years. Mr. Lindner needed some assistance in his business so he took in E.M. Moore as a partner, but the business did not thrive and they sold it to Mr. J.L. Levan. Mr. Levan sold the store to C.I. Rummage. Mr. George Keefer-then bought the store. 

                                                                                                                                                    Later, in 1909: Mr. John Mack purchased the store and has been the owner ever since. "

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            THE END

The following footnotes will help you determine in 1974, about where these old buildings once stood.

    1 This house stood near the spot on the Pottsgrove School lawn where the Serviceman's marker now stands.

    2 At the present time the Hearn family lives in the brick house on this property.  Just previous to their purchasing it, Mr. and Mrs. James J. McGinnis and family owned the property.

    3 This lot is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Emily Mack Neuhard and family.

    4 This property is now vacant. The buildings and lot are owned by hr. Frederick  Boyer of Pottsgrove. The last family to live there was Mr. and Mrs. Harry Baumgardner, deceased. This property lies between Croman's Garage and the Luthernn parsonage on the main street of Pottsgrove.

    5 Some recent owners of this property on Mill road include the Henry Wentzel family, the Wayne Vonarx family, the William Bressler family and at the present time it is owned and occupied by the Richard Herald family .

    6 The railroad station was located between Zechman's Flour Mill and the railroad tracks. 

    7 Charles Kelly's house was located on Mill Road on the property lately owned by the Thomas McBryan family, now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lee Sauers.

    8 This property is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. John C. Bogle. In recent years it has belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Reichard and Mr. and Mrs. Elwood McCormick. 

    9 This house is owned and occupied in 1974 by Mr. and Mrs. William Erb and family and is the second house east of the school building.

   10 The property on the northeast corner of the square, formerly the Rummage Store now houses a garage business and apartments. It is owned and operated by the Ralph and Raymond (his son) Croman family. 

   11 The store was purchased in 1951 by Mr. Samuel W. Mack, one of the sons of John F. Mack, who owns and op orates it now in 1974. 

This "History of Pottsgrove" was written by Mr. John Mack sometime between 1922 and 1925. To fix the date 'of the writing we have spoken with Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Zechman who are mentioned in the narrative. They lived on the square in the house where Emily Neuhard now lives, from October 1922 to April 1925.

 It was about this time that the Flour Mill was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Zechman. The Zechmans are celebrating in 1974 their 50th year in business. They lived in a re—modeled portion of the warehouse until they built a new brick home adjacent to the mill in 1935 or 1936.

 This family was instrumental, because of their need, in getting electricity to come to Pottsgrove in 1924. It was at this time that a good number of houses in the village were wired for electric power. 

The store building on the northwest corner of Pottsgrove, once operated by Sproul and Park, later by Mr. C.H. McMahan as a feed store, was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Croman in 1946. This building now houses the present Post Office. Charles L. Rishel retired as postmaster on December 31, 1973. Mr. Rishel was replaced by Mrs. Norma Wagner who is the present postmaster. 

The Be-Centennial Committee of the Chillisquaque Presbyterian Church of Pottsgrove wishes to thank the John Mack family for their generosity in providing this "History of Pottsgrove" to then for printing. Our thanks are also extended to Mr. Charles L. Rishel who has given so freely of his tine and information to help the present generation know something of the past. 

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THE PAGES

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I found these 3 pages stapled together, folded, and stuck in a completely unrelated book.