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Milford Township
Part III
History of that part of the Susquehanna and Juniata valleys,
embraced in the counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder,
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania...
Edited by F. Ellis and A. N. Hungerford.
Published in Philadelphia by Everts, Peck & Richards, 1886
Pages 762-771
CHAPTER IX.
MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Part III.
By A. L.
Guss
The tract along the river just above Wilson, at Port Royal, was
warranted to William Blythe, and sold to George Armstrong, August 3,
1762, who sold it to Charles Stewart in 1766; now John Kepner's heirs.
In 1801 Josiah Wilson sold John Rice his part of his father, Thomas',
estate adjoining the creek bridge. Most of this is now owned by
Profeseor David Wilson, principal of Airy View Academy.
Robert Campbell and William Buchanan got a warrant for twenty-five
acres, March 17, 1 1755, "including a mill-seat and meadow on the north
side of Licking Creek." This seems to be the middle mill. The same
persons, on the same day, got a warrant for seventy-five acres,
"including an improvement made by Robert Campbell near the mouth of
Licking Creek." This was the bottom-land, midway between the two lower
mills; afterwards sold to Thomas Armstrong, and then to George Wilson.
Thomas Wilson and Thomas Jeffries, February 9, 1767, took up the tract
above. The lands at the lower mill were in Thomas Wilson's Port Royal
surveys. An old draft gives the lower mill locality, and says "cut
off for Robert Campbell, 15th April, 1767." Another draft says:
"William Buchanan and Robert Campbell, thirtv acres, being part of the
two hundred and seventy-one acres warranted by Wilson February 3,
1755." This looks a little as if Campbell's mill at first was at the
site of the lower mill, but we have no further evidence. He had his
mill from 1767 to 1790; then his son William to 1796. The conveyance
of Campbell to his son, in 1790, proves that his mill was the middle
one on Licking Creek. Strange to say, William Campbell and Michael
Monahan obtained a new warrant, April 5, 1796, for one hundred acres,
and laid it on this very property, then having the mill upon it. It
then passed to John Lytle, who ran it over thirty-five years. Since
then it has been owned by John H. Stewart, who built the present mill;
then by John S. Miller, Jacob Lemon and Hawn brothers. [The reader is
referred to the third chapter of the General History for the accounts
of the attack on Robert Campbell's house, July 10, 1763, as given in a
letter written at Carlisle, July 12th, and published in the
Pennsylvania Gazette, July 21st following. Also Robert Robison's
Narrative, published at Carlisle in 1808. The latter account says the
incident occurred on July 5th, but as it was written several years
after, the l0th, as given in the Carlisle letter, written two days
after, is probably correct. In the chapter on Election Districts of
Juniata County, it will be seen that the election in 1776 was held at
Robert Campbell's mill.]
Jones, who wrote bistory out of his own head like a novelist, says
that "several persons were wounded, but there is no authentic record of
any one being killed" at Campbell's. It is a question where Campbell's
house was at this time. He owned the land at the point between
Tuscrarora and Licking Creeks, and also a large tract across the creek,
where David Hertzler lives, and also at the Middle Licking Creek Mill.
We prefer to locate him at the point where the creeks unite. There are
such well-founded traditions as to this spot that it seems pretty
certainly to have been the place. This land afterwards fell into the
hands of Thomas Wilson, then to his son, George Wilson, then to his
son, William W. Wilson, who in his life-time gave the writer a
circumstantial account of the traditions handed down in the family,
which, among other things, was that Campbell's house was on this point
where the creeks unite, and that "the men killed were buried near the
gate, just as you go into the house, and were marked by having an
apple-tree planted on each side of the graves," by which they were
pointed out for many years, even within his memory.
Campbell was not at the house on the 10th of July. Who the four men
were, beside Jeffries, who were killed is not known. Wilson thought
Campbell had a son killed, who was married and left a male child. This
is very improbable. He could not then have had a son so old. His house
is often called Campbell's Fort. It was, however, probably after this
raid that it was fixed with loop-holes and facilities for defense. The
historical map places this fort at the point where the creeks unite.
He had two daughters, married to Thomas Armstrong and Abraham Wilson.
His daughter, Margaret, married James McCrum, then Philip McCrum. He
has sons, William and John, living in 1790. No doubt the old gentlemen
lived with Robert, Jr., son of James, at this old fort mansion, in
1790, for he provides for food and lodging at this place during his
life. The location is fixed in the terms elsewhere given, calling the
place the Diven and White tract. His son James had, beside Robert, Jr.,
sons named John and William, and a daughter Polly, married to George
McCrum. It is of James, who disappears from the tax-lists after 1778,
that the story is related that he was captured by Indians, shot through
the wrist, his comrade killed and he tied to a tree near Milford
Siding. This event is not very surely dated, some giving it as
occurring during the Revolutionary War, which renders the story
improbable. He was married to Mary Armstrong, whose father was drowned
at Groninger's, and had a son William, a blacksmith, who had a son
James. There was a son of James, son of the blacksmith, William, that
went to California, where it is said he has become very wealthy. Some
six years ago he came to Juniata to see the old mill-site and other
places made sacred in his ancestral history.
Campbell, who owned the middle mill, had a good many other tracts of
land one of which was just below Mifflintown. Wilson built the lower
mill on Licking Creek for his son George. In course of time these men
differed, quarreled and went to law about their lands, the rival mills
perhaps creating jealousy. After spending much of their means in law-
suits, their sons, the most interested parties, saw their paternal
estates wasting away in disputes in which they felt little interest.
They accordingly prevailed on their paternal heads to leave them settle
the disputes, which they did, and put on record at Lewistown the
following novel, yet sensible, agreement. It presents a good lesson to
men
in our day.
"Mifflin County, S. S., Milford township:
"We, the under named subscribers, Thomas Wilson and Robert Campbell,
do solemnly swear that we will stand to and abide by the judgment and
award of William Campbell and George Wilson, in all the disputes that
we have with each other relating to land and other ways, and that we
will sign all writings or instruments of writing that the aforesaid
William Campbell and George Wilson will (decide) necessary for us to
sign, relating to the settling of all disputes and controversies
subsisting between us, and that we will sign all bonds and conveyances
and pay all costs that the aforesaid William Campbell and George
Wilson will judge us to pay and sign relating to the settling of the
aforesaid controversies betwixt us, and that we will never infringe on
the judgment and award of the aforesaid William Campbell and George
Wilson.
"Sworn and subscribed this 3rd day of April, A.D. 1790, before
William Bell.
"THOMAS WILSON.
"WLLLIAM CAMPBELL."
June 24, 1790, Robert Campbell, for a bond of William Campbell and
Thomas Turbett for fifteen pounds specie, to be paid every year during
his life, disposed of a tract of three hundred acres, "whereon my
grist-mill and saw-mill stand," and bounded by lands of John Lyon,
William Henderson, James Rodman and claim of Thomas Wilson.
June 29, 1790, Robert Campbell, of Milford township, sold to John
Campbell the tract now in possession of Michael McCrum. June 29, 1790,
Robert Campbell, for paternal affection and natural love gave "for my
son James Campbell, deceased, and which I now have for my grandson,
Robert Campbell, Jr., son of James, one-half of the William Diven and
George White tract for seven pounds specie during life yearly, and
meat, drink, washing and lodging when asked."
Thomas Wilson built a saw-mill at the mouth of Licking Creek in 1794.
He died in 1796. In 1797 his son George had the mill, and by the next
year he added a grist-mill. In 1820 the mills passed to Matthias Gish;
later, owned by William Miller and others. Some years since Stewart
McCulloch, the present owner, rebuilt this mill. Near by the mill a
woolen-factory was erected, which, after running a short time, was
turned into a handle-factory, and, as such, run for about three years.
It is now idle. Near the head of this dam, on the west side, at the
cliff, there was a spring of salty water, and an effort was once made
to bore for saline waters strong enough to manufacture salt.
As late as March 1, 1787, George Bratton applied for one hundred
acres "on Licking Creek, at the Beaver Dams." This was probably well up
the creek.
Daniel Jones, August 1, 1766, wanted fifty acres "on south side of
Juniata, on Beaver Run,"--a name now lost sight of, but supposed to be
in Juniata County.
James Sterrett lived near Mount Joy, Laneaster County, and had sons,-
-James, Robert, Charles and William. Robert removed to Mifflin County
and had sons, David and John. Charles removed to New York. William
remained in Lancaster. The children of James, Jr., who married Annie
Kennedy, were James, Samuel (who died near Academia in 1849), Polly
(wife of Alexander Patterson), Robert (married to Margaret Patterson,
died in 1862), Sarah and William (married a daughter of Goshen John
Thompson). The sons of Robert are Judge James P. Sterrett, of the
Supreme Court, and Dr. John P. Sterrett, of Pittsburgh. William Diven
and George White warranted one hundred and fifty-four acres, March 3,
1755, at the confluence of Licking Creek with the Tuscarora, and up
along the latter. This tract was bought by Robert Campbell, who gave
the upper part, one hundred and one acres, to Abraham Wilson, his son-
in-law, and the lower end to his grandson, Robert Campbell, Jr.
That part of Milford township bordering on Tuscarora Creek, above the
Groninger bridge, is full of historic interest. It will be seen by a
document, under the head of Beale township, that Robert Bell actually
had a "settlement" in this region before the lands were purchased from
the Indians. At a later period we find John Johnson between Robert and
William Bell, as appears by the following:
"Know all men by these presents, that I, John Johnson, of
Cumberland County, yoman, hath sold all my right, title and Interest of
that track of Land I formerly lived on, which I supos to be about five
hundred acrakers, with the indin Corn raased this Sumer, Lyeing and
situated on the nor west side of toskarora Creeck,--robert bell a bove
and william down below,--to Jeames Sample and Thos. Harris, in the
County of Lancaster, for Eight pounds payed to me in hand, and dos
warrant and defend Said track of Land and Corn from all manor of person
or persons what sums ever Leaying any prayor Claim or title there unto,
the honorable proprietors excepted.
"Given under my hand and seall this 10 day of november,, 1755.
" JOHN JOHNSON [Seal].
"testator: Benjamin Price. James Clark.
"(Endorsed): John Johnston. His Bill of Sale.
"Received of Jeames Sample and Thos. Harris Eight pouns, it being in
full for the plantation I Lived on and the Indian Corn I rased this
Sumer ther un. november 10, 1755.
"JOHN JOHNSON.
"Witness present: James Clark. Benjm. Price.
"(Endorsed): Mr. Johnson. His recet for eight Pound."
This document carries us back one hundred and thirty years,--just
after Braddock's defeat. This yeoman, John Johnson, the White Hunter,
must have been leaving this section in a hurry, or he would not have
sold his entire corn crop for eight pounds, and thrown about five
hundred acres of land into the bargain. It was a mere "improvement"
right that was sold.
James Armstrong warranted one hundred and fifty acres on the bend of
the creek, where Jacob Groninger, Sr. and Jr., now reside.
Above this, on the road and creek, Ralph Sterrett, the ubiquitous
land-jobber, warranted a tract of one hundred and twelve acres, July
22, 1762, where John Robison, Jr., now resides. It passed to Captain
Patterson.
David and William Bell warranted one hundred and eighty-seven acres
September 8, 1855, now owned by the heirs of John Robison and by Robert
Robison. William, David and Arthur were brothers. William married a
Bryson and lived on the island, and his sons were Robert and General
William Bell, of Mifflintown.
Above these on the creek came the survey of Alexander Maginty, and
above it to the north that of Clement Horrell; but as these are in
Beale, the reader is referred to that township, though all these
tracts along the creek are intimately connected and the lines changed
in later times.
Back of the Bell tract was the tract of two hundred and ninety-six
acres warranted to Robert Taylor September 28, 1767, afterwards held by
William Bell.
Below this, and reaching the creek back of Sterrett and Armstrong,
was the tract warranted to Harris and McKee, two hundred acres, June
10, 1762.
Above Harris and McKee, Ann Taylor warranted two hundred and fifty-
eight acres November 28, 1767.
The Johnson corn-field was in the northeast corner of the tract
surveyed to Sterrett, and as William Bell was down below, it is
probable that the Armstrong claims were based on his improvement. The
claim of the White Hunter was sold to James Mays, and the following
shows his disposition of it:
"Know all men by these presents that I, James Mays & Sarah mays, of
the township of Ralphe & County of Lancaster & province of
pennsylvania, hath Sold to Robert taylor, of the township of Dery and
County afforesaid, for and in Consideration of the sum of Eight pounds
Lawful Money of pensylvania, to me in hand paid for all our right and
title of a track of Land Situate on tuskarora Creek, formerly the Clame
of Johnston, formerly known By the name of the
white hunter, which we warant & Defend our part of Said Land from all
person or persons whatsoever, the honorable propriator excepted, as
wittness hands this fifteenth day of September, 1766.
"JAMES
MAYES.
"SARAH MAYS.
"Wittness present: Abraham Morrow, James Morrow (signed by mark), Jno.
Sample.
"(Endorsed): James Mayes, title."
On September 29, 1767, Robert Taylor entered a caveat against
Armstrong's survey, claiming that "the survey includes the best of the
land necessary to support his improvement." They had a hearing, but
the authorities confirmed Armstrong's title and told Taylor to fill out
his claim by extending back on the ridge. Taylor had fooled his time
away in not getting a warrant and having his land surveyed. The five
hundred acres of the White Hunter are embraced in the Sterrett, Robert
Taylor and Harris and McKee tract--McKee taking the place of Sample.
The latter, where Leonard Groninger now resides, reaches the creek
where Merchant John Patterson had a warehouse and built arks at the
mouth of a run on which Groninger has a saw-mill. Robert Taylor bought
out the heirs of Armstrong and had it patented October 6, 1802, under
the name of "Taylor's Hope."
On September 8, 1755, Surveyor Samuel Lyon cut out of the Bell tract,
at the east side, a small piece for a mill-seat for Robert Taylor--the
survey here extending over the creek-and Taylor at this time also held
the Sterrett survey. About 1803 Taylor had a mind to erect a mill here.
Merchant John Patterson, at Pomeroy's Mill, had an eye to business, and
blocked that little game of building an opposition mill by purchasing
the adjoining Sterrett-Taylor tract. Taylor and his wife and two
children were among those taken captives by the Indians in 1756, at
Bigham's Fort. How long he was held in captivity and bow he got back is
not recorded, but on July 14, 1758, he was examined, in connection with
Francis Innis and his sister, before the Provincial Council, as to the
behavior of one Lawrence Burk, who had married and lived among the
Indians during the war. [See Col. Rec. viii. 143-147.]
CAPTIVITY OF LEONARD GRONINGER.--Leonard Groninger and
Stephen Doughman lived near Lewisburgh prior to the Revolution. They
came to Tuscarora in 1797. The Doughmans lived on the Sterrett farm.
Groninger died in 1831; he had brothers named Jacob, Joseph and
Daniel; and their father's name was also Leonard. He and his wife were
both killed by Indians about the time of the Wyoming massacre.
Leonard, Jr., who came to Juniata, was married to Barbara, daughter of
George Moy, Sr., and had sons named Jacob, Henry,Leonard and George.
Jacob was born in 1796 and is still living. When Leonard was seventeen
years of age, a short time before his father's death, as they were
plowing, they saw some Indians cross the head of the field. They
alarmed the neighbors, who turned out and hunted two days for them, but
gave it up and returned to the fort. Groninger was with two men, Moore
and Himpleman. As they were passing through the woods they noticed
Himpleman's dog acting very queer, and then suddenly he ran away. As
Groninger cast his eye into the bushes at the side of the road, he
looked right into the muzzle of a gun. Instantly they were fired upon.
Moore ran back and escaped. Himpleman was killed. Groninger being
shot in the hand, ran a distance and sat down. The Indians came upon
him; one lifted his tomahawk to split his skull; another held it and
asked him if he was able to travel. He said, yes. They burned his
father's house. There was among them a white man named Conrad Houser,
who was the most cruel, and wanted to kill him. They went to the
Genesee Valley, near Rochester. In the spring they were put to planting
corn with the squaws and old Indians. After he had been with them nine
months, one day, while the warriors were on an expedition, one of the
captives named Reigert, while squaws were cooking dinner, stepped into
the edge of the woods, and throwing down his hoe, declared that he
would never hoe another hill of corn for the Indians. After a
consultation, he and Groninger struck for the heads of the Susquehanna.
When they came to the river they tried to make a raft, but, observing a
bark canoe floating down, they got into that and worked their way down
the stream for two days. At last they ran under a tree and were scraped
out and lost the canoe. After some time they found an old dug-out
canoe, which they used. They lived on tea-berries and sassafras leaves,
and they became very weak. Groninger had white swelling on his leg, and
could scarcely walk. Reigert found something to eat, but eat it
himself, saying to Groninger: "You won't live any way." At length
they were going to stop under a sheltering rock one night, and, on
entering, were alarmed by a rattlesnake, whose dormitory they had
invaded. Fleeing in terror, they again took to their boat, and, by the
current and their feeble efforts, moved on all night. At daylight
they were rejoiced to hear it heralded by the familiar barn-yard fowls.
They came to habitations and rejoiced once more in freedom, safety and
civilization. A man who rode up the river a mile or two that morning
was shot by pursuing Indians. The snake had saved them. Another man
who was with the same Indians returned in after-years and told how the
Indians made splints before the remaining captives, to burn the two
runaways as soon as they would be recaptured. Reigert visited
Groninger after he had removed to Tuscarora. Jacob's brothers moved to
Indiana, He married, first, Nancy Hench, and, second, Sidney, daughter
of Richard, son of Mountain Thomas Wilson. His sons are John, Leonard,
Jacob, Orrin, Henry, the first wife's children; and George, Samuel,
William, Benjamin and James N., all of whom are among our well-known
and substantial citizens."
THE FORGE ON LICKING CREEK.-From information gained from the
tax-lists, it is found that in 1791 Thomas Beale and William Sterrett
were in possession of one hundred and fifty acres of land, and in a
review of a road, reported at the March term of court, the forge of
Thomas Beale is mentioned. It was built upon the one hundred and fifty
acres mentioned above. In the next year the firm had four hundred and
fifty acres and a saw-mill additional. In 1800, Thomas Cromwell is
taxed with the same Property. After this it disappears from the lists.
In 1792 the forge was valued by the assessor at eighty pounds; in 1794,
at one hundred pounds; and 1799, at one thousand dollars. November 10,
1797, the forge was sold by Sheriff Andrew Nelson, and purchased by
Thomas Cromwell for ten hundred and twenty pounds. It included, with
the real estate, "a forge and two hammers." Three pounds equaled eight
dollars.
The pig-iron used in this forge was hauled to the Juniata from
furnaces in Centre County, and from the furnace owned by Cromwell, at
Orbisonia, and floated down the river in rafts to Patterson, and thence
hauled out to the forge. On one occasion a raft stranded in the river
above the island and a lot of pig-iron lost in the water. Pieces were
afterwards fished out by the settlers and used as andirons. The writer
well remembers the two pieces of this old pig-iron used on the
ancestral hearth. The forge was not a paying investment to Beale &
Sterrett. They were too far from base. William Sterrett was the son of
Ralph, the Indian trader, and said to be the first white child born in
the county. He was in Fermanagh 1785-89 and 1801-06, and in Milford
1790-1800; sheriff in 1785. Beale lived at Pomeroy's store, and built
the first mill west of the river. The forge seems to have crippled him
financially during life. When his father died he provided in his will
that all the money for which he and his son David had gone security
should be first paid out of the share coming to Thomas. When this was
done there were less than sixty pounds left of his patrimony. Among
the sums thus to be paid, in 180l,was one hundred and seventy-six
pounds to R. Coleman, of Cornwall Furnace, Lebanon County. Cromwell no
doubt was a creditor, which induced his purchase. Cromwell never ran
the forge after his purchase. Peter Shitz says it was standing yet when
he came to the county, in 1808. Soon after some men, who were gigging
with pine-lights one night, passed over the dam and dropping some fire
among a lot of dry drift wood about the forebay, the fire spread to the
buildings and all was consumed, Now only stone-heaps and charcoal-
colored ground marks the spot of this truly early and only iron
enterprise in this county. No other iron-works were ever started in
this
county.
PAPER-MILL ON LICKING CREEK.--There was a paper-mill built on
Licking Creek, seven miles west of Mifflintown, in 1817, by James
Norton and William Selheimer. As early as November, 1816, there was an
application for a road "from where a new paper-mill is about to be
erected on Licking Creek." Norton, having died, was succeeded by
William Kirk, in 1823, and upon the death of the other partner, his
son, Absalom, father of Colonel John B. Selheimer, of Lewistown,
succeeded in 1827, and under this firm the mill is still on tile tax-
lists of 1831, and valued at two thousand dollars. From 1832 to 1834
the paper-mill and saw-mill of Kirk & Selheimer are valued at one
thousand dollars; but from that time the paper-mill ceases to be
assessed. To get lumber a saw-mill was first erected, which was built
in 1817, which ran many years after the paper-mill ceased operations.
The firm kept a team, and their rags were gathered from all parts of
the surrounding country, wagons being the only means of such
transportation. It employed about half a dozen expert men, the same
number of women, and a number of boys; the latter were engaged in
assorting the rags. It was in active operation about twelve years.
Printing-paper, writing-paper and brown wrappings were made here. Some
of the early Juniata Valley newspaper enterprises received their
supplies from this mill.
THE JUNIATA TANNERY.--In 1834, Singmaster & Co. erected a large
tan-factory on Licking Creek, six miles west of Mifflintown. A large
dam gave ample water-power. Part of the time it went under the name of
Miller, Lippincott & Co., but the Singmasters had an interest all the
time, and William Miller, resident manager, was married to a sister of
the Singmaster brothers. The rock oak bark was taken from the adjoining
mountains to their very tops. Over five hundred cords were ground in
this factory in a year. The company kept a store, and also run a saw-
mill. Henry Singmaster, who remained on the ground until about 1863,
died recently at Stroudsburg, worth one hundred thousand dollars, which
he donated to the theological schools of the Lutheran Church. Since
the abandonment of the factory the buildings have decayed or been
removed, and only a saw-mill now remains.
In 1817 Milford lost one hundred and seventy five out of her four
hundred and forty taxables by the formation of Turbett; and in 1843 she
again lost one hundred and forty out of her four hundred and forty
taxables; in 1856 she again lost that part of her assessment roll
included in Patterson borough.
In 1832 the following pleasure vehicles were all that were in use in
Milford (including Beale) township: John Beale and John Patterson,
gigs; Benjamin Kepner, John Robison and Robert Sterrett, dearborns;
John Kepner, a carriage. There were two hundred and ninety-two
taxables and twenty-four single men. Lands were rated in seventeen
grades, at from twenty-five cents to thirty dollars per acre.
By act of March 14, 1851, part of Milford township above the run
below McCahan's school-house, in Licking Creek Valley, was made a
separate road district.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.--There are seven public schools in Milford.
1. Muddy Run, brick, built in 1881; cost, $1287.50. A frame building
previously stood near by, and a stone house, still older, stood
westward on the road near 1869; cost, $899.50. This accommodates the
region outside of Port Royal borough. In 1805 Benjamin Love taught
opposite McCulloch's Mill. 7. Jackson, built in 1856, burnt down August
24, 1878; rebuilt; is twenty-eight by twenty-four feet; cost, ten
hundred and ninety three dollars. This accommodates those who live near
the Tuscarora Creek. From the tax-lists we learn of the following
teachers in the township: "Magrahon, the school-master," 1792; James
Butler, 1824-29; William Knox, 1824-26; James Boggs, 1827; John Wright.
The number of children in Milford attending schools in 1884 was three
hundred and fifty.
Milford township has been the birth-place of a number of
distinguished men, among whom are Hon. James P. Sterrett, of
Pittsburgh, now one of the judges of the Supreme Court; Dr. John P.
Sterrett, his brother, a physician now of Pittsburgh; Rev. J. Hervey
Beale, the chaplain of the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, now of
Philadelphia; Rev. Thomas Robison, son of "Creek John." now in
Illinois; Rev. John Guss, now deceased, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church; and Rev. Professor Samuel Aughey, LL.D., of Lincoln, Nebraska,
who is certainly the greatest scientist, and probably the most varied
in the general scope of learning, of any man born in this county. His
works on the physical geography, botany and geology of Nebraska are
monuments of his genius and ability.
The graphics on this website are not in the public domain.
© 2013 by Michael Milliken
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