Townships Boroughs Villages 

New Vernon Village 

New Vernon Village, in the northern part of the township, was formerly called Middletown, is still frequently called by that name, and was on of the older towns of the county in its settlement.  It has but one street, and presents an exceedingly venerable appearance, and the houses are all of wood, and look as if they had weathered the storms and blasts of a hundred years. 

In 1839 or '40, J. W. Montgomery opened a store there, and there have been various attempts, in the years following, to make the mercantile business successful at that point, but at present the village has no store. Two vacant store-houses stand facing each other on opposite sides of the street, but that is all. The country upon all sides of the town is fertile, the people are prosperous, and there is no good reason why a store in the village should not obtain a good trade, but former experiments have not resulted in encouraging merchants to go there.  

New Vernon Grange, No. 608, was organized in the fall of 1875, at the house of David Lynn, one mile-and-a-half west of New Vernon village. Ira Hoyt was elected master; A. F. Lynn, secretary; and Patterson Turner, overseer. There are, at present, about forty members, and the meetings are held at the residence of Ira Hoyt. 

Mills.—Steam saw-mills are located over various parts of the township, the first having been built, in the fall of 1854, by George Axtell, near the village; another, in 1868, in the south-western part, by McClure & Boyd; and another, in the summer of 1870, at the Corners, two miles south of, the village, and three miles from Sandy Lake. The latter was subsequently removed, and again located upon the old site, in the fall of 1874, where it still 


remains. A steam saw and shingle-mill was established in  1868, by L. J. Gill, on the site of the old Condit saw-mill. In 1870, Isaac Schofield was admitted as a partner with the builder, and an extensive business is performed there; four hands being employed.

 

Physician.—The only permanently located physician was Dr. J. R. Andrews, who settled in time village, in the spring of’ 1845, and remained there, with the exception of an absence of one summer, until his death, which occurred in 1867. His practice was very extensive in all the region around, from Oil Creek to Sheakleyville, and, aside from his regular drive, he obtained a large office business. His widow still [1877]  lives in the old place. 

Lusus Naturae. - - A case of a singular family history, in [New Vernon] township deserves special mention: Peter H. Burnett, and Bethesda, his wife, reside a short distance west of the village, and are both deaf-mutes. Mrs. was born in 1812, and Mr. Burnett in 1811, and were married in Sheakleyville, by Rev. David Waggoner, in 1840, and the result of the union has been seven children, all of whom have the senses fully developed. Two were, in the late war, in the 83d Pennsylvania infantry, and Samuel, the younger, was killed at the battle of Gettysburg, and the other, A. H. Burnett, served as a lieutenant throughout the contest, and is now secretary of the School Board in New Vernon, and resides in the village. 

The Population of New Vernon, by the census of 1870, was 796. The valuation of its school property is $4,200; the number of school children, 110 males, and 117 females. 

History of Mercer County, 1877, pages 76 and 77

 

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Copyright © 2004 Teri A. Brown, Walter Brown and Assoc. All rights reserved.