Townships Boroughs Villages 

Charleston

Charleston. Is the only village in the township, and lies in the southern part, upon the Lackawannock line, and contains one church, a hotel, store, blacksmith-shop, and several plain dwellings. It was originally laid off in village-iota by Henry Campbell, in the winter of 1838, which were sold for about twenty-five dollars each. Campbell had said that the first purchaser should have the honor of giving his name to the town, and Charles Beatty having purchased, it was accordingly called Charleston. In 1852, Dr. Charles Atchison located in the western part of the place, in a house belonging to Susan Jennings, but afterwards bought, and became a permanent resident.

In the same year, the first blacksmith-shop in town was built by Samuel Walters, and was purchased, three years later, by William Thompson. The post-office was established in 1858, and Ephraim Gundy was commissioned the first postmaster. The present store is owned by Samuel Fry, and was built, for the most part, in the 

summer of 1875. Years before, however, a store-building stood in the place, and a part of it is embodied in the present one. It was a frame building, erected by Alexander Campbell, and used a short time as a hotel by William Fry, but afterwards sold to a man named Woods, who, in turn, transferred it to Dixon & Gundy, who stocked it with goods, and commenced trade in 1856. Gundy remained in the place until 1872, when he disposed of his property to the present merchant. In 1861, a large frame hotel was erected by Levi Buchanan, in whose possession it remains.

The village lies upon the direct road from Mercer to Sharon, which was very extensively traveled previous to the advent of railroads and steam-engines in the county. Even at the present time, teams come and go regularly and often, and the trade of the little store is brisk, and the hotel often well-filled with guests.

History of Mercer County, 1877, page 50

 

Return to Charleston