A Bimonthly Publication of the Freeport
Area Historical Society April/May, 2003
MEETINGS
April 10
7:00
At the Freeport Community Center - continuing work on the picture
book to be published and sold as a fundraiser.
May 8
7:00
At the Mill - A work meeting.
IT'S DONE!!
Our collectible reproduction of Trinity Episcopal Church is done and ready for sale. Check it out at Freeport Library or call Don Collar at 295-4635. The cost is $18.00 and it is beautiful!
CHECK OUT:
the insert page A-B. Some advertisements from the April 21, 1905, edition of the Freeport Journal are printed for your reading pleasure. Attempts were made (not always successfully) to duplicate the style and font of the original advertisements. This paper recently was given to the Society by Angelo Yerace. Hey, John Shoop - check out the price of shirts!!
ARMSTRONG CO. TOURIST BUREAU
In their new brochure there will be a picture of the Mill, contact information for tours and a link to our web site. And speaking of web sites, read on.
ADOPT A MONTH
Have you checked out the web site yet? You can find it at www.fahs-pa.org; it is hosted by Salsgiver, Inc., a Freeport firm. The cost to us is $15/month (a bargain). Please contact Don if you would like to sponsor a month. It will be $15 well spent.
SEARCHING, SEARCHING
Robin and Al Bennett, Don and Bonnie Collar and Frank Craig have done a lot of research at the Harrison Township and Tarentum libraries. They learn one fact - and it leads to another question. See the following article.
DO YOU…
Know anything about the Valley Mills in Laneville? Have an interest in learning more about the history of the Mill?
As you know, members of the Historical Society have been working to place the "Valley Mills" on the National Register of Historical Places. We have also put a lot of effort into securing funds to rehabilitate the Mill. To accomplish this we have spent countless hours researching its history. The area in question consists of a portion of depreciation lands enacted by Assembly March 12, 1783. The three lots of interest to us are Plombiers (No. 35), Union, to the east (No 70) and to the south, Friendship (No. 71). Buffalo Creek forms the eastern Boundary of Plombiers and the western boundary of Union. The Todds purchased Union and Friendship in 1796 (?). Plombiers, (approximately 201 acres), was purchased by Claudius Antonius Bertier on December 14, 1786.
The heirs of Bertier sold Plombiers to James Bole on April 12, 1815, for the sum of $700.00. James Bole erected a sawmill in 1816 and gristmill in 1819 (tax records show these mills owned by James Bole, Jr.). James Bole sold Lot 35, plus portions of Lot 34 and Lot 70 to John A. Stearns on July 24, 1834, for the amount of $5,000.00. John Stearns then sold this property, including the mills, to Benjamin F. King on April 30, 1840, price unknown. Benjamin King sold 150 acres and the mills to Abner W. Lane on January 1, 1842, for $8,500.00. Abner Lane sold the mills and 55 Acres to John Hilnes and Samuel Kurtz on May 20, 1862, for $4,000. The same year the mills and 63 Acres were passed to C. M. Bird (did he purchase it from Hilnes and Kurtz?), who owned it until the sale in 1873.
Now that we have the generalities, the details are necessary. We do not know the material from which the original mills were constructed; what kind of equipment was employed; what product was produced; the reasons for the sale; or even what the name(s) were. The gristmill was called the "Freeport Flouring Mill" when owned by C. M. Bird - when did it take on that name? Who was C. M. Bird? The sawmill no longer exists today, and apparently did not exist in the 1860's. What happened to it? There is a rumor of the mill being destroyed by fire - was this just the sawmill, or both mills? Did Bird reconstruct the gristmill?
We have been able to determine that the mill passed to Adolph Fisher in 1873 and that Mr. Fisher made "extensive" renovations. We do not know what renovations were made to the mill. We would like to find renovations he did - We especially need to know the size of the 3 run of French Burrs - i.e. what was the size of the Burr Mill? same size as today? if so was it one of his renovations/refittings? What kind of steam engine? We know there was a boiler. Where was the boiler - separate structure - as hinted to?
A notice placed in the Freeport Journal fixes the time that Fisher sold the mill to the spring of 1883. However, we do not know to whom he sold it. The new proprietors of the mill changed the name to "Valley Mills" and are listed as "G. F. Hill Co." It has always been presumed that Valley Mills was owned by Levi Hill when the Mickeys moved to the area in 1898. Levi Hill appears to neither own a mill, nor to live in this area during that time period.
We are going to continue to research
the history and hope to find the necessary details. We would
like to request assistance in finding sources of information,
in particular the survey maps of the above-mentioned survey lots.
Additionally, we would like to know the details of the daily
operation of the mills during each ownership. Unfortunately,
a lot of this information might only exist in letters, diaries,
bills of sale, and newspapers which no longer exist - public records
lost to fire and/or letters, journals and records filed in boxes
and forgotten, etc. Any persons who might have information in
their possession, or are willing to help search for information
are encouraged to contact an officer of the Society, or bring
it to a meeting. Please do not limit yourself to that listed
in this article. All relevant information will be useful. Any
assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
--Frank Craig, Freeport Area Historical Society, Board of Directors.
Information may be sent to the Society at P. O. Box 107, Freeport,
PA 16229
VETERANS
In a past issue we promised to list veterans from other wars as time and space permit. Here are veterans buried at Freeport Cemetery from these wars:
Revolutionary War
Craig, John
War of 1812
Rowley, Asa
Weir, John
Spanish American War
Barber, Albert
Dempster, Robert
Dennis, Ernest F.
France, Edward W.
Keener, Golden H.
Llewellyn, Chandler
McCall, William C.
McQueen, Edwin M.
Milton, Hugh C.
Morris, Clifford L.
Parke, Glenn V.
Sheline, Henry
Waugaman, John V.
THIS AND THAT
Heirloom Recipes, Q & A and John Shoop's Weather Book columns will return in a future issue.
ROWLEY ALBUM
This is the final article excerpted from research done by Irene Rowley of Petaluma, CA, and shared by our member, Dave Rowley. It refers to a Myron Hale Rowley of East Deer and Millerstown nearby in Allegheny Co. Myron was a country doctor who practiced medicine over 60 years, making house calls on horse back. His first son was named William - and here we go:
William Rowley married Elizabeth Wolf, daughter of lumberman Conrad Wolf, of Freeport and Butler County on June 14, 1849. They set up their home in Freeport where William first worked as a laborer, then became a miller and by 1860 resided near his father in Millerstown. William and Elizabeth had at least five children. Three who survived became orphans when Elizabeth died very young and William died in the Civil War. There were no land deeds found in William's name and it appears he died before he had any substantial investments or land.
To this day there are various Rowleys
still living in and around Freeport.
The following ads appeared in the April 21, 1905, edition of the Freeport Journal
Your Credit Is improved by having
a checking account. Business men regard your bankers recommendation
as valuable information. We are ready to offer small and large
depositors excellent accommodations. Promptness and accuracy
are the features that stand out prominently in our service. Your
account will be welcomed and well taken care of at the Freeport
Bank, of Freeport,
CAPITAL $50,000.00 SURPLUS $10,000.00
4 Per Cent. Interest on Savings Accounts.
__________________________
50th YEAR
SPECIAL
Childrens'
Go-
Carts
Porch Furniture
Refrigerators, and
Curtain Stretchers,
At lowest prices
All new Goods
Just in.
S. Turner & Son
Freeport, PA
Freeport
Hardware
Company,
________
Builders Supplies, Agricultural implements, etc.
Everything new, first class and prices cannot be beaten. Give
us a trial order.
Prager Building
High Street above Fifth,
Freeport, Pa.
___________________________
J. H. Shoop and Sons' line of
SPRING SUITINGS,
Just suits the people. Good dressers appreciate up-to-date material
and we have it.
SHIRTS
New and nobby, style, fit and price
all
right. 50¢ to $2.25
Ready made garments for men and boys - all prices.
EASTER NECKWEAR
It is time to think of Easter neckware. Anything you want at the
Keystone.
J. H. SHOOP & SONS
Merchant Tailors
Keystone Bldg. Freeport, Pa.
Findley & Taylor
Fire, Life,
Casualty,
Accident
and Health
- INSURANCE -
Represents a large list
of the strongest and most
reliable American Fire
Insurance Companies.
Lowest Possible Rates
FOURTH & MARKET STRS.,
FREEPORT, PA.
___________________________
I Have It At Last!
The most complete line of aluminum
and nickel plated copper ware ever
seen in the town. Prices from 25¢ to
$3.00. Makes an ideal gift.
See my new Quartered Oak Drop Top
New Royal Sewing Machine. Just the
Thing for your wife.
E. H. WALLACE,
Hardware.
___________________________
J. H. JAMES, ? ? ?
Builder Of Fine
Cemetery
Memorials
? ? ?
Foreign and Domestic MARBLE and GRANITE.
? ? ?
MY DESIGNS ARE ALL NEW AND
ORIGINAL.
New
York
BARGAIN
STORE
Have You A Sweet Tooth?
Buy good candy cheaper
than you ever dreamed of
-10 and 20 cents a pound
for 20 and 40 cent candy,
How does that strike you?
Harry Miller,
Market St. Next to Journal
Office
____________________________________
F. A. Seitz
Baker, Confectioner and Grocer,
Is now fairly installed in his large
new store room and in better shape than
ever to accommodate his rapidly increas-
ing trade. Dealer in groceries and coun-
try produce and manufacturer of
The
Celebrated
Freeport
Ice Cream,
Cor. Fourth & Market St.,
Freeport, Pa.
____________________________________
G. F. EASLEY,
Auctioneer.
Sales in Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties
promptly attended to. Address orders to Silverville, Pa., or
call at JOURNAL OFFICE.
______________________________________________________
Eggs for Hatching.
Single Comb Brown Leghorns, Buff Plymouth Rocks and Rose Comb
Buff
Leghorns. Price Low. H. W.
HILD, Freeport, Pa.