Notes from
Monument Square
Newsletter of the
Mifflin County
Historical Society
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Volume XXVI Number 4
AUGUST 2000
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(Text version of Society News & Notes)
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Office & Research Library,
1 W. Market St., Suite 1
Lewistown, PA 17044-2128
Phone (717) 242-1022
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McCoy House Museum
17 N. Main St., Lewistown
Sunday afternoon
1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
(May thru December)
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Newsletter Editor : Forest K. Fisher
MCHS e-mail: mchistory@acsworld.net
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Society
News & Notes
Membership
We wish to acknowledge and welcome these new annual and individual life members of the Mifflin County Historical Society. Memberships are a vital source of income, allowing the historical society to operate the office, research library and museum as well as other special programs throughout the year.
MCHS Dues Structure
-Individual membership $10
-Family membership $15
-Supporting membership $35
-Civic club membership $50
-Individual Life membership $150
New Annual Members
Mr. & Mrs. James H. Houser, West Chester, Pa.
Stephanie Ripple, Lewistown
W. Scott Bower, Fredericktown, Pa.
Beverly R. Miller, Lewistown
Phil Rhoades, Goshen, Ind.
Michael & Sharon Miller, McVeytown
Robert E. Bratton, Sterling, Va.
Nancy M. Hopple, Lewistown
Graffius E. Shirk, Jr., Reedsville, Pa.
Allen Kearns, Bound Brook, N.J.
Harry E. Krebbs, Wilmslow, Cheshire, England
Barbara Knepp, Lewistown
Tom Conelly, Penn Run, Pa.
Jeannie Hoover, Milroy, Pa.
Marvin & Doris Clemens, Lewistown
Mark & Cathy Conner, McVeytown, Pa.
Anita Hoffman, Grantham, Pa.
Edward M. Forsythe, Sr., Lewistown
Audrey Sizelove, Arlington, Va.
[Correction- Sorry, Audrey, I incorrectly noted your name in the June newsletter- Ed.]
FALL BANQUET SCHEDULED
FOR SEPTEMBER 14, 2000
The fall gathering of the Mifflin County Historical Society will be held at the McVeytown fire hall Thursday, September 14, 2000. The family-style roast beef dinner will start at 6:30 p.m. Find a reservation form on page 15. Reservation deadline: September 7, 2000.
A Commonwealth Speaker will be featured at 7:30 p.m., a free presentation open to the public, following the society’s dinner.
The Mifflin County Historical Society is proud to present Commonwealth Speaker, Dr. Nilgun Anadolu-Okur of Temple University, who will tell the tales of the heroes and heroines who dared to escape from bondage in Stories from the Underground Railroad. From the story of Henry “Box” Brown, who shipped himself to freedom in a wooden box, to the messages coded in music for safe fugitive passages, the stories of escaping slaves are often impressive and creative.
In this slide-illustrated presentation, Dr. Anadolu-Okur uses music, illustrations, and lyrics to reveal the untold stories and dramatic acts of escape en route to freedom.
This presentation is free and open to the public. It will be presented at the McVeytown Fire Hall Thursday, September 14, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. immediately following the society’s Fall Banquet.
The program is being provided to the Mifflin County Historical Society by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC), supported in part by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
County sports display
Mifflin County Sports continues as the theme for the summer season.
The pictures on this page are from a recent visit to the McCoy House and represent just a sample of the exhibit. Photos are identified counterclockwise, starting below and include: a wool uniform from the Ryde baseball team; a Mifflin County PIAA official’s cap and shirt; tee-shirts from the Ellen Chapel Cardinals and the Burnham Indies; a display of bowling jackets, shirts and shoes; a photo album page showing Reedsville’s baseball team of the early 1900s.
Many sports photos are on display. If you can help with an identification of local team photos during your McCoy House visit, just give the information to the volunteers in attendance. Your help will be appreciated.
VOLUNTEERS ARE
STILL NEEDED
McCoy House needs volunteers to act as hosts or hostesses every Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. for the Fall. If you’d like to give a few hours at McCoy House, please call the office at 242-1022 to volunteer.
MCHS 80th Anniversary Project...
2001 CALENDAR TO GO ON SALE AT THE FALL BANQUET
The 2001 limited edition anniversary calendar can now be preordered. The cost is $5.00 per calendar ( 4.71 + .29 PA Sales Tax) which can be prepaid and picked up at a special table at the Fall Banquet, September 14, 2000 at the McVeytown Fire Hall. An order form is located on page 11.
If you can’t attend the banquet and prefer having your calendar mailed to your home, please include an additional $.50 to cover postage. Your 2001 Calendar will be shipped AFTER SEPTEMBER 14, 2000, when general sales of the calendar will begin. Calendars can also be purchased at the society office any Tuesday or Wednesday from 10 to 4:00.
This is new territory for the historical society, publishing our first-ever commemorative calendar, and we chose an initial run of 1,000 calendars. We are, of course, hoping to sell out, but by allowing our members and friends the option of preordering, we hope to gauge interest in this 80th Anniversary project.
THANK YOU,
CALENDAR SPONSORS!
We extend our sincere thanks to all of our calendar sponsors. The following companies or individuals became business-level sponsors for the 2001 calendar:
Frey Motors
Lewistown Pharmacy
Mifflin County Savings Bank
Deihls’ Flowers, Inc.
Kish Bank
High Speed Internet Access
Juniata Valley Bank
June Taylor - Century 21 - Graham-Swigert Associates
Lewistown Hospital
Barb Stringer - Mifflin County Register & Recorder
Honey Creek Inn
McNitt Fruit Farm
Asher’s Chocolate (Goss Candies)
Esh’s Orchard
Gwen Swisher Beauty Salon
The Guest House at Ellen Chapel
Bill Clark Auctioneering Service
Kish Printing
Class 1 Transport, Inc.
We also wish to thanks these individual-level sponsors for supporting the calendar project:
Ray & Barbara Allison
Helen D. Angney
Bill & Karen Aurand
Eleanor M. Aurand, M.D.
Kristin & Matthew Aurand
Nancy L. Aurand
Vesta M. Aurand
Mary Johnson Berrier
Felker Bridgens
June Buller
William & Audrey Check
Mrs. Clyde Crotcher
Darlene & Joe Deihl
Albert K. & Viola M. Dole
Lois Dunmire
Richard & B.Geraldine Earp
Sally Edmiston
Alice J. Fisher
Forest & Dot Fisher
Matt & Michelle Fisher
Scott & Sharee Fisher
Elizabeth C. Foglesong
Betty B. Gearhart
A. Walter & Dorothy Gill
Roxie Gunderman
Sara C. Haller
Susan C. Harshbarger
R. Garey Hodge
Nicola Hood
Bernice Horon
Dick & Maxine Householder
Dolores C. Houser
Robert & Helen Ingram
Jeff L. Johnson
Ralph & Lola Kearns
Floyd & Gladys Kibe
Virginia I. Kinsey
James & Mary Laughlin
Charles & Peggy Lennartz
Lee & Fran Mackneer
Ray & Sandy Matthews
Cathy McClenahen
Dan McClenahen
Lynn M. McKee
Richard P. McNitt
Gladys & Guy Mosgrave
Mr. & Mrs. Hobart B. Nichols
Carrol M. “Sis” Norton
Junior B. “Jim” Norton
Robert J. & Lois A. Notestine
Freda (Stade) Partchey
William & Joann Picketts
Anne Shartzer Price
Helen I. Price
Gerald E. & Beulah L. Purcell
Elsie P. Rittenhouse
Willard C. Shank
Frances Shirk
James L. & Kay H. Smith
Jay Smith
Mildred R. Smith
Winona T. Simmons
Roy & Charlene Swineford
Don & Jean Warner
Cheryl Joan Wert - In Memory of her father, George Edward Wert
Joyce B. Wert - In Memory of her husband, George Edward Wert
Tom & Joyce Wertz
Society receives
PHMC grant
The Mifflin County Historical Society is proud to announce that it has been awarded a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, through the Pennsylvania History and Museum Grant Program. The grant is in the category of General Operating Support to Official County Historical Societies.
In an effort to strengthen the partnership between state and county historical agencies, PHMC offers grants to official county historical societies in amounts that match each organization’s annual appropriation from its county commissioners. The 2000 county appropriation the society received is $2,500.00, which the State has matched with an additional $2,500.00.
Fund Established to Upgrade
Aging Library Viewing Equipment
The Historical Society’s Research Library
It’s a busy place, open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 to 4. Additional hours include the first and third Saturday of each month from 10 to 4.
The search for the family roots can be time-consuming. The quest often involves hours of searching through microfilm or microfiche files. Such files require viewers, similar to a filmstrip or slide viewer, which allows the film to be enlarged for easier reading onto a viewing screen.
Members searching for their family records are often forced to wait to use one of these aging viewing machines, which time has rendered difficult to read.
The society has several of these ancient viewers in the viewing room adjacent to the library, desperately in need of updating.
One viewing machine, purchased in 1998, is able to view and copy any records from the complete set of Mifflin County Court House records donated by the Register and Recorder’s office.
This machine supports the other aging viewing machines which library users eagerly seek. Older versions are shown at left and above.
Historical societies around Pennsylvania often maintain special funds to support specific acquisitions, building projects or expansions. This fund is expressly for the purpose of replacing the aging viewer/printers now in use at the library.
Individuals supporting this fund, should know that your contribution will be earmarked for this specific project.
Please help us maintain this important aspect of our program by making a contribution to the Research Library’s Viewer/Printer Fund.
ACQUISITIONS
The Mifflin County Historical Society always welcomes artifacts that have a direct relationship to our county’s heritage or local genealogy. Each year we receive a variety of county-related materials, such as books, clothing, paper items, and artwork.
We wish to acknowledge and thank the following donors for their generosity:
Lisea Spahr, Lewistown, Pa. - Ka-Vee Creamer Bottle, 1 3/4" tall x 1 1/4", clear glass with blue lettering, no lid or top.
Georgia Olson Lewistown, Pa. - 2000 LAHS "LORE"
Mrs. Blanche (Penny) Rittenhouse, Lewistown, Pa. BOOK: The Genealogy of Jennie Wade Tent #6, Penna. Dept., Daughter's of Union Veterans of the Civil War, 1861-1865, Lewistown, PA, Organized May 21, 1912" comp. by donor, 2000.
Stephanie Shugarts, Matteson, Ill. - Large assortment of genealogy and history books relating to Mifflin & Snyder Cos.
Tom Bortell, Tucson, Ariz. - Roll top desk and chair used continuously by William Johnson, Tom Johnson and Melvin Bortell (owners of Tom Johnson Shoes), photo of William Johnson, two store ledgers, adding machine, deed, death notice for William Johnson.
James E. Tunall, Lewistown, Pa. - Framed print of William Johnson, Tom Johnson & Melvin Bortell, framed print of William Johnson Store as it was in 1851, framed print of Tom Johnson Store circa 1945, framed print of Tom Johnson Store 1969, Sales Ledger 1938.
Gary L. & Patricia McNeal, Lewistown, Pa. - Items belonging to the family of Patricia Brought McNeal - includes area map, certificates, Civil Defense Manual, variety of local programs & booklets.
Gladys A. Keller Baltimore, Md. - Framed photo of the Lewistown News Company, 17 E. Market St., Lewistown (1916) with H.J. Hawk, Prop. in front.
Jim & Mary Reed, Reedsville, Pa. - 2000 IVHS "VISION", 2000 LAHS "LORE"
BOOK NOTES
A History of
McVeytown Borough and
Bratton and Oliver Townships
Reprinted by the Mifflin County Historical Society
Originally published in 1976 by the McVeytown Area Bicentennial Book Committee, this fascinating local history has been out of print for many years.
Containing scores of vintage photographs, plus many colorful accounts of the early life, history and development of these areas of Mifflin County, A History of McVeytown and Bratton and Oliver Townships is a must for anyone interested in our local heritage.
PREORDER TODAY! - $12.72
[$12.00 + .72 6% Pa.Sales Tax]
For shipment to your home address
please add $1.50 for postage.
BOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS FALL
(Use the preorder form located on page 15.)
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO:
Mifflin County Historical Society
For more information call
(717) 242-1022
A comprehensive, yet readable history of this unique local community is in print again!
Mifflin County Amish and
Mennonite Story
1791 - 1991
by S. Duane Kauffman
This second edition includes corrections & an updated ministerial and
Mennonite Pastors list.
$23.32
Price includes tax - [$22 + $1.32 6% Pa Sales Tax]
ADD $3 for S&H for shipment to your home.
LEWISTOWN and the
PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD
From Moccasins to Steel Wheels
A collection of essays published by
The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical
& Historical Society
From Moccasins to Steel Wheels takes the reader from the days of the county’s first inhabitants, the American Indians, through the early settlement of Mifflin County and the history of transportation, ending with the reconstruction of the Lewistown Junction Station, oldest surviving structure known to have been built by the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Published by The Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society and edited by Chuck Blardone, From Moccasins to Steel Wheels’ 160 glossy pages compose a visual delight. The text encompasses many aspects of local transportation, including the Juniata Canal, Lewistown & Reedsville Electric Railway, Kishacoquillas Valley Railroad, Standard Steel Co., Air Service in Mifflin County, and the Pennsylvania Railroad.
The publication is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of vintage color and black and white photographs, plus informative maps and tables, tracing Mifflin County’s impressive transportation history.
From Moccasins to Steel Wheels is a collaborative effort of many local individuals, as the book’s Acknowledgements makes abundantly clear. From sharing photographs to writing essays, the list also includes many Mifflin County Historical Society members. With the Forward by Daniel McClenahen, essay contributors include: Forest K. Fisher, Dr. Albright Zimmerman, Gordon Frederick, John G. Hartzler, Paul T. Fagley, Ben Anthony, Donald Smith, James J.D. Lynch, Jr., Peter Forbes and Peg Stanley.
A must for anyone interested in Mifflin County History , From Moccasins to Steel Wheels is available from the Mifflin County Historical Society. A portion of the cost will benefit the Mifflin County Historical Society.
$24.95 + 1.50 PA Sales Tax = $26. 45
OR $26.45 + $2.00 Postage = $28.45
Readers' Response
Comments from our readers are welcome and may be edited and shared as space allows. Below are two letters we received, one on Gov. Mifflin and the other on the Charles Ball article that appeared in our last issue. Thanks for writing.
Dear Mr. Fisher,
Your January 2000 newsletter was of interest to me - General/Governor of Pennsylvania, Thomas Mifflin. Gen. Mifflin fathered several illegitimate children, with my great, great, great grandmother Susannah being one of them. Her mother was Catherine Livingston of Lancaster. Catherine’s father, probably William Livingston (no record). Catherine married Peter Close in Lancaster and they moved to Armagh Twp., Mifflin Co. Pa.
Susannah married Mathew Reighley and they lived in Mifflin Co. Pa. At some time during their early marriage, theyeither bought or received land from Christian Baker via Thomas Mifflin.
My lineage is:
Mathew & Susannah Reighley (great,great,great grandparents)
Thomas Orr & Catherine Reighley (great,great grandparents)
John T. Orr & Jane Thompson (great grandparents)
Madison W. Orr & Adelia Bell (grandparents)
Chester G. Orr & Emily Kelly (parents)
Sincerely,
Ruth Orr Obert
Peoria, Ill.
Dear Society,
I found the story of Charles Ball very interesting, In fact it caused me to start rereading the book, Slaves in the Family by Edward Ball. He thoroughly researched the Ball name from its beginning in England to the plantations in the South where they became masters of huge plantations and many slaves. He traveled to England , coast to coast in the USA and finally to Africa to learn of the people his family owned and searched thoroughly to find descendants of Elias Ball’s mistress by whom he had two children.
I wonder if Charles Ball could be included in that family?
The book, Slaves in the Family, first edition January, 1999 is valuable, full of historical and genealogical information. I’m looking forward to another report of historical facts from your newsletter.
Sincerely,
Joyce W. Wert
Kingston, NY.
Editor’s Reply:
Dear Joyce,
I’ve read Slaves in the Family and also wondered if there was a connection. It seemed plausible there could be a relationship, since one of Edward Ball’s English ancestors was named Charles Ball, an uncle of Elias, from Devonshire, England.
Edward notes in his book that the Ball family’s plantations were among the oldest and longest standing in the American South, estimating nearly four thousand slaves were born into the family or were bought by them in the 167 years the Balls dealt in slaves, between 1698 and 1865. The Ball plantations, more than twenty of them, were located along the Copper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Rice was their main crop.
However, Charles Ball doesn’t refer to a Ball connection (for that matter neither does Edward) and South Carolina is a far location from where Ball states he was born and raised.
In Slavery in America - A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Charles Ball, Ball states his grandfather was brought from Africa to Calvert County, Maryland, about 1730. Ball knew his grandfather and recounts how he was held by an owner named Mauel, near Leonardtown, Maryland. His father was a slave in a family named Hantz and his mother, too, were slaves in the same area as the grandfather - either Maryland or across the Potomac in Virginia.
Around 1785, Ball recalled his family, including brothers and sisters, were dispersed, sold “at a public venue” in Maryland. Some went to slave dealers in the Carolinas, the mother to Georgia and Charles remained alone in Maryland.
It’s a story that, at the very least, deserves more research, and who knows, Joyce, perhaps the two are related. Maybe one of our readers can provide more information.
Editor's Desk
The August newsletter frequently contains a lot of odds and ends. This one is no exception. In fact, you’ll notice I needed to add some additional pages, so that I could include the many sundry items stuffed in my August newsletter folder.
The list of things I have to share with you is quite long: a 2001 Calendar update and preorder form, the Fall Banquet information, details of our Commonwealth Speaker following the banquet, several new books are out including the stunning local railroad history, photos of the sports exhibit at McCoy House, Spring and Fall bus tour information, and problems with some of our aging Research Library equipment.
Speaking of the library, I bumped into a high school classmate of mine in the Research Library last month, in fact we welcome him as a new member in this issue, Graffius E. Shirk, Jr. of Reedsville. We graduated from Kishacoquillas High School in 1967. Unfortunately, I had what was quite close to a senior moment. Graffius recognized me, but he had to refresh my memory about who he was! I can never remember my classmates unless they’re wearing one of those little plastic tags with their yearbook picture on it and their name beside the picture, like you see at high school reunions. And to think, I was our class president...how embarrassing but how time flies.
I also heard from another of my Kish classmates, David G. McNitt. Dave sent me an email last month, noting how he enjoyed these Editor’s Comments and gave me an update on his family. He shared with me an interesting tidbit - his mother, Faith McNitt, was a witness to one of the robberies of the Milroy Bank in 1937, the topic of one of our June trivia questions!
Hmmm.... have to put that tidbit in my November newsletter folder. Has the makings of another trivia question.