Ellis' History of Mifflin County, Chapter 7, Wayne Township

From Franklin Ellis' History of That Part of the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys
Embraced in the Counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder. Philadelphia, 1886.

THE territory now comprised in Wayne, Oliver and Bratton townships was a part of Derry township, in Cumberland County, from its erection in 1767 until the division in 1782, when Wayne township was erected from the upper part of Derry. The following from the Cumberland County Court records of the July term, 1782, shows the action of the court and the boundaries then made:

"Upon the petition of the inhabitants of Derry township to the court, setting forth that they labour under considerable disadvantages, from the great extent of their Township and the inconvenience of serving in public offices for the same, met by appointment on Thursday, the 13th day of June, 1782, and chose Arthur Buchanan, Samuel Holliday, John Keever, James Ross, Joseph Westbrook, William Armstrong and Mathew Wakefield to form a line to divide said township into two equal parts, and that they mutually agreed the run called Brightfield's Run should be the division line, from the rise of the main branch thereof untill the mouth, and from thence in the course that it enters the river Juniata, directly to the mountain. And praying the Court that the said Division may be confirmed and entered of record according to the aforesaid line, and that the inhabitants of the upper division desire the name of their township may be distinguished by the name of Wayne township, which division having been taken into consideration by the Court, is accordingly approved of and Confirmed, and that the upper division thereof be distinguished by the name of Wayne township."

At that time the township line ran from Concord Gap to a point on the river between Galloway's Ford (now Wharton's) and McVeytown, and that portion remained a part of Huntingdon County until annexed to Mifflin County by act of Assembly, April 15, 1834. At the April term of court, 1835, Oliver township was stricken from Wayne, and embraced the territory of Oliver and Bratton, reducing it to its present limits.

An incident occurred in 1791, at Samuel Drake's ferry-house, in the Narrows, that shows the feeling that existed at the time Of the dispute over the boundary line. When Sheriff William Patton, of Huntington County, was "executing some writs in the disputed territory, he must needs pass through a small corner of Mifflin on his return home. This was at Mount Union, where the ferry-landing was a few rods below the point where the county-line left the north side of the river. The Mifflin County men gathered, preceded the sheriff on their own side of the river, hid in the Ferry Tavern, and as he came over the river they told his prisoner he was free, being now out of the sheriff's bailiwick, and they then arrested the sheriff and lodged him in the jail at Lewistown, from which he was released under a writ of habeas corpus."

Considerable dispute was maintained for several years over the boundary line between it and Huntingdon County, and in 1792 the assessment was made in two parts, one of which was of the disputed territory. An act of Assembly passed March 29, 1792, altered the boundary line and settled the dispute. (A further account will be found in the chapter on the erection of Mifflin County, which shows the changes in the county line.)

The following are the names of the persons who were assessed in Wayne township in 1783, with the number of acres, mills and other interests, and the assessment of 1790, the first year after the erection of Mifflin County:

John Allen, 50; Benjamin Armstrong, 200; William Brown (Carlisle), 490; James Bratton, Sr., 180; William Bratton, Esq., 200; John Bratton, 150; John Blair, 60; George Bratton, Sr., 75; George Bratton, Jr., 75; Edward Bratton, 60; John Beatty, 163; James Bratton (Little), 100; John Brown (weaver), 100; John Brown, Sr., 300; Captain Robert Burns, 450; William Bratton, Sr., 80; James Bratton (Big), 100; Mathias Breckney, 30; John Bell, tan-yard; Richard Coulter, 200; Thomas Collins, 60; John Carlisle, 50; James Creswell, 160; James Christy, 100; John Culbertson, 200; Robert Crawford, 165; Joseph Corbet, 50; John Cunningham, 150; Robert Creswell's heirs, 100; Daniel Carmichael's heirs, 167; John Carmichael, 308, 2 stills; Joseph Corbet, 40;

William Dixon, 50; James Dixon, 65; Samuel Drake, 50; Henry Dickson, 149; Patrick Dunn, 200; Daniel Duncan, 200; Robert Elliot, 30; John Elliot, 475; Robert Forgey, 168; George Frye, 375; Samuel Galloway, 95; Joseph Galloway, 100; Jacobus Gonsales, 230; William Giffin, 50; Joseph Graham, 20; George Gilston, 230; Francis Hamilton, 100; Henry Hubble, 100; James Huston, 200; William Herron, 50; Samuel Holliday, 200, grist and saw- mill and still; Gordon Howard, 53; Henry Hanawalt, 250; Thomas Hunter, 200; Margaret Hamilton, 50; Widow Howard, 350; George Irwin, 700; John and William James, 100; William James, 150; Lancelot Johnston, 100; James Johnston, Sr., 130; William Jones, 10; Alexander Jacobs, 50; Edward Johnston, 104; Richard Johnston, 50; Andrew Junkin, 80; William Junkin, 113, grist-mill; William Lauther, 120; James Lyon, 200; James Morrison, 40; Alexander McKinstry, 150; George Mitchell, 311; James McGlaughlin, 15; Alexander McHatton, 75; Archibald McClosky, 100; William Marden, 100; John Maughen, 70; John Moore, 100; John McClelland, 200; Joseph McKinstry, 150; Widow Moore, 170; Samuel McKeehan, 251; James Macklin, 80; Alexander McDonald, 200; Daniel Moore, 300; Widow McMullin, 100; David McMurtrie, 170; John McDowell, 50; Samuel Mitchell, 30, 2 stills; Samuel Moorhead, 100; Joseph Neeklin, 100; Patrick Nugent, -; John Oliver, schoolmaster; Solomon Palmer, 100; John Rankin, 135; James Ross, 300; John Rodgers, 100; William Robinson, 200; Jacob Sower, 100; William Scott, 200; Arthur Starr, 212; Marshall Stanley, 324; Robert Samuels, 200; Archibald Stewart, 200; James Sterrett, 170; Alexander Stewart, 200; John Taylor, 50; William Thompson, 70; William Taylor, 100; John Uncles, 545, saw-mill; Samuel Wharton, 120; Joseph Welden, 100; Stephan White, 250; James White, 100; John Wakefield, 146; Mathew Wakefield, 222; James Wilson, 75; Joseph Westbrook, 120; Samuel Weyburn, 80.

"Adams, David, 1h, lc.
Armstrong, James, 200a.
Allen, John, 200a; h, 1c.
Bratton, George, Sr., 2h, lc.
Bratton, Edward, 150a, h, lc.
Bratton, Isabella, 100a, h, lc.
Bratton, George, Jr., 317a, 2h, 3c.
Bratton, William, sailor, 100a.
Bratton, James, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Bratton, William,* 100a, 2h, 2c.
Brown, John, Sr., 200a, 2h, 2c.
Brown, John, Jr., 100a, 2h, 2c.
Brown, William* (Carlisle), 100a.
Burns, Robert, captain, 750a.
Carmichael, John, 306a, 3h, 4c, 2 negroes, 1 still.
Carmichael, Daniel, heirs, 200a.
Christy, James, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Carlisle, John,* 50a.
Cox, Charles, 100a.
Crawford, Robert, 160a, 2h, 2c.
Cunningham, John, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Corbet, Joseph, 200a, 2h, 2c.
Craig, John, h, 1c.
Caghey, John, h, lc.
Coulter, David; 170a, 2h, 2c.
Culbertson, John, 200a, 2h, 3c, 1 fulling-mill.
Dixon, James, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Dixon, Henry, 149a, 2h, 2c.
Dixon, William, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Depugh, Daniel, 120a.
Douglass, William, 260a, h, lc.
Duncan, Daniel, 500a.
Drake, Samuel, 150a, 1h, 2c.
Elliot, Robert, 50a, 2h, 2c.
Forgey, Mary, widow, 82a, lc.
Forgey, Robert, 82a.
Frey, George, 400a.
Gunsaulus, widow, 300a, 2h, 2c.
Graham, Joseph, 50a, h, lc.
Galbreath, George, 400a, h, lc, 1 saw-mill.
Hanniwalt, Henry, 300a, 2h, 2c.
Humphrey, William, 70a, h, 1c.
Huston, William, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Huston, John, 2h, 2c, 1 still.
Huston, Abigail, widow, 200a, 3h, 3c.
Holliday, Samuel, 200a, 3h, 3c, 1 negro, 1 grist-mill.
Hamilton, Francis, 150a, 2h, 2c.
Hamilton, Nathaniel, 2h, 1c.
Hamilton, Margaret, 50a.
Henderson, Robert, 2h, 2c.
Hunter, William, 200a, 2h, 2c.
Harper, William, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Irwin, George, 800a.
Jones, William, 200a, h, lc.
James, John.* 100a.
Junkin, William, 229a, 3h, 3c, 1 mill.
Johnston, Lancelot, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Johnson, James, 100a, 2h, 2c.
Johnson, John, Jr., 1h, lc.
Johnston, James, Rev, 200a, 3h, 3c.
Johnson, Edward, 100a.
Jacobs's, Alexander, heirs; 150a.
Lyon, John, h, 2c.
Lyon, James, 200a, 3h, 4c.
Lindsey, John, 200a.
McLaughlin, Duncan, 100a, h, lc.
McLerty, Samuel, 100a, h, 1c.
McLerty, John, 200a, 2h, 2c.
McKee, John, 250a, 2h, 2c.
McVey, William, 20a.
McVey, John, 250a, h, 6c.
McVey, Enoch, 100a.
McKeehan, Samuel, 250a, 211, 2c.
McDowel, John, 340a, h, lc.

McMurtry's, David, heirs, 175a.
Moore, John, 150a.
Moore, Isabella, 200a, 3h, 2c.
Mardon, William, 100a, 3c.
Mardon, Jonathan, 70a, 2h, 1 still.
Mahon, Alexander, 70a.
Mitchel, George, 300a, 211, 2c.
Maclin, James, 100a and 100a Agnew's land, 2h, 2c.
Oliver, John, 200a, 2h, 3c, 1 still.
Oashel, Henry, 3h, 2c.
Patton, Robert, 100a.
Postlethwaite, William, 2h, 2c.
Ross, James, 300a, 2h, 2c.
Ross, William, 100a, 2h, lc.
Rankin, John, 100a, h, 2c.
Robison, William, 400a, 2h, 2c, 1 negro, 1 still.
Robison, Alexander, 150a, 1h, lc.
Stephan, Matthew, Rev'd, 125a, 2h, 2c.
Stackpole, James, 50a, 1h, 1 still.
Stuart, Widow, 200a, 1h, 2c.
Stuart, Archibald, 143a.
Simpson. John, h, 1c.
Smith, Thomas, Esq., 500a.
Scott, William, 300a, 2h, 2c.
Sunderland, David, 2h, 2c, 1 still.
Turner's Jane, Heirs, 100a.
Taylor, Widow, 50a, 2h, lc.
Unkles, John, 300a, h, 3c, 1 grist-mill, and 1 saw-mill.
Westbrook, Levi, 100a, 1h, lc.
Walker, James, h, lc.
Wilson, James, 150a.
Wilson, Alexander, 200a.
Wakefield, William, h, lc.
Wakefield, John, 196a, 211, 2c, 1 saw mill.

Those marked thus (*) and the following appear the next year on what is called the "Disputed Part," being claimed also as a part of Huntingdon County:

"Armstrong, William, 211, 3c.
Bratton, James, Jr., 2h, 2c.
Bratton, Samuel, 150a, 211, 4c.
Bratton, John, 250a, 211, 9c, 1 negro and 140a on Sugar Bottom.
Bratton, William, Esq., 200a, 211, 2c, 1 saw-mill.
Beard, John, 100a, 211, 3c.
Beatty, John, 100a, 211, 2c.
Carmichael, James, 200a, 211, 2c.
Caruthers, James, 180a, h, 2c.
Collins, Thomas, 50a, 2h, 2c.
Carlisle, John, 80a, 211, 2c, 1 still.
Coulter, Joseph, Jr., 3c, 1 still, 1 tan-yard.
Coulter, Joseph, Sr., 100a, 1h, 2c.
Criswell, John (mountain), 120a, 2h, 3c.
Criswell, John, 80a, 211, 2c.
Criswell, Michael, 80a, h, 2c.
Fanetus, Ferd, 1h, 2c.
Galloway, Joseph, 200a, h, 3c, 1 tan-yard.
Hubble, Henry, 100a.
Mitchell, Widow, 200a, 3h, 4c.
Mortland, Alexander, 100a, 2h, 2c.
McKinstry, Alexander, 250a, 2h, 3c.
McConaughey, Daniel, 85a, h, 2c.
Nugent, Patrick, 100a, 1h; 4c.
Romach, George, 2h, lc.
Stanley, Marshal, 170a, 2h, 4c.
Stanley, Nathaniel, 2b, 2c.
Stallford, Alexander, 50a, lc.
Wharton, Samuel, 120a, 2h, 3c.
White, Thomas, 150a, 2h, 2c.

Note - In 1792 the "unseated" list has Arthur Nugent 50a. on Licking Creek, and "Samuel Wallace and Company, 1000a on the head of Licking Creek, near the road leading from Wayne township to Carlisle."

EARLY SETTLERS. - The first land located in the present limits of Wayne township was warranted to Barnabas Barnes February 14, 1755, the second day of issue of warrants of acceptance for the lands granted by the treaty of 1754. It was described as "situate on the north side of the Juniata River, about a quarter of a mile below the falls." The original tract contained two hundred and twenty-seven acres and was three hundred and fifty perches on the river front. In the patent it was named "Walnut Bottom." Barnes conveyed the tract to Richard Tea, who, December 9, 1767, sold it to Daniel Carmichael, whose brother, John Carmichael, had located one hundred and fifty acres of land near the place October 4, 1762, and who, in 1783, was in possession of three hundred and eighty acres and two distilleries. His name does not appear in the assessment of 1793. Daniel died in 1778 and left his property to his sons, James and Duncan, who, September 9, 1795, sold it to Joseph Dysart and moved to Tennessee. He lived and died upon the place and left four sons, - William, James, John and Joseph. William married Mary, the daughter of Duncan Carmichael. Their son, James C. Dysart, now lives on the Cunningham tract. An Alexander Dysart died in 1798, aged seventy-three years, and is buried in the old Bratton grave-yard.
James Ross, Hugh Brown, John Carmichael, John Miller and Christian Hamilton all located

land and settled upon it in 1762. Of these, James Ross, a native of Ireland, came to York County about 1760, when fourteen years of age, and soon after to what is now Wayne township, and located one hundred acres of land on the south side of the Juniata River, on land now owned by John Saylor. His warrant bears date February 3,1762. He soon after located other lands adjoining, and in 1783 was in possession of three hundred acres. He had two sons, James and David, who settled on the homestead, and about 1802 sold it to John Hanawalt. General John Ross, who settled in McVeytown, was a son of James Ross. Of the daughters were Mary (Mrs. John Criswell), Sarah (Mrs. John Postlethwait), Martha (Mrs. William Jenkins), Elizabeth (Mrs. William McKinstry) and Jane (Mrs. David Criswell). The most of these, with their husbands, moved to Westmoreland and Armstrong Counties, in this State, where they settled and where their descendants now reside. General John Ross, settled at McVeytown, was engaged in the construction of the canal and in various branches of business in the vicinity. William Jenkins, who married Martha, one of the daughters of James Ross, settled in the township and died in 1826. They had three sons, - David, James and Robert. David settled on the Juniata River in 1826 and owned where the Vineyard Farm and Station now are. In 1845 he purchased the four hundred acre tract where he now lives, which was the tract taken up in 1762-69, as will be hereafter shown. He has three sons, James W., David B. and John R.-and four daughters, of whom Martha married Theodore C. Bennett and resides in Illinois; Anna, Sarah and Mary reside at home. Of the sons James settled in Warren County and John in Juniata County; David B. was in the late war, and of the Twelfth Pennsylvania Cavalry. He is now at the homestead.

David Jenkins, the grandfather of David Jenkins who now lives on the Juniata near the old Galloway's Ford, was a native of Donegal, Ireland, and came to this country as an officer in the command of General Braddock, and was with the army when defeated, July 9, 1775. A few years after, he came to this region of country and taught school in various parts of Mifflin County. He married a Miss Miller, a cousin of General Anthony Wayne, in whose father's family she was brought up. Their children were William, the father of David Jenkins, now of Wayne township; James in early life enlisted with the expedition that went out with Aaron Burr (he was also in the War of 1812, and was wounded at Sandusky); Robert was also in the War of 1812 and was killed at Black Rock; David, the youngest son, emigrated to Ohio.

The farm now owned and occupied by David Jenkins, on the south side of the Juniata River, was warranted on several applications to William Brown. The first application was dated August 3, 1769, and warrant of acceptance issued February 23, 1785. A warrant was issued October 12, 1784. These two tracts contained one hundred and eighty-six acres, and in the patent dated March 15, 1785, are named Teague's Ramble. Another tract, containing one hundred and twenty-seven acres was warranted to William Armstrong, June 1, 1762, and conveyed to William Brown, July 26th, 1765.

This tract in the patent, dated March 9, 1786, is named Long Bottom. Another tract of twenty-eight acres was warranted to William Brown February 23, 1785, on application made August 3, 1769. These tracts were all allowed six per cent. for roads. The William Brown here mentioned is not the one known as Judge William Brown, of Kishacoquillas Valley, but is always mentioned in the records as William Brown, of Carlisle, where he lived. On one of the tracts was an improvement by a man by the name of Felty, and the site of his log cabin is still known to some of the old residents; near it is a spring known to this day as Felty's Spring. George Brown, a son of William, came to the place and made some improvements on the tract, and lived at the house of George Galloway, who resided below, on the river. He was a tanner and built a tannery on the Galloway farm, which he operated several years. Later in life he resided at Baltimore. David Jenkins rented the farm in 1826 and occupied it for nineteen years, and in 1845 purchased it

Patrick Dunn made an improvement on the William Brown farm, which was bought by Brown at sheriff's sale in 1785. He lived on part of the present David Jenkins farm and soon after moved away.

Hugh Brown took out a warrant for two hundred and fifty acres of land June 15, 1762, on the south side of the river, and later took up other lands on the north side of the river, where Newton Hamilton now stands and where he lived. He was killed at the place by the Indians, who captured, at the same time, Hester Hamilton, his half-sister, who afterwards married Colonel William Bratton. A portion of the land came to his half-sister Hester and Margaret, the last of whom inherited the tract on which Newton Hamilton now stands. The village was laid out by her and she lived and died there. A portion of the Hugh Brown tracts, in 1813, passed to Lukens Atkinson.

On the 4th of June, 1762, John Miller took out a warrant for ninety-four acres of land. He sold it, in 1777, to James Carruthers, who, in 1795, conveyed it to Daniel Secrist. It later passed to John Purcell and to Elijah McVey (son of John McVey, the founder of McVeytown), who left it to his son, John R. McVey, who now owns it.

Christian Hamilton, on June 5, 1762, took up one hundred and eight acres of land, adjoining Miller's, known as the Jonathan Leslie farm, and now owned by L. B. Postlethwait.

George Galloway took out a warrant for one hundred and fifty acres of land February 28, 1766, on the south side of the Juniata River, at the place long known as Galloway's Ford, and later as the Wharton property. He lived on the place till his death. In 1783 his son Samuel owned ninety-five acres and Joseph owned one hundred acres; a part of other land he had purchased had been sold. Samuel Galloway, September 3, 1785, took up one hundred and twenty acres, and May 9th, the same year, warranted sixty acres. Joseph, at the same time, in May took up thirty acres. Joseph lived on the homestead tract. He was much given to speculation, and for that purpose would sell parts of the tract, which Samuel Wharton, his neighbor, was always ready to buy. The latter eventually possessed the whole tract. Joseph had sons, - William, John, George, James and Joseph, - who moved to the West after the sale of the property and took their father with them.

William Scott, on the 22d of February, 1776, took up one hundred acres of land on the site of Atkinson's Mills, and later warranted one hundred acres more at the head of the Long Hollow, now owned, in part, by William Lukens and Benj. Rhodes. He had sons, - Matthew, Hugh, William and Hamilton. They were men of great size and strength and settled there for a time. On the 15th, of September, 1812, Lukens Atkinson, of Thompsontown, purchased of Susanna, Matthew and Hamilton Scott a tract of land, and, in 1817, purchased one hundred and eight acres of land adjoining of William Armstrong, James Crisswell and Elias W. Hale. On this and land on Beaver Run he built a frame grist-mill, known as Atkinson's Mill.

Arthur Starr, in 1783, was in possession of two hundred and twelve acres of land, near the McVey and Postlethwait farms, which was sold to Daniel McConahey and Daniel Secrist.

Joseph Corbet in 1783 was assessed on forty acres of land, and in 1793 on two hundred acres. On the 28th of January, 1795, he warranted three hundred acres. His son William warranted one hundred acres August 25, 1803, and one hundred acres December 15, 1808. They both died on their homesteads, and the land is in part owned by West Shafer and John Lane.

John Cunningham, native of Ireland, was assessed in 1783 on one hundred and fifty acres of land on the north side of the Juniata River, where his grandson, James C. Dysart, now owns. He had two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. The former married James Carmichael, and Mary married Duncan Carmichael, a brother of James, and both sons of Daniel Carmichael, who settled near Cunningham in 1762. They removed West in 1802; and in 1810 Duncan returned with his family. His daughter married William Dysart, the father of James C. Dysart, the present owner of the farm.

Samuel Wharton came into possession of the Gallaway tract, as before mentioned. His sons were Henry, James and Samuel. Henry settled in Sugar Valley, where his son George B. Wharton now lives; James settled on the homestead, and died there; Samuel settled near there, and his widow now lives opposite Newton Hamilton.

William Morrison was living in the township before 1783. His son John settled on the farm now owned by George Cowdin. His sons were John, Joshua, James and William. Joshua settled on the farm adjoining and below his father's, where his son Elijah settled. The latter was a judge of the courts of Mifflin County, and his widow still resides on the place. James settled on the south side of the river, opposite the island, where A. Hazlett now resides. In 1783 he owned forty acres. Squire John Morrison, of Newton Hamilton, is a son. The James Morrison farm was formerly owned by James Carruthers, and in 1802 was sold to Peter Secrist, who died there and, whose family afterward moved West.

Samuel McKeehan in 1783 was assessed on two hundred and fifty acres of land, including the island and land opposite and above Newton Hamilton. He died on the farm about 1800 and left sons, - Samuel, Alexander, John, Benjamin, David and James. The latter died upon the farm and the others emigrated.

Francis Hamilton in 1783 owned one hundred acres of land on the river, near the upper end of the township, and in 1793 Francis Hamilton owned two hundred acres and Nathaniel Hamilton owned three hundred acres. A part of it was sold to Samuel Drake and a portion of it is now owned by David Coplin's heirs.

In 1783 Samuel Drake was in possession of fifty acres of land on the Juniata River at Jack's Narrows. April 13, 1787, he purchased of Francis Hamilton one hundred and twelve acres in the Long Hollow. At the place in Jack's Narrows he established a ferry, built a house, which he opened as a tavern and ferry-house, and kept for many years. About 1840 he re-moved to Newton Hamilton, where he died. His sons continued the ferry for several years after, when they, too, moved to Newton Hamilton. His daughter Ellen married Thomas Postlethwait, who settled in the township.

The old tavern-house was a noted stopping-place for travelers and teamsters. It was at this house, in 1791, that the dispute occurred concerning the boundary line, which resulted in the arrest of the sheriff of Huntingdon County. The tavern was on the highway from Baltimore to Huntingdon, which was for the first quarter of the present century the principal route of traffic. In 1829-30 Thomas Cromwell, the proprietor of Winchester Furnace, laid out a town opposite the ferry-house, called Clintonville, and a little later a wharf was built at the place for the better shipment of pig-metal from the Winchester and Matilda Furnaces.

William McMullen settled on the Juniata about 1776, and in 1783 Widow McMullen was assessed on one hundred acres of land, now owned by John Rhodes.

The first of the name of McKinstry who located land in the township was Alexander McKinstry, who in 1768 had two hundred acres and in 1783 was assessed on one hundred and fifty acres of land. On November 6, 1786, Samuel and John warranted one hundred and thirty acres, and on February 28, 1787, Alexander warranted two hundred and eighty-seven acres, and James, May 3d, the same year, warranted eighty acres. In 1793 the name of Alexander McKinstry only appears. He died upon the farm which now is owned by Samuel Harvey. He had sons, - Alexander, William, John and James. Alexander settled in Bratton township, where Jonas Harshbarger now lives. William married a daughter of James Ross and settled in this township.

In 1783, John Unkles was assessed on five hundred and forty-five acres of land in Wayne township, and in 1793 on five hundred acres of land and two mills. This land was on the north bank of the Juniata River, through which flowed Beaver Run. It was granted in two warrants, one of which, granted to William Meek on an order of survey March 2, 1775, contained one hundred and ninety-eight acres, and was sold by him to William Chambers, who sold it to John Unkles June 26, 1783. The other tract of three hundred and sixty-nine acres

was warranted to John Forsythe, who sold to James Armstrong May 27, 1776. He conveyed it to John Unkles June 27, 1783. Unkles was a millwright and built upon Beaver Run, at the place now known as Heister's Mill, a grist-mill and a saw-mill, which he operated until 1794, when he leased the mills to Benjamin Bumberger, who had a grist-mill in Greenwood township (now in Juniata County). On the 18th of January, 1800, Unkles sold the property to Samuel Winchester, who, June 7, 1803, sold thirteen acres of it to Philip Shoop, and the same date sold the remainder to Thomas Cromwell, the proprietor of the Winchester Furnace, in Huntingdon County, with the exception of fifty feet square, "which is now made use of for a burying-ground."

On the 18th of May, 1814, Cromwell sold part of this land and other lands, to the amount of three hundred and ninety-eight acres, to Abraham Copeland, or Coplin, adjoining lands of William McMullen and Pitts Brown. On the same date Cromwell sold a part of this land and other land to Matthias Copeland, or Coplin, embracing two hundred and forty acres on Beaver Dam Run. A part of this last tract was warranted to Samuel Meek April 1, 1767. In 1809, Matthias Coplin was assessed on a gristmill and a saw-mill. The property is now the Heister Mills.

John Allen and William Sunderland, in 1799, owned lands over against the hills on the north side of Long Hollow. Allen sold, January 7, 1799, two hundred acres of land adjoining Sunderland's and Allen's other land. It was warranted, in 1793, to James Holmes. David Sunderland warranted one hundred acres, October 16, 1792, and April 13,1800, two hundred acres additional. He died in 1808 and left his property to his children, - Mary (Carlisle), Samuel, William, Sarah (Neats) and David; to the latter most of the real estate was left.. The descendants of the family are still living in that part of the township.

Colonel William Postlethwait, who settled at Mount Union, and his two half-brothers, Thomas and Samuel, were the first of the name in the county. They settled here about 1800. Colonel William had three sons, - William, Thomas and Joseph. The last two settled on the old Major Irwin property. Thomas and Samuel Postlethwait settled at the head of Long Hollow, where William Postlethwait now lives. Samuel, a son of Squire Thomas Postlethwait, lives near Heister's Mill.

A Thomas Postlethwait married Ellen, a daughter of Samuel Drake. In 1829 there was a John Postlethwait in Newton Hamilton, who kept the "Logan House;" in 1836 Thomas J. Postlethwait, Jr., Joseph Postlethwait and Samuel D. Postlethwait, who were carpenters in the same village.

The property now owned by David Stine, of McVeytown, which lies north of Atkinson's Mills, was once the property of James Macklin. In 1783 he was assessed on eighty acres. He married Elizabeth Johnson, a daughter of John Johnson, a Revolutionary soldier, who died here at the age of one hundred and four years, and was buried in the old Bratton grave-yard. He probably resided with James Macklin in his old age, as his sons were all in the Revolution, after which they emigrated West and South.

James Macklin, on November 9, 1785, warranted three hundred and two acres, and in 1793 was assessed on one hundred and fifty acres, and in 1800 he was owner of about three hundred acres. In March, 1803, he bought one hundred acres adjoining his other land of the executors of John Postlethwait, who lived in the eastern part of the State. This tract was warranted by Joshua Davis before 1768, and purchased by John Agnew, of Carlisle, in April, 1773, of Ephraim Blaine, high sheriff of Cumberland County, as the property of Davis. Agnew sold to John Postlethwait April 14, 1802. James Macklin lived and died upon the estate in 1819. In 1816, George, the only son, married Sarah Witherow and leased the farm and later purchased it. The daughters of James Macklin were Nancy Gonzales, Prudence Lukens, Margaret McCartney, Mary McLaughlin, Elizabeth Witherow, wife of Samuel Witherow, Jane Atkinson, wife of Lukens Atkinson, and Lydia, the wife of George Dull.

George Macklin died in 1824 and left three sons, - William, John and George. William and George engaged in the mercantile business in

McVeytown, where William died, and his sons continued the business. George went later to Harrisburg and from there to the West, where he is still living. After the death of George Macklin, his widow married Cyrus Stine, who settled on the Macklin estate, now owned by David Stine, their son.

Samuel Witherow, on the 12th of October, 1819, made an article of agreement with David Lukens for forty-one acres of land on Beaver Run, with privilege of water for a race. He built upon the run a saw-mill, and March 17, 1820, he purchased it. On April 3, 1826, he purchased seventy-four acres additional. In 1825 he had in operation at the place the saw-mill, two carding-machines and an oil-mill. In 1830 there was added a fulling-mill. About 1850 he erected a grist-mill, and in 1863 there was at the place a grist and saw-mill, carding-machine, blacksmith-shop and store. The property later came to David Witherow, son of Samuel, and in 1880 was sold to Samuel H. Miller, who now owns it.

John and George Hanawalt, sons of Henry Hanawalt, of what is now Oliver township, purchased of the heirs of James Ross, April, 1802, a part of the Ross estate. John Hanawalt came to the place and resided till his death, in 1829. In April, 1821 George and John Ross divided their father's estate, John taking this tract as his share, and George removing on the homestead. John left sons, - George, Henry and Christopher - and daughters, Asenath, Susan and Catharine. The property, which was on the Juniata River, adjoining William Morrison and Eisenbise, was divided among them and the descendants are now living there.

John Graham was in the Revolution, and was one of the seventeen who came out with General Anthony Wayne from the attack on Stony Point. He came to this county and settled on the farm now owned by John Clements. He died there and lies buried in the forest on the farm. He had several sons, who settled near here.

John Miller in 1825 came into the township from Berks County, and settled on the Daniel Stutzman farm, and later bought a farm of David Harshbarger.

In 1782 George Irwin was assessed on seven hundred acres of land, and in 1793 on nine hundred and fifty acres. He had two sons, George and William, who lived on the homestead for a time and emigrated to Kentucky. The place is now partly owned by Philip Shade and is all in the Long Hollow.

The Church of the United Brethren, in Wayne township, three miles southwest of McVeytown, was built in 1844 and dedicated January 1, 1845.

1844. Robert Laughlin,		1870. John Culbertson,
--. Samuel Witherow		1871. William Strode,
1847. John McLaughlin,		1872. David Jenkins,
1848. William Temple,		1873. David Norton,
1855. Cyrus Stine,		1874. Thomas F. Nome,
1856. George W. Coulter,		1875. John Sardine,
1857. George Lane,		1876. Elias Penepacker,
1858. Samuel J. Drake,		1877. Elias Penepacker,
1860. James Wharton,		1878. George Henderson,
1866. Elias Penepacker,		1879. David Witherow,
1867. James Wharton,		1880. Geo. C. Henderson.
1868. Jas. F. McNear,		1885. Samuel Lautz.
1869. Hugh Laird.

SCHOOLS. - David Jenkins, the grandfather of the present David Jenkins, was probably the first teacher in the township. A school-house stood on the old Galloway or Wharton farm, which was built of small poles, with insterstices filled with straw and daubed with clay. It was used many years and a stone house was built in about 1838, under the school law of 1834, which was succeeded by the present frame.

In 1793 a school-house stood on the land of John James, who lived in Wayne township, but whose land, with others, in 1791-92, was claimed as part of Huntingdon County.

A log house was built by David Jenkins at Felty Springs, on his farm, in 1836. James McDowell was the first teacher. A frame house was built at the same place in 1857, was burned in 1884 and rebuilt the same year.

The school law passed in 1834, and at the November term of court in that year Dr. L. G. Snowden and John Oliver, Jr., were appointed school directors of the township. It will be remembered that at this time the township embraced in its jurisdiction Wayne, Oliver and Bratton townships, and the territory now

in the boroughs of Newton Hamilton and McVeytown. The directors met March 14, 1835, and resolved to establish ten schools in the townships, to be kept at the following places: No. 1 near Strode's, No. 2 at Swigert's, No. 3 near Wayne Furnace, No. 4 at McVeytown, No. 5 at Mitchell's, No. 6 at Witherow's, No. 7 at Newton Hamilton, No. 8 at Harvey's, No. 9 at McKinstry's, and No. 10 at McKee's. The schools were established at once.

Oliver township was erected in January, 1835, and its school districts erected in the fall of that year, taking from Wayne Districts No. 1, No. 2, No. 4, No. 5, No. 9 and No. 10, when another district was formed in Wayne township known as Long Hollow, and a school- house erected on the Thomas Postlethwait farm. On October 3, 1835, John J. Cunningham, secretary of the School Board, advertised for teachers for the following schools: Newton Hamilton, Wharton, Beaver Run and Long Hollow.

There are at present in the township ten schools, viz.: Wharton, Belletown, Postlethwait, Beaver Dam, Long Hollow, McAnair Furnace, Atkinson's Mills, Sack Hill and Patterson. The number of pupils in attendance is three hundred and thirty-nine.

MANAYUNK is a station on the Pennsylvania Railroad at Shank's Run, the division line between Wayne and Bratton. A grist-mill was erected at the place six or eight years ago by the Lauber Brothers, of Juniata County, which is still owned by them. A store is kept at the place by ----- Pecht, and a depot and telegraph-office are located there.

ATKINSON'S MILLS. - The mill at this place, as has been mentioned elsewhere, was built in 1820, and has been known by its present name from that time. A store was erected here in 1852 and opened by A. J. North. Of those who succeeded him were Colonel J. K. Rhodes, now of Lewistown, and R. L. Gambel; the latter sold to John Glasgow. A post- office was established many years ago and Jacob Norton was appointed postmaster. Lewis Jones, A. Lewis and R. L. Gambel were postmasters prior to 1867, when John Glasgow was appointed and is still in service.

THE ENTERPRISE SAND WORKS are located near Vineyard Station, on the Pennsylvania Railroad. The mines were first opened in 1879 by D. S. Forgy, who erected the present buildings in 1880 and began operations in December, 1882. The present company was organized and leased the works on a royalty, and in April, 1883, James Macklin and W. P. Stevenson, both members of the company, purchased the property and the lease was continued. In 1884 about twelve thousand tons of prepared sand were shipped to manufacturers of glass.

THE MATILDA FURNACE was built in 1837 on the east side of the Juniata River, opposite Mount Union, on a tract of land then owned by Samuel Drake, by John F. Cottrell, James Caldwell, James Drake and Isaac Rogers, who soon after purchased sixteen hundred and fifty acres of land in Wayne township. The deed for the furnace tract came to Cottrell from Drake April 25, 1841, and describes it as being two hundred and sixty-four acres of land in Wayne township, Mifflin County, and Henderson township, Huntingdon County, "on which Matilda Furnace and buildings are now erected." The furnace was named Matilda after the wife of James Caldwell Business was conducted by the company until about 1851, when the property came to Peter and John Haldeman, of Lancaster County. Previous to this time the power was an overshot-wheel, turned by a small mountain stream, and the furnace was fitted for the use of charcoal. The Haldemans erected a thirty-five horse-power engine, changed the fuel of the furnace from charcoal to anthracite and operated it for about two years. It then lay idle for several years and was sold to Washington Righter as the property of Peter Haldeman. He sold it, April 1, 1865, to Grube, Peiffer, Rober & Garber, of Lancaster, who refitted it and operated it for six years, and on the 10th of August, 1874, sold it to B. B. Thomas, who ran it for two years. In August, 1881, his executors sold the property to Mr. Whiteside. It was abandoned during the year 1884 and is now idle.

This file has been contributed for use on Mifflin County PAGenWeb by Jana Dress,
OCRed by Judy Banja and proofread by Jesse Davis.