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Lincoln Township History

History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania by J. Simpson Africa Philadelphia, PA: Louis H. Everts, 1883, pp. 305-307. Contributed by Mike Gifford, Ken Boonie & Judy Banja

CHAPTER XLV.

LINCOLN TOWNSHIP.

LINCOLN, so named in honor of President Abraham Lincoln, was erected Aug. 18, 1866. Its territory was taken from the township of Hopewell, which now bounds it on the south. On the northwest it is bounded by Blair County, on the northeast by Penn, and on the southeast by Tod township. It lies between Terrace Mountain on the east and Tussey Mountain on the west, and, as in the case of Hopewell, it is traversed in a northeasterly and southwesterly direction by nearly parallel ridges and intervening valleys, making the surface quite uneven, except narrow areas along the principal streams. These ridges are Allagrippa, between which and Terrace Mountain runs Raystown Branch of the Juniata, Pine Ridge, Backbone, Warrior, and Mulberry Ridges.

Raystown Branch pursues a tortuous course through the township, along the base of Terrace Mountain, and into this empty Coffee Run, Tatman's Run, and other small streams that rise in and traverse portions of the township. Coffee Run was so named from the circumstance that on one occasion a party of surveyors who were camped near the stream spilled in it their coffee. Tatman's Run was named from Joseph Tatman, who was an early settler on it.

Agriculture is almost the sole industry of the township. The valleys and hillsides are covered with cultivated fields, while the mountain-sides and the crests of the lesser ridges are covered with large areas of timber, from which the wild denizens of the forest are not yet wholly exterminated.

Coffee Run village took its name from the stream which passes by it. It came into existence after the construction of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad, which has a station here. It has ten or fifteen houses, two stores, and a post-office. The first store was established by David Foster and James Gilliam in 1856. Several have carried on mercantile business at this place. The stores now here are conducted by Cunningham, Hess & Co., and Simon Cohn. Drs. Figart and Shultz have their offices in this village.

Pioneers and Early Settlers. - John Plummer came to Lincoln prior to the Revolutionary war, and settled on a farm on the Bedford road, near the southern boundary of the township. Early during the Revolution Mr. Plummer was killed by the Indians near Coffee Run, and at the same time one of his daughters, Nancy, was made a prisoner. She died before she reached Canada, whither the Indians were taking her. Eli, his son, then ten years of age, and Sarah, another daughter, were captured and taken to Canada, where the girl remained with the Indians during her life. The son was kept during three years and then liberated. He rejoined his mother and sisters, who had returned to Maryland, and subsequently came back to Lincoln. He was the progenitor of all the Plummers in Huntingdon County, and his descendants by four daughters still remain here.

Felix Lynn came to what is now Lincoln township in 1832, and settled near Coffee Run, where his son, David Lynn, now resides. He had ten children, of whom four - George, Nicholas, David, and Eliza (now Mrs. Spangler) - now reside in the township. Daniel Brumbaugh was a resident here more than half a century since. Of his descendants many still reside in the township.

James Entrekin, Sr., came here between 1790 and 1800, and settled at the mouth of Coffee Run. He established there a store, the first in this region, and conducted it till 1835, when he sold the business to his nephew, James Entrekin, Jr., who continued the business till 1852. During the first few years of his residence here he kept "bachelor's hall," but after a time he married Margaret Wilson. They had no children. He was a surveyor, and in the prosecution of that business he became well acquainted with the different localities in this region, and as time went on he became a very large landholder. He was during thirty years a magistrate, and a man of much influence; in Huntingdon County. His nephew, James Entrekin, Jr., came in 1829, and at first engaged with his uncle as a clerk. In 1835 he purchased the store, and continued the business during nearly twenty years. He was largely engaged in the purchase of land warrants and the location of wild land, and by the sale of such land he acquired a large fortune. He was distinguished for being the promoter of all measures of public interest. He was twice married; first to Margaret Steel, of Huntingdon, and after her death to Elizabeth S. Shirley, of Martinsburg. Of his children by his first wife only William S. Entrekin is living. He resides on the old homestead at Coffee Run. Two children by his second wife reside here. One is a son, Horatio T., and the other is the wife of John H. Hess, of Coffee Run.

JAMES ENTREKIN.

James Entrekin was the eldest son of Col. John and Nancy Entrekin, and was born Oct. 18, 1804, in Ross County, Ohio. His father was a farmer, and served in the war of 1812. About the year 1829 he came to Coffee Run, Huntingdon Co., Pa., in company with his uncle, James Entrekin, who was engaged in the mercantile business. He remained there until 1840, when he purchased his uncle's interest in the store, and continued in the business until the spring of 1852, when he sold out to J. T. Shirley Bro. On the 20th of February, 1833, he married Miss Margaret Steel, of Huntingdon. They had four children, and but one (son) is living, William S. He was then engaged in the real estate business; built three flouring-mills and the "Rough and Ready Furnace," was one of the principal proprietors of the Huntingdon and Broad Top Railroad, and after it was completed he was for many years principal director of the same. He was postmaster at Coffee Run for twenty years. Was a Republican, and always took an active part in politics; was school director for a number of years. In 1840 his wife, Margaret, died.

In 1854 he married Miss Elizabeth S., daughter of James Shirley, of Martinsburg, Blair Co. He had by his second wife two children, Anna M. and Horatio T.

William S. Entrekin remained with his father until he was of age. He was educated at the public schools of Coffee Run and Huntingdon. When he was about eighteen years old he began the stock business. In 1857 he embarked in the mercantile business, and in about a year sold out and commenced farming in connection with the stock business.

He built a storehouse and hotel in 1866 at Coffee Run, where he again carried on the mercantile business a few months and sold out. He has since been engaged in the real estate business and farming.

Mr. Entrekin has held a number of township offices. Has been school director for the past eight years. Is a member of the Reformed Church. On the 6th of November, 1877, he married Miss Martha Stoler. Two children have been born to them, James T. and Maria Margaret.

Of the other pioneers in the valley of the Raystown Branch the names are remembered of John Keith, who located near Tatman's Run. His sons, Thomas and James, and his daughter, Mrs. Peter Brumbaugh, are residents of the township.

Abraham Brumbaugh settled near Mr. Keith. His son Andrew resides on the old homestead.

John Donaldson located on Raystown Branch, a mile and a half below the mouth of Coffee Run. His son, John H., owns the farm his father settled on, and another son, Isaac, is a resident of the township.

Rev. Dewalt Fouse came to this township in 1833, and settled in the north part, near the borough of Marklesburg, where his son Samuel now resides. He was a farmer, and in 1842 he became a clergyman of the Reformed Church. He continued his ministerial functions till his death in 1873. Of his children, Adam, Samuel, and a daughter, Mrs. Anthony Shultz, reside in the township.

Henry Shultz came to Lincoln township at a very early date, probably about 1797, and settled on the farm now owned by David Fouse, about a mile and a quarter south from Marklesburg. He resided there till his death, which occurred in 1837. Of his eleven children, two sons, John and David, lived in this township till their death. None of the children of John are here. Of David's children, John, Henry, Anthony, Martin, and David are now residents of Lincoln township.

Summers came at about the beginning of the present century, and located on the farm now owned by his grandson, Jacob Summers. His sons, Henry and Jacob, succeeded him on the same farm, where both died. Of the children of Henry, Jacob resides on the old homestead, and David and Henry are residents of Lincoln township.

In 1870, Lincoln had a population of five hundred and thirty-two. In 1880 it was six hundred and four.

The township officers since its organization have been as follows:

CONSTABLES.

1867-68, Harris Richardson; 1869, William Stapleton; 1870-78, John Fulton; 1879-81, Jonathan Biddle.

SUPERVISORS.

1867, Anthony Shultz, Frederick Berkstresser; 1868, John H. Donaldson, Henry Shultz; 1869, Henry Shultz, J. Donaldson; 1870, David Fouse, Samuel Schell; 1872, I. Keith, N. Lynn; 1873, J. W. Books, Henry Shultz; 1874, John Beaver, Casper Fisher; 1875, Harris Richardson, David Lynn; 1876, John A. Shultz, C. Shoutz; 1877, Nicholas Lynn, David Fouse; 1878, Philip Garner, David Fouse; 1879, S. H. Grove, David Fouse; 1880, S. H. Grove, Samuel Schell; 1881, Jacob Harker, Henry Shultz.

Tanneries. - In very early times there was a tannery on Coffee Run, about midway between Coffee Run village and the mouth of the stream. The builder of this tannery is forgotten. More than forty years have passed since operations ceased there, and nothing of the establishment remains.

Another was on the Bedford road, about a mile north from Marklesburg. Operations there ceased in 1844.

In 1882, George Park and Daniel Brumbaugh commenced the erection of a tannery at Coffee Run. This, when completed, will have twenty-five vats.

Grist-Mill. - In 1844 a grist-mill was erected on the Shy Beaver Creek at its mouth by James Entrekin, Jr. It is a large framed mill, with four run of stones. It has been owned by Orbison & McMurtrie, Peter Brumbaugh, and the present proprietor, G. W. Baker, from whom it takes its name, Baker's mill.

Zion's Reformed Church. - This society was organized Oct. 28, 1843, by Rev. Theobald Fouse, with sixteen constituent members. During five years the congregation worshiped in a log school-house on the old Summers farm. In 1848 the present church edifice was erected on the Bedford road, about three-fourths of a mile south from Marklesburg. It is a framed structure, thirty-eight by forty-eight feet, with a seating capacity of four hundred.

Mr. Fouse continued to be pastor of this congregation till his death in 1873. He was followed by Rev. John H. Sykes, and he in 1878 by C. H. Reiter. The present pastor, Rev. H. F. Long, entered on his duties in November, 1881. The present membership is one hundred and fifty-five.

Brethren. - In 1876 a house of worship was erected at Coffee Run for the accommodation of the members of James Creek congregation residing there. It is an unpretentious wooden structure, with a seating capacity of two hundred.

There are in the township four schools, which in 1881 aggregated one hundred and eighty-five scholars, and were kept open during five months.

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