A Bimonthly Publication of the Freeport
Area Historical Society dec/Jan 2003
MEETING SCHEDULE:
December 11
7:00
January 8 7:00
Meetings are held at the Freeport Community Center. Program plans are incomplete at the time this newsletter goes to press. Your presence and your opinions are important to the future of Freeport Area Historical Society - so be there!
THANK YOU…THANK YOU
To the Mickey family for
the loan of the cart used at the mill to put the flour on after
bagging and moving to and from the scale. This family heirloom
is on display at the mill.
And, thanks to the 78th PVI for their generous contribution of
$200.
CHRISTMAS
There are items available
to purchase, for gifts or stocking stuffers. One of the newest
is a wooden replica of Trinity Episcopal Church. It is $18 -
you can see and purchase it at the Freeport Library or call Don
Collar at 295-4635. There are still reproductions of the Mill
available as well. Check out other items.
HEIRLOOM RECIPES
Ginger Bread Cakes
2 C. sugar
1 T. bak. soda
1 C. shtn. or bacon drippings 1 C. molasses
2 C. coffee, cooled 1 T. ginger
Flour to thicken (about 5 lbs., unbleached)
Preheat oven to 350°. Blend
all ingredients except flour. Add enough to thicken; the dough
should be soft and somewhat sticky. Roll on floured board ¼
to ½ inch thick. Be careful not to get dough too dry.
Cut with cutters and place on greased cookie sheet. Tops can
be dipped in sugar. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Time
will vary depending on size; cookie should spring back when touched.
Do not over bake. Cool on racks. Store in airtight container.
Will keep up to 2 weeks.
Use dark molasses. This is an old farm recipe, from my great
grandmother, Genny Wade, late 1800's. It uses ingredients they
had in the kitchen at that time. Dorothy Livingston
Sounds perfect for Christmas!
FROM JOHN SHOOP'S WEATHER BOOK 1848-1870
Their was a tremendious Snow Storm 24 March 1860…on 25 March 1860 their was 2 inches Snow…their was a tremeous Snow Storm on the 26 March 1860 & like winter wether…The Edy froze over on the night of the 26 March 1860…William McCain's mother Died March 27 1860. Wm McCain not at home…the Edy froze over March 29th 1860…the water was let in the canel March 25th 1860 & Freeport Packets commenced running the 31 day of March 1860…Mrs Peter Ford Died on the 30th March 1860…On the first Day of April 1860 it rained & Snowed all Day & Stormy the ground was coverd with snow…about the 26 & (--) of March 1860 the was very wear Northern light & it tourned out in wind snow & stormy & very cold Spring weather…Their was a hevy snow on the 3d of April 1860 it snowd all Day their must have snow fel to the depth of 4 inches if it had all laid…the first thunder we had in the Spring of 1860 was April 4 it was in the South with hevy rain & wind…Easter Day 1860 was a very clear worm & a deliteful Day…there was a large raft stoved of the pears & the Singles Scattered over the river on the 10 Apr 1860…their was a very hi river on the 17 Apr 1860 hevy rain & Thunder April 10th 1860 at 6 Mor…their was 4 days & 4 night rain in Succesion the 8-9-10-11 April 1860 and very high water river bank full at the same time the rail road was Slipet & the canel broke all pahed stpot for 3 days…The last ice Boat left here April 12 1860…Their was 30 feet water in the Ohio on the 12 Apr 1860 I was their & cold wether it was within 2 feet as hi as Apr 16, 1852.
Editor's note: Spelling, punctuation and grammar are as written by John Shoop.
EARLY FREEPORTERS PLIED VARIETY
OF OCCUPATIONS
Another article written by Vernon Ross and published in a local
newspaper in about 1956.
In
1835 J. N. Nesbitt of Freeport was assessed with ownership of
a fulling mill and a carding machine. Joseph Clark and William
Laughler were assessed as turners. William Todd was a chairmaker
while Peter Weaver owned salt wells.
There were a number of occupations listed in the assessments
list of the early days of Freeport Borough that are no longer
heard of in the Borough today.
Robert Morris was a joiner and David Scott operated a tannery
in 1856. In 1837 Alexander Anderson was assessed for an unlisted
occupation. George McCain operated a grist mill in 1839. F.P.A.
and S. C. Williamson had a foundry one year later. J. and J.
R. Magill also operated a foundry in 1876.
The Hope Woolen Mill, Samuel and William P. Fullerton, owners,
was assessed in 1841. Jacob Rupp was a windmill maker the same
year while Patrick Sheny was a cord winder the next year.
Coaches were made by Charles Towser in 1846. He was succeeded
in the same occupation by G. Shomburg in 1857 and by James H.
Douglass in 1872.
John King was an oysterman and William Gibson an oyster merchant
in 1848. M. McIlwain and later McIlwain and White were boat and
stage men in the same year.
In 1852 John Morgan and John Wallace were gunsmiths and Henry
Weishauft was a tobacconist. The following year, Leonard Bilkefee
was a basket maker.
There were also distillers, brewers and grain merchants in this
period of Freeport history.
FREEPORT JOURNAL
The following items were printed in the November 12, 1943, edition:.
Gradale Sorority
The monthly meeting of the Gradale Sorority was held last Thursday
evening in the home of Mrs. Leno Leri, with 17 members present,
this including two inactive members, Mrs. Nancy Wiseman Stewart,
Kane, and Mrs. Ross Nason, Jr., McKeesport, their mentor, Mrs.
Chas. E. Felton, and one honorary member, Mrs. Paul Reichard.
Mrs. Walter Fleming, the Primus, conducted a brief business session.
The members voted a stated sum for the use of the U. W. F. Drive.
Induction of new members will take place in connection with the
December meeting, and location of same will be announced. The
committee in charge will include Misses Jane Donahey, Twila Mosebaugh,
and Mrs. Rodney Larry. During the social hour two quizzes were
conducted in which prizes were awarded to Mrs. J. Wm. King and
Mrs. Rodney Chapman. Refreshments were served by the following
social committee: Mrs. Leno Leri, Miss LaRue Matthews, Mrs. Chas.
Beck.
Engagement Announced
The engagement of Miss Mary Catherine Devereaux to Serg. James L. Dunn has been announced by her mother, Mrs. T. E. Devereaux of this place. Miss Devereaux is a graduate of Freeport High School and Duffs-Iron City Business College, and is at present an employee in the Department of Agriculture at Harrisburg. Serg. Dunn, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Dunn, of Pierceville, Ind., is in the Army Air Corps, based at Great Falls, Mont., having returned recently from the Arctic Circle where he had been located during the past 5 months in the U. S. Army Weather Observation Bureau.
Ritz Theater
Freeport, Pa. Show starts 6:00
Fri. - Sat.
Alice Faye, John Payne, Jack Oakie, Lynn
Bari in
"HELLO, FRISCO, HELLO'
Also, "Dancing on The Stars"
Mon. - Tues.
Robert Paige, Ann Gwynne, Leo Carrilo, Andy Devine, in
"FRONTIER BADMEN"
Also Select Shorts
Wed. - Thurs.
Double Feature
Lean Errol, Harriet Hillard, Glen Gray and Casa Loma Orchestra
"GALS INCORPORATED"
Also-"Two Tickets to London"
Dust to Dust
Four deaths were listed in this edition: Mr. ? Metz, Mrs. Anna Hastie, Mr. Victor Kennerdell, Mr. James McCracken. Mr. Kennerdell and Mr. McCracken had ties to the community, but were living elsewhere.
The obituary for Mr. Metz had a misprint in it, so the editor of Grist is unable to determine his first name; however he died on November 7, following an appendectomy on October 31, at Allegheny Valley Hospital. Mr. Metz was an electrician by trade and a member of Trinity Lutheran and IOOF Lodge 379. He was a veteran of WW I and was just 43 years of age at his death. Mr. Metz was survived by his wife, Etta, sons Fred and Charles, brother Charles, and mother Cora, all of Freeport.
Mrs. Anna Hastie died November 9, at her home on Market St. following a yearlong illness. She was survived by husband John, daughter Mrs. Zella Chapman, both at home, and son, John of Camp Hill, Pa. Three brothers, William, John and Charles Hale, all of this place and one sister, a Mrs. Brubaker of Derry, Pa. also survived her. Mrs. Hastie was a long time member of the U. P. Church. Interment was in Indiana, Pa.
Little Squalls
Two births were announced. Robert Boyd Cochran was born in Glennbrook, Connecticut, on Nov. 5. His parents, John and Billie Archbold Cochran were graduates of Freeport High School and well known in Freeport.
Mr. and Mrs. James Watt of Butler Co., also produced a son the same day - his name was not listed.
FHS Band "Honor Roll"
The following Honor Roll is composed of former members of the
Freeport High School band who are now in the Armed Forces of their
Uncle Sam:
Kenneth S. Atkinson Arthur Beale
Joseph Blair Bernard Burns, Jr
Frank Bures Harold Bowersox
Edward Cassell James B. Cunningham
J. D. Cunningham Richard Cunningham
Paul Devereaux Raymond Evans, Jr.
Edwin Elliott Jack Frymire
Lloyd M. Faith Leroy Fullerton
Robert Gibson J. C. DeWitt
Williard Fullerton Delbert Hesselgesser
Rollin Hewitt William Held, Jr.
Donald Hutton Harold Haines
Richard Kelly Martha Kelly
Herbert Kerr William Liggitt
Theodore Lucas George Maradel
Bennie Maradel John McDivitt
Joseph Morgan Michael Mohr
John Mauroni Russell Myers
Edward Menges, Jr. Glenn Myers
Russell Nason Robert Neubert
Robert O'Brien Homer Otterman
John Pesci Ewaldus Pugh
Joseph Poretti Fredrick Rumbaugh
Bernard Shaffer Lester Ruppersberger
Ralph Skinner, Jr. Roger Skinner
Wilbur Skinner Ramon Stover
Charles Stokes Harold Schrecongost
Roy Sherbondy Thomas Sarver
Howard Sarver Phillip Sweeney, Jr.
Edwin F. Schoch Helen Souser
Donald Taylor Forest Van Dyke
Joseph Westendorf James H. Weir
Robert Wally Roger Wayland
Freeport High School
"GOLD STAR HONOR ROLL"
Dyess James, son of Mrs. Florence James of Schenley, killed in action in South Pacific area.
Kenneth Lewis Bush, U.S. Navy, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bush, Clinton, drowned when on maneuvers.
Karl O'Brien, Sec. Lt. Army, son of Mrs. Pauline McCue O'Brien, Freeport, killed in action in the Southwest Pacific area.
Robert McLaughlin, U. S. Army, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Orr, McLaughlin, Allegheny Twp., killed in glider crash in North Carolina.
F. H. S. Graduates Holding Commissions in our Armed Forces
James R. McDowell, Colonel, U. S.
Army
John Sidney McCafferty, Captain, U. S. Army
William G. Shoop, Jr., Captain, USMC
Wallace Johnston, First Lt., Army Air Corps
David Beale, First Lt., Army Air Corps
Eugene Keesey, Sec. Lt., U. S. Army
James Stewart, First Lt., U. S. Army
Robert Walley, First Lt., U. S. Army
Robert Reeser, First Lt., U. S. Army
Michael Mohr, Sec. Lt., U. S. Army
Gail Risch, Sec. Lt., Army Air Corps
Thomas W. Clouser, Lt. J.G., Navy
Ralph Skinner, Jr., Lt. J. G., USNR
John Welsh, Lt. S.G., Navy
Mario Asti, First Lt., Army
Russell A. Nason, First Lt.
Karl O'Brien, Sec. Lt., Army
Joseph F. Morgan, Sec. Lt., US Army Air Force
Roger C. Skinner, Sec. Lt., Army
Delbert Hesselgesser, Sec. Lt., Med. Corps, U.S. Army
Albert Noble, Sec. Lt., U. S. Army
Charles Bricker, Sec. Lt., U.S. Army
Ernest Reed, Sec. Lt., Army
Robert Downie, Lt. Col., U.S. Army
Leon A. Cooper, Sec. Lt., U.S. Marine Corps
Wayne Roenigk, Sec. Lt., Army
Robert McLaughlin, Sec. Lt., Army
John McIntyre, Sec. Lt., Army
J. D. Cunningham, Sec. Lt., USMC
Domenic Canterna, Sec. Lt., USA Med. Corps
Ellis McCracken, Ensign, Navy
Robert Dempster, Jr., Lt., Army Air Corps
WACS
Miss Doris Cunningham Miss Edna
Donnelly
Miss Francis Walker Miss Mary Siciliano
Miss Helen Fuhrman Miss Ross Nuitta
Miss Marion Phillips Miss Nora McCullough
WAVES
Miss Viva Yarnelle, Ensign
U. S. M. C.
Miss Nomi Melton Miss Beryl Sarver
Mrs. Helen Souser Young
American Red Cross
Miss Julia Asti
Advertisements and Other Notices
Turner-Lloyd Funeral Home, 601 High
St., Meredith M. Lloyd. Phone 49.
Editorial Note: Phone No. 49? Sixty years later we now use
10 digits for a local call!
The Old Freeport Bank suggests opening a checking account, even a modest one.
Joseph Girardi, is selling meats, fruits and vegetables. Prompt and courteous service given to all orders, large or small. We deliver. Phone 167.
C. E. Benewitz, 5th Street, next to First National Bank, selling shoes, rubbers, goloshes, men's artics. Supply limited, get yours early.
Crestani Bros. Meat Market, Market & Third, dependable for quality meats, butter, eggs, cheese and other good things to eat for the Family Table. "Once a customer, always a customer." Phone 204. We deliver
Ralston's - selling suits, top coats, mackinaws, leather jackets, etc. for men and boys.
Roofing, Spouting Heating - Robert Dougherty
Will You Help
END THE WAR MORE QUICKLY?
×Do you know how long this
war will last? Of course not! And we don't know either! But
we do know that unless we conserve fuel, transportation, materials
and manpower, it will last much longer than it should.
On September 15, the War Production Board asked the people of
American to conserve electricity as a means of saving these vital
resources. West Penn is cooperating in this Voluntary Conservation
Program as are thousands of our customers, but a still greater
participation is necessary and urgent. You will help bring a
speedier end to this war by your vigorous support of this nationwide
conservation effort.
The War Production Board plan suggests a number of things which
commercial establishments can do to reduce their use of electricity
without serious harm. It is recommended, for example, that the
use of electricity for advertising signs and lighted show windows
be greatly reduced. In industrial plants, all possible economies
should be effected in the use of motors and other electric equipment
and illuminated signs can probably be dispensed with.
It is definitely suggested that essential lighting must not be
curtailed for schools, hospitals, war plants, or for aviation,
military, police or transportation purposes or when affecting
war production and safety.
West Penn has sent its commercial and industrial customers the
interpretation of the Program and urged their participation.
Homemakers are asked to save by not burning lights unnecessarily
and by not wasting electricity for their radios and appliances.
No hardship is expected of anyone -- either in sacrificing the
amount of lighting needed for good seeing, or in giving up the
benefits of appliances used in normal living. It is the wasteful
use of electricity that should be eliminated to speed the war's
end.
Electricity is plentiful enough for all needs, there is no shortage
of power. It is the saving of fuel, transportation, materials
and manpower toward which this Voluntary Conservation Program
is directed.
WEST PENN POWER COMPANY
ANOTHER WAY TO HELP SPEED
VICTORY - BUY MORE WAR BONDS
AND STAMPS