History of Butler County Pennsylvania, 1895

Lancaster Township, Chapter 55

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Transcribed by: Tina Kinser For an explanation and caution about this transcription, please read this page.
Link to a sketch of Lancaster Township and Middle Lancaster Borough from the Atlas of Butler County, G.M. Hopkins & Co., 1874.

Surnames in this chapter are:

BALDWIN, BARKLEY, BASSLER, BASTIAN, BAUDER, BAUMGARTNER, BEAM, BEIGHLEY, BELLIS, BIEBER, BIRD, BOYER, BRATCHI, BRECHT, BRENNER, CHRISTOPHEL, CONSTANTINE, COWDEN, CRITCHLOW, CROFT, DECHANT, DOMHOFF, DRUSCHEL, FALLS, FALLSTEIN, FETTER, FLINNERS, FREEMAN, GIBSON, BILBERT, GUTEKUNST, HALLSTEIN, HARTMAN, HEBERLING, HELSCHE, HIPPE, JOHNS, KING, KIRKER, KNAUTH, KNEISS, KOCH, LACHENMEYER, LADERER, LAUCH, LEUBBEN, LUTZ, LYTLE, MAIER, MARTIN,MATTHEWS, MC HENRY, METZ,MOECKENHAUT, MORRISON, MORTZ, MOYER, MUELLER, MUHLIESON, MUNTZ, MYERS, NEELY, PEFFER, PHILLIPS, POLLOCK, RAMSEY, REDPATH, REED, RICE, RIFFER, RUBY, SCHEEL, SCHEIDEMANTLE, SCHILLING,SCHNEE, SCHOENER, SCHOLAR, SCHWEITZERBARTH,SCHWOEN,SCOTT, SEACHRIST, SHAFFER, SHANOR, SONNE, STAUFFER, STEINMETZ, STERRETT, STEWART, SWINGLE, TEATS, TICE, UHL, WATERS, WEHR, WELSH, WINTER, ZIEGLER.

CHAPTER LV

LANCASTER TOWNSHIP

[p. 595]
ORGANIZATION -- PIONEERS -- POPULATION AND STATISTICS -- SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES OF THE PEACE -- CHURCHES -- MIDDLE LANCASTER -- OILBRONN

LANCASTER township was organized in 1854, its territory being taken from Connoquenessing township, directly west of which it lies. Owing to the rugged and broken character of its surface it was not settled or developed as rapidly as many of the other townships in the county, although the pioneers found their way within its boundaries at an early day, the first actual settler, a hunter, named Eli SCHOLAR, making his home here in the wilderness before the appearance of the surveyors in the township. When, in 1796, other settlers appeared here, the solitary hunter disappeared, and , in 1803, when the county was organized, not one of the inhabitants knew that such a man as Eli SCHOLAR existed.

The BEIGHLEYs may, however, be credited with pioneer honors, for a number of them came in 1796 and entered at once on the improvement of their lands. Henry, John, George and Peter BEIGHLEY were the pioneers; but John, Henry and Peter were the only land owners of the family in 1803. The story of Henry BEIGHLEY's first cabin, a short one, is worth repeating. he had a few logs in place when he left his work to visit a neighbor. While absent a new comer, seeing the unfinished cabin, took possession of it and was at work building when the original beginner appeared. The matter was submitted to a committee of pioneers, who decreed the title to be in BEIGHLEY, and so he completed the little home. A few days after, a band of Indians from Lawrence county tore down the cabin.

William MARTIN and family fled from Ireland, after the unsuccessful Rebellion of 1798, and, in 1801, settled on a 400-acre tract in the Yellow creek valley. Samuel STEWART was not the owner of the land in 1803, though he located here, with his large family, in 1801. He was a celebrated hunter, however, and made the chase profitable. Mrs. Anne FREEMAN and William FREEMAN, a single man, located a few miles north of the old Indian town, which stood near the present town of Harmony. The MORRISONs-John and William-came in 1801; but did not begin agricultural life until late in 1803.

[p. 596] Between the years 1808 and 1814, such pioneers as Henry BAUMGARTNER, Joseph NEELY, John NEELY, John RUBY, Abraham MOYER, Thomas RUBY, Jacob NEELY, Peter NEELY, John BOYER, who settled near the south township line, William BELLIS, who came in 1814 and died in 1851, and a few others found homes in the township. The true settlement of the township was not effected, however, until the Harmonists or Economists sold their estate here to Abraham ZIEGLE, in 1815.

In 1817 Henry RICE and George KNEISS moved up from Harmony, and Samuel MOYER from Northumberland county. Conrad MYERS, son of Samuel MYERS, was born here in 1820. In 1819 came David STAUFFER, from Westmoreland county, and Daniel RAMSEY, from Adams or Cranberry township. Gottlieb PEFFER, who came from Germany with his parents to Harmony in 1819, did not move into this township until 1839, requiring nearly 20 years to carry out his original intention of settling here. John SCOTT brought his family here from Lawrence county in 1820.Lewis TEATS, John LUTZ, John MYERS, Hosea KING and John SHAFFER were here in 1823. The MATTHEWS and Henry SCHOENER also came in the twenties. In the thirties a number of settlers located here, such as the SCHEIDEMANTLEs and the FLINNERs, thus completing or rounding out the list of pioneers.

The first enumeration of inhabitants was made six years after the township's organization, or in 1860, when there were 1,130 persons reported. In 1870 the number was 1,053; in 1880, 1,070, and in 1890, 946. The assessed value January 1, 1894, was $284,129, the county tax $1,136.50, and the State tax $226.27.

SCHOOLS AND JUSTICES

The first school was that on the ridge near the western line of the township. It was established prior to 1820 by Samuel POLLOCK the first teacher, and carried on subsequently by William BIRD, John WELSH and Henry FALLS. In 1818 a log cabin was erected west of Whitestown, for church and school purposes. It stood on the site of the "Stone Church," and there Nicholas MUHLIESON, John CONSTANTINE, John MC HENRY, and other German-American teachers wielded the birch successfully. In the "Thirties" John WELSH and Henry JOHNS were the common school teachers, while north of the present north township line, John STERRETT and Charles PHILLIPS taught a small class, made up principally of Lancaster township children. In June, 1893, there were 142 male and 113 female children of school age. The total moneys received for school purposes during the year 1892-93 amounted to $2,466.88, of which a sum of $922.49 was appropriated by the State.

The justices of the peace elected in Lancaster township from its organization to 1894 are named as follows:-Abraham MOYER, 1854, 1861 and 1866; James S. KIRKER, 1856; John H. GIBSON, 1859; James MORRISON, 1861; J.D. LYTLE, 1866; Henry LEUBBEN, 1871; John HEBERLING, 1872 and 1877; Jacob LADERER, 1876 and 1881; John MARTIN, 1879; J.S. RICE, 1881; W. H. LEUBBEN, 1885 and 1890; E. R. R. BOYER, 1886 and 1891, and J. L. MORITZ, 1893.

[p. 597]

CHURCHES

ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH dates its organization to 1818, when a log building was erected in the BEIGHLEY neighborhood west of Whitestown. In its membership the society dates back to 1796, when the pioneers located within the present limits of Lancaster township. Ten years after, a preacher named MOECKENHAUT held a meeting at John BEIGHLEY's ; then Rev. Jacob SCHNEE visited the settlement, and from 1808 to 1818, Rev. Michael J. STECK, of Greensburg, kept Lutheranism alive here. In 1818 a log house was erected for church and school purposes and within it, December 19, 1822, the communion was administered. On that date thirty-two individuals were confirmed in the Lutheran doctrine, and the whole membership, seventy-four, included all the Lutherans in a wide district. In 1821 Rev. J. C. G. SCHWEITZERBARTH made this one of his eleven appointments, walking from one church to the other in sabots and jeans. Later he extended his walking tours, begging en route for moneys to build churches for the Lutherans in Butler county. he succeeded in obtaining small sums, part of which he devoted to the erection of the "Stone Church," near Peter BEIGHLEY's house, the corner stone of which was placed June 24, 1829, on the site of old ZION's log cabin. Peter and Henry BEIGHLEY and John BASTIAN formed the building committee. The house was practically completed in 1830, but a fire destroyed the seats and benches. The new work was tedious, so that the society did not occupy the building until St. John's day, in 1831. Rev. SCHWEITZERBARTH remained until 1849, preaching in German and English on each Sabbath. In September, 1850, Rev. W. A. GETTER came as pastor; in 1852, Rev. B. H. MUNTZ, and in June, 1854, Rev. Anthony LACHENMEYER, who remained until November. He was followed by Rev. C. F. W. BRECHT in 1855. in March, 1856, the English Lutherans were given equal rights with the Germans, and Mr. BRECHT preached to both parties until 1864. The pulpit was vacant for about a year, when Rev. Herman GILBERT took charge. In 1867 Rev. J. G. BUTZ was appointed. On the English side, were Rev. Asa H. WATER, 1855; Rev. Lewis HIPPE, 1866; Rev. S. H. SWINGLE, 1874, and Rev. G. W. CRITCHLOW, 1879. Rev. R. R. DURST, who took charge of the Prospect church in connection with St. John's and that at West Liberty, remained until December 1888. In January, 1889, Rev. Nathaniel SHAFFER was appointed pastor of the three churches. W. MYERS is secretary of the society; Henry SHANOR, D. Z. KNIESS and W. L. KNIESS, deacons, and Lee CROFT, treasurer.

BALDWIN'S CHURCH of the "Thirties" had a regular membership and was generally well attended, for the owner of the town site was himself a preacher, who had his own gospel and extraordinary ideas of ethics. Sometimes he would convince his audience that they were in the "right pews now," and again he would advise each one to follow his will.

THE GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH was organized as a German society in 1840, with the following named members: Jacob SCHWOEN, F. BIEBER, Uhlmann A. WEHR, J. WEHR, F. FALLSTEIN, Jacob GUTEKUNST, C. UHL, A. SCHILLING, Jacob KOCH AND F. BEIGHLEY. In after years four of the MUELLLER family became members, as well as the large BARKLEY family, including the father and five sons, [p. 598] In 1841 a meeting house was erected through the aid of Mr. SCHWEITZERBARTH. The German pastors named in the history of St. John's church attended to this congregation. Rev. J.G. BUTZ, of Zelienople, is the present pastor. Revs. HELSCHE, BASSLER, TICE and RIFFER also preached here. Until the spring of 1892 services were carried on in the English language on alternate Sundays, but the English Lutherans separated that year, leaving the Germans the old building of 1841. There are forty families, numbering 225 communicants, in the membership.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH may be said to have been organized in 1841, when John SEACHRIST organized a class and was chosen leader. A log cabin was erected that year at Middle Lancaster, which was abandoned when the society disintegrated. In 1856-63 it was used by the Reformed church. After the war it was dedicated to manufacturing purposes.

ST. PETER'S REFORMED CHURCH of Middle Lancaster was organized in 1856, with Johannes SONNE, J. SCHEIDEMANTLE, Adam LAUCH, Friedrich MAIER, George DRUSCHEL, Jacob BRENNER, C. UHL, Johannes BAUDER and Samuel BRATCHI, members. For six years services were held in the dilapidated log cabin built by the Methodists some fifteen years before, but in 1863 the society took possession of their new brick meeting house, Rev. F. W. DECHANT being the pastor, as successor of the first pastor, REV. H. F. HARTMAN. The pastors since Mr. DECHANT left have been "Revs. E. F. WINTER and F. G. E. KNAUTH. Rev. C. SCHEEL, the present pastor, took charge November 1, 1875. The congregation numbers over 110 members. The society was incorporated in 1878.

THE ENGLISH LUTHERAN CHURCH was organized by Rev. G. BASSLER many years ago, but was carried on in connection with the German Lutheran society until May 8, 1892, when their new house of worship was dedicated.

MIDDLE LANCASTER

John RUBY made the first improvements on the site of Middle Lancaster in the "Twenties," his wife-Elizabeth BAUMGARTNER-assisting him in clearing the forest and building the first cabin. Lewis TEATS purchased the improvements, and he sold to Thomas B. BALDWIN, a freeman of color, who employed Henry JOHNS, the school teacher, to survey a town site for him in 1835. "Nigger Town" was the name applied to BADWIN's village by the people of the neighborhood, who kept aloof for some years. William BEIGHLEY then ventured to build a dwelling on the town site. A little later, Jacob CHRISTOPHEL established a tavern there, and, in 1844, opened a grocery store. Andrew METZ came in 1846, opened a store south of the hill and entered into friendly competition with CHRISTOPHEL, but in 1847 Middle Lancaster as the successor of George REDPATH, who had kept store in a small frame building erected by George BEAM, of Harmony. When the postoffice was established in 1847, with William BEIGHLEY, Sr., postmaster, there were four log cabins and one frame cabin in evidence of the town's progress. The BEIGHLEY's, Henry John, J. STEINMETZ, the blacksmith, and a sister of the colored preacher, BALDWIN, occupied the cabins, while the METZ family had possession of the one frame dwelling.

Many changes have marked the hamlet since 1847; frame houses supplanted [p. 599] the old log cabins years ago, and even enterprise to build one or more brick houses was not wanting. good church buildings have taken the place of SEACHRIST's log Methodist church, and large, frame houses, now bearing signs of age, were constructed for domestic, tavern and business purposes. The postoffice has been carried on uninterruptedly since 1847. henry LUEBBEN succeed BEIGHLEY as postmaster; then came Samuel REED, the merchant, and next W. E. KIRKER. The office was administered by a woman from July, 1865, to August, 1885, when Mrs. A. E. METZ was appointed. She was succeeded by Jacob LADERER, who removed here in 1864 from Zelienople and opened a store in the building erected in the fifties by Samuel REED. C. UHL located here in 1853, followed the shoemakers' trade and invested his savings in the erection of four or five houses. Frederick HALLSTEIN, also a shoemaker, was here in 1857. J. H. DOMHOFF, who came in 1869 bought one of them. The MORITZ family, represented by Leonard, the ZIEGLER family, by HENRY, and the LADERER family, by Jacob, are well know throughout the township. The mercantile circle embraces J. LADERER and A. E. METZ & Son, general merchants. A blacksmith shop, furniture store and one hotel constitute the business interest of the little village. Dr. W. R. COWDEN and son are the resident physicians. The churches already described and Lodge Number 648, I. O. O. F. of which Leonard MORITZ is secretary, and Philip FLINNER one of the charter members, constitute the social circle. The proximity of Harmony, Zelienople, Whitestown, Prospect and Portersville, all old villages, have militated against the advance of the little hamlet. That it has come down to this day is testimony to its vitality, and a promise that it may yet be one of the prosperous little boroughs of the county.

The old village of Oilbronn, two miles north of Harmony was established as an outpost of the Economites in 1808, when ten houses with stables and barns were erected there for an agricultural branch of that society. The place is now forgotten by the oldest settlers.

[End of Chapter 55 - Lancaster Township: History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown Co., Publishers, 1895]

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