1883 History of Tioga County PA, Wellsboro District (2023)

Bradford County, Pennsylvania

Chemung County, New York

Tioga County PA

History and genealogy of the three parishes

Wellsboro is located halfway along the eastern boundary of Delmar Township, and the county covers several thousand acres, enough area for a city of 100,000 people. His name was in honor of Mrs. Mary Wells Morris, wife of Benjamin W. Morris and sister of William and Gideon Wells.

Benjamin W. Morris was the eldest son of Samuel Morris, a hundred years ago a prominent citizen of Philadelphia, one of the most important merchants of that city, then the country's metropolis, the seat of the provincial legislature, home of Washington, and the Republican court. , so called. The houses and warehouses he built still stand in the older parts of the city, then the commercial and residential center. He was a member of the Pine Creek Company, founded by capitalists with a plan to improve the state's interior and open it to the populace. He had invested in wild lands, and the later development of the mineral and timber wealth of these lands showed that he and his associates had not misjudged their value. He had become security for a friend in Philadelphia with whom he was involved. In those days of great honor and integrity in business, a man who had failed in business felt hopelessly ashamed and made the seemingly unwise decision to give up all his businesses and property in order to discharge his obligations, save just a piece of land from about 800 acres, acres where Wellsboro stands now, and bury himself and his sorrows in that wilderness. Though past middle age, he brought his gently brought up wife and unmarried daughter (Rebecca, later the wife of William Cox Ellis of Muncy, County Lycoming) to endure the hardships and hardships of life, pioneering in that uninterrupted life . Desert. From a financial point of view, this course was extremely imprudent, for according to well-informed contemporaries, his warehouse and vaults contained sufficient stocks, if properly managed, to meet all his obligations without liquidating his real estate; but a real panic seems to have seized him. He made the great sacrifice, and although the family was drawn away from a life of wealth and luxury, they carried with them into the wild woods their character of integrity and initiative, and the education and culture that had made them a force for good at the beginning. Principle. Foundation of the new settlement.

One of Mr. Morris' early acts built a small log "meeting house" on the newly built town lot. For many years this was the only church - apart from the home school - in the whole region. Mr. Morris was born and raised a member of the Society of Friends, commonly referred to as a Quaker, and has always observed its customs, including silent worship and lay preaching when moved by the divine spirit. Some of Wellsboro's older citizens may remember the cozy little log meeting house, though no one can recall the venerable presence of the "old squire," as his neighbors called him with his wide-brimmed hat and dark suit. brown: the style of Quaker regulation. He was a tall, stocky man like his father's six sons. This father, a Quaker that he was, commanded the First City Troop of Cavalry at the Battle of Princeton and served as Washington's bodyguard during the New Jersey Campaign.

Benjamin Wistar Morris died in Wellsboro on November 6, 1819 at the age of 58. He was the first commissioned justice of the peace in Tioga County.

Samuel W. Morris was born in Philadelphia in 1786 and accompanied his father, Benjamin Wistar Morris, to Wellsboro in 1799. Educated at Princeton College, he later became one of Tioga County's most respected citizens. He was one of the county's first associate judges and, along with J. Bannister Gibson and Ira Kilbourn, presided over the Wellsboro First Court. He was a gentleman with tireless energy and entrepreneurial spirit. On the site where Stokesdale now stands, then known as 'The Marsh', Judge Morris very early erected a large flour mill and sawmill and what is now incorrectly called the Beaver Dam was actually built by him. for the water supply of these factories. For many years Morderica Moore was in charge of the flour mill and George March was the woodcutter. Unfortunately, much malaria was caused by the Millpond and after many years of persistent chills and fever, on a memorable day a group of "Crooked Creekers", disguised as Creek Indians, their heads adorned with leafy branches, invaded and uprooted the dam. He was an ardent supporter of the project to make the Tioga River navigable; succeeded in organizing the Tioga Navigation Company and was its first President.

The last public enterprise to which he devoted himself was the building of the Tioga Railroad, to which he devoted ten of the best years of his life, working uninterruptedly from the founding of the Tioga Navigation Company in 1826 until his resignation as President of the Enterprises when he was elected to Congress. For the realization of this enterprise and the development of the coal areas at Blossburg, he hired the services of Richard C. Taylor, an eminent English engineer and geologist, who not only surveyed the river for the shipping company and later the railway company, but also He also conducted a geological Investigation and an investigation of the minerals in the Blossburg coal region. Taylor's geological report was published primarily at the expense of Judge Morris; It was a much sought-after work, is out of print and copies are rare to find.

Judge Morris represented Tioga County in the People's Chamber of the state legislature from 1831 to 1835 and was later elected to Congress. There was hardly a project aimed at promoting the common good that did not have their sincere and substantial support. Besides those already mentioned, the enterprise of the Academy, the erection of suitable buildings in the county, and the establishment of a printing works, received his encouragement and support.

Samuel W. Morris married Anna Ellis, daughter of William Ellis of Muncy, in 1807. Their children were: William E. Morris, civil engineer, who died in Philadelphia in September 1875;

Louisa, who died in Philadelphia in 1864; Mary, widow of the late James Lowrey; Sarah Ellis, wife of Dr. Joseph P. Morris of Mansfield, Pennsylvania; Susan Marriott, wife of Brother John W. Guernsey, of Tioga; Benjamin Wistar Morris, Missionary Bishop of Oregon; Elena, wife of Brother Henry Boothe, of Chicago, Illinois; Charles Ellis Morris, a farmer near Norristown, Pennsylvania; and Samuel Wells Morris, a farmer from Newark, N.J.

Judge Morris died on May 25, 1847 at the age of 62 and is buried in Academy Hill Cemetery in Wellsboro; His remains were moved to James Bryden's new cemetery in 1856. Near the northeast corner of this cemetery is Morris family land that was selected when the new cemetery was designed. There lie the remains of Mary Wells Morris, wife of Benjamin W. Morris, who was born September 16, 1761 in Philadelphia and died November 6, 1819 in Wellsboro. Her husband's grave is next to hers. Also buried are Anna, wife of Judge Samuel W. Morris, who was born May 7, 1791 in Muncy, Pennsylvania and died January 26, 1858 in Germantown; and Louisa A., daughter of Samuel W. and Anna Morris, who was born in Wellsboro on November 18, 1829 and died on August 4, 1864.

Henry Sly was one of the first settlers and his son Harry was the first born in the county. He was born in a house that stood on the site of the former Wellsboro Hotel.

Daniel Kelsey, pioneer in the settlement of Delmar and Wellsboro, was born in 1777; He came to Tioga County in 1807 and purchased 100 acres of land in what is now Wellsboro. He was married twice: to Ms. Mather of Wellsboro and to Rebecca Merrick of Delaware; from the latter he had six children, three of whom are still alive. Mr. Kelsey was prominent in municipal affairs and was a judge for over thirty years. He died at his Wellsboro residence in 1863 at the age of 86.

Through the influence of Brothers Samuel W. Morris, B. Smith, John F. Donaldson, William Bache Sr., James Lowrey, and others, Wellsboro was incorporated as a township in 1830. John Norris was the first citizen. The parish was huge. Five years later, i. H. in 1835, according to a list prepared and kindly provided by William Bache Jr., the heads of families who lived within its borders were as follows:

E. Fellows, William Taylor, R. Cole, R. Christianot, B. B. Smith, Samuel Mack, M. Burnside, J. Borst, A. Corey, J. Beecher, S. Bliss, John F. Donaldson, F. Wetherbee, C. Seeley, James Lock, L. I. Nichols, D. Lindsey, L. Meek, J. Brewster, J. Hance, E. Jones, J. Gere, ------ Horsley, Israel Greenleaf, Elias Spencer (em cores ), Eben Murray (de cor), Ebenezer Jackson, J. L. Robinson, Chester Robinson, John Norris, Samuel Dickinson, ------ Bowen, William Bache sen., J. Kimball, ------ Barnes, Doctor Barnes, ------ Weeden, D. Sturrock, E. M. Bodine, F. Doxtetter, D. Caldwell, J. E. Martin, Josiah Emery, ------ Barney, Samuel W. Morris, J. Lowrey, Israel Merrick , O. L. Gibson, U. Cushman, Gates Wilcox, L. Cleveland, G. Cook, ------ Maase, Dr. Wells, ------ Whitman, Archibald Nichols, William Norris, ----- - Harris , P. Murray (decor) - nein insgesamt 59.

With an estimated five per household, including passers-by, the district must have numbered around three hundred people. There are some omissions in first names; but Mr. Bache is confident that the above list is otherwise complete.

E. Fellows, the first gentleman mentioned in the list, was then a farmer, and for many years has since run the Farmers' Hotel in the north-eastern part of the county. When the Wellsboro and Lawrenceville Railroad was built in 1872, he sold a large amount of land to the railroad company, on which the company has since built a freight and passenger depot, roundabout, weigh-office, engineering forge. , joinery and various staff accommodation. He also sold it to other parties who built houses and other buildings. He has now retired from active business life.

Benjamin B. Smith was a painter and published thePhoenixfor seven years before 1835 under the motto: "Freedom of the press is the palladium of our rights". Mr. Smith was a gentleman of culture and a clear and concise writer. Samuel Mack was a blacksmith and J. Borst a butcher. C. Seeley was a hotel manager.

John F. Donaldson was born in Danville, Montour County, Pennsylvania in 1805. He learned the printing trade in Danville from George Sweeney, the editor of the magazineSereno🇧🇷 arrived in Tioga County in August 1827 and worked in the office of thePhoenix, who also served as secretary in the proto-notary's office until 1833. Then he bought B.B. Smith's printing works and published thePhoenixuntil late 1835. In January 1836, Governor Joseph Ritner appointed him proto-notary of Tioga County, and he remained in that position until 1838, when Governor David R. Porter appointed A. S. Brewster. In 1839 the office became electable and Mr. Donaldson was elected and then re-elected at the end of each term until 1872 when he was succeeded by General Robert C. Cox. The people of the county had great confidence in Mr. Donaldson, no matter which political party had the majority, they were certain of an election. No official has retired from so responsible a post with greater honor than he after so many years of service. A few years after retiring as proto-notary, he was elected judge, a post he held until his unexpected death on February 12, 1880, at the advanced age of 75. His funeral was attended by members of the legal fraternity and other old friends and acquaintances. There was hardly a businessman in all of northern Pennsylvania who didn't know him. He was distinguished by his courtesy and generosity, and his death was mourned by thousands across the country.

James Lock was born in Keene, N.H. on May 18, 1790 and came to Wellsboro in 1815. At the time there were only five framed buildings on the site. He was a goldsmith, but when he came to Wellsboro he did not practice his trade for long because there was not enough demand for his skills in the field. A born mechanic, he possessed genuine Yankee skills for mechanical pursuits. During the construction of the courthouse in 1834-35 he made the doors and kept the stonemasons' tools in order. He later opened a gun shop and manufactured a superior rifle. He was a very successful hunter and fisherman. On his 83rd birthday and 60th anniversary of his marriage, the citizens of Wellsboro paid him a formal visit and presented him and his lovely wife with a beautiful bedroom Bible as a token of respect. He died on March 14, 1874 at the age of 84.

L.I. Nichols was a farmer and lumberjack and later a merchant. L. Meek was a merchant. J. Brewster was a farmer and assistant judge, one of the most respected citizens in the county. Chester and J.L. Robinson were lumberjacks and merchants, and now bankers, and were among the wealthiest men in the county. Samuel Dickinson was a lumberjack and farmer, J. Kimball a hotel manager, and D. Sturrock a carpenter and carpenter.

John Norris, a respected pioneer settler, came to Big Marsh from English Town (where he settled and built mills on the border between Tioga and Lycoming counties in 1799) and later settled in Wellsboro. He was appointed proto-notary and recorder in 1813, and thereafter became one of Wellsboro's leading men.

William Bachesen. Born in England, he came to the United States in 1790 and settled in Wellsboro in 1812.

Ellis M. Bodine was born in 1799 on the Jersey Shore, Lycoming County. He learned tanning and the tanning trade from Abram Lawshe. He was married to Miss in 1827. Margaret Shearer from the Jersey Coast. Their children were: Sarah, wife of Dr. H. S. Greeno of Kansas City, Missouri; Isaac M. of Wellsboro; Abram Lawshe of Morris, Pennsylvania; Ellis B.; Ellen A., wife of Rev. M.F. DeWitt, of Elmira, N.Y.; Lewis T. of Kansas City; Catharine, wife of John W. Wright, of Rochester, N.Y., and Margaret, wife of Charles M. Moore, of Liberty, Pa. Mr. Bodine arrived in Wellsboro in 1828; He bought a small tannery and bark mill from Joseph Fish, the first local tanner, and continued the business on that spot for several years. In 1846 he built a large tannery, 40 by 87, two full stories, and made custom work on soles and uppers. In 1848 the tannery burned down and Mr. Bodine suffered a great loss. He was a middle-class gentleman. In 1835 he was chairman of the board of trustees of the Wellsboro School; He was instrumental in building a school in the county and did much to get the General Education Act 1834 passed. He now lives in the North West part of the county, at the advanced age of 83.

Josiah Emery, teacher, editor and attorney, now retired, lives in Williamsport and is an attorney with the Lycoming County Bar; a careful and methodical businessman, a gentleman of rare literary ability and a noted historian who did much during his stay there to stimulate interest in historical matters in that county.

James Lowrey, son-in-law of Samuel W. Morris, was the Academy's first professor; He then studied law and became a respected practitioner. In 1854 he helped organize an iron-making firm at Mansfield and was the first President of the Association; represented the county in the legislature in 1852-3.

Israel Merrick came from Delaware in 1809. His son, Israel Merrick Jr., was a county commissioner clerk for several years, becoming county commissioner in 1847. He was a farmer. He died in Delmar in 1854 at the age of 64. His son, Major George W. Merrick, is now a senior member of the Tioga County Bar and postmaster in Wellsboro.

O. L. Gibson, M.D., was for many years the leading physician and one of the most distinguished citizens of Wellsboro. Gates Wilcox was a farmer and lumberjack, L. Cleveland saddler, Gibson Cook bailiff, Archibald Nichols merchant and William Morris tailor.

The first post office in Wellsboro was in a lumberyard with a framed wing a few yards south of the Morris mansion, now Dr. M.L. Bacon. Judge Samuel W. Morris was the first postmaster and William Bache Sr. was the second. There was weekly horse mail between Williamsport and Wellsboro via Pine Creek, which was then the main travel route, although severely hampered by many unbridged creeks. It was named the Newberry Turnpike, and permission for its construction was granted by an act of the legislature in 1799. This road crossed the hill south of Morris Orchard, and a corduroy bridge crossed the creek at the bottom of the hill. Judge Morris later built a sawmill on this creek, so it appears the creek was much larger than it is today.

As the county developed, other mail routes were established from time to time, one going east to Covington and through Sullivan to Troy, and another north to Tioga. Up until around 1837, no stagecoaches ran on either route. There are now postal routes running south to Stony Fork, west to Gaines Township and Potter County and east to Mansfield, connecting to one from Troy, Bradford County. The railroad provides good mail service to the north, while mail destined for Harrisburg, Philadelphia or even Williamsport goes northeast to Elmira and from there is sent south on the Northern Central Railroad.

The post office is in a brick building on Main Street; Major George W. Merrick is the postmaster. A few hours of post office visit would now give the old settler a good idea of ​​the progress of the postal facilities and show the development of the country. Hundreds of pounds of mail are received and dispatched daily, with the first postmasters only occasionally handling a half-full mailbag, as recalled by many of the oldest residents in the district.

The first goods were sold in Wellsboro by William Bachesen. and Benjamin W. Morris, at their homes. This was around 1812 or 1813. John Beecher soon opened a shop on the east corner of Norris Street and Main Street. John Hill and B.B. Smith each had a small shop and before 1830 there were several grocery stores. Samuel Dickinson was building and opening a shop at this time. Chester and J.L. Robinson succeeded him.

Ezekiel Jones, Wellsboro's first blacksmith, came from the East at the invitation of Benjamin W. Morris. Henry Sly was one of the first blacksmiths; also a Mr. Daniels. Joseph Fish was the first tanner. The county's first sawmill was built circa 1806 by John Norris for the Fisher Land Company. The company also built a sawmill.

The first doctors were Jeremiah Brown, Dr. Hoover and Dr. Oliver Bundy (who married a sister of B.B. Smith). J. B. Murphy was a hotelier and merchant and owner of a forge. He was the father of Mrs. Richter L. P. Williston and his widow now reside in Elmira. Wellsboro's first resident attorney was William Patton of Philadelphia. He owned the house where Judge Williams now resides. Now there are 24, in addition to Justices Williams and Wilson.

The elegant and substantial courthouse was built in 1835 on a lot donated by B.W. Morris, which contributed much to the town's appearance; A public square or park was also conditioned. Wellsboro grew slowly while the surrounding countryside was quickly colonized by a class of intelligent, resilient, and hard-working people. We have already pointed out the construction of the plank road in the general history of the county and the benefits Wellsboro derived from this enterprise. In addition to this plank road, the roads in neighboring villages have been greatly improved, particularly those leading to the pine forests to the south and west. Wellsboro soon became a supply base for loggers from Pine Creek and its tributaries, eventually developing a large and profitable trade with them. Many new buildings were constructed in the community from 1835 to 1850, and some of today's most exciting entrepreneurs made Wellsboro their home during this period.

William Bingham Clymer established the General Land Office for the Bingham estate here in 1845. This estate encompassed several hundred thousand acres in southern Pennsylvania, much of it in Tioga County; and Mr. Clymer's prudent management and easy conditions with the settlers added many new and valuable inhabitants. For more than a quarter of a century he lived in Wellsboro and gained the general trust and respect of the people. A gentleman of academic success, he graduated with honors from Princeton College and pursued college with a view to entering the legal profession. He had been an estate agent for many years and was appointed trustee in 1867. After deciding in 1869 to visit Europe with his family, he resigned from his agency, but remained active as a trustee in Florence, Italy, until his death in 1873. He was the grandson of George Clymer, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Robert C. Simpson, associated with the Bingham estate for many years, has been the agent since Mr. Bingham's resignation. Clymer and manages with care, prudence and fidelity this great interest in counties Tioga, Potter and McKean. He is a gentleman of rare business ability, methodical and precise, and a man of high social qualities.

Wellsboro contained 598 whites and 22 blacks in 1850, for a total of 620 residents. In 1860 there were 788 whites and 21 blacks, for a total of 809. In 1870 the population was 1,465 (29 Pardos) and in 1880 2,228.

Delmar's and Wellsboro's manufacturing interests are not where they should be with the facilities available. Set amidst forests of the finest timber and very close to coal mines, with hourglasses in abundance and plenty of idle capital, it's surprising that the commoners haven't made major advances in manufacturing.

Wellsboro has two tanneries, several forges, a foundry and machine shop, two planing machines, a sawmill, a feed mill, several wagons, etc. Process. A large cigar factory was recently established, employing more people than any other industrial facility in the county. He manufactured 666,925 cigars from July 16, 1881 to January 1, 1882 and paid taxes of $1,729.35. The people of Wellsboro and the surrounding area recognize the need to encourage industrial operations and it is confidently expected that a number of manufacturing operations will open within a few months. The city has reached a point where it is financially able to sustain robust and sizable production, and the completion of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railroad, which connects to the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad in Stokesdale, encourages citizens to start having greater involvement in manufacturing, with easier commercialization of their products in the central, eastern and southern regions of the state. Farmers and traders often begin to realize that they are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars annually from abroad for agricultural implements, carts, sleds, boots and shoes, etc., to be manufactured here, with the locals receiving the resulting benefits. the existence of such plants in your area.

Wellsboro's early citizens and residents showed a keen interest in education. Although there were few children to teach, they were tutored at home or by a volunteer teacher; but as soon as the pioneers satisfied their immediate physical needs, they made great efforts and managed to found an academy in their midst, which received a grant from the state. This was as early as 1817. It was the design of the makers of this project that the academy should have a primary and a higher department; Therefore, the idea of ​​​​classification schools is not entirely modern. We are told this by those who know what the goals of Judge Morris, Justus Dartt and others involved in the merger were. They wanted to set up an educational establishment in the wilderness of northern Pennsylvania where their children could be educated in elementary and higher schools; and as Wellsboro was the seat of the county, it was thought best to settle it there, though those who lived nearby were deprived of the advantages of its department by its remoteness. The academy proved of great benefit to the people of Wellsboro, and some of its faculty became prominent and respected citizens, as did many of its students. James Lowrey was the first professor, an academically accomplished gentleman, to become a distinguished member of the Tioga County Bar. Among the other directors or teachers we recall the names of Josiah Emery, Rev. B. Shipman, Charles Nash, Erastus P. Deane, Marenus M. Allen, and William A. Stone. About ten years ago, the academy was consolidated into the Wellsboro Union Free Graduate School and the building sold to the Catholic Church.

For several years (c. 1813-16) before the academy was ready, the Quaker blockhouse was used as a district or community school, and scholars were sometimes taught in the professors' houses. Early teachers included Chauncey Alford, Lydia Cole, and Benjamin B. Smith. This is how school affairs were regulated until 1834, when the Common Schools Act was passed. It was universally approved.

On November 5, 1834, a school assembly was held at the courthouse, electing Chauncey Alford president and Josiah Emery secretary. District Commissioners Amariah Hammond, Chauncey Alford and George Knox were in attendance. The delegates were as follows: From Brookfield, Jonathan Booney; Chatham, Henry Eaton; Charleston, Cyrus Dartt; Parish of Covington, Avery Gillett; County Covington, John Gray; Deerfield, James Knox; Farmington, Jonathan Sorber; Jackson, Norman Wells; Lawrence, Buel Baudouin; Freedom, John Lovegood; Mansfield, William B. Mann; Middlebury, Israel P. Kinney; Morris, Charles Duffy; Ruland, Peter Baecker; Shippen, George Huyler; Sullivan, David Hazzard; Tioga, Joseph W. Guernsey; Union, Charles O. Spencer; Westfield, Samuel Baker; Wellsboro, Josiah Emery. Delmar and Elkland were not represented. The question of charging a fee for the maintenance of community schools was decided in the affirmative: 23 for, 0 against. Sixteen voted to raise $3,000 and seven other amounts. Authorized pick up and drop off of $3,000. The procedures related to the holding of elections for school leaders in the various municipalities continued and the session of the Convention was suspended.

Wellsboro citizens, governed by convention action, acted to elect a school board. The first board consisted of John F. Donaldson, Levi I. Nichols, Josiah Emery, J. Brewster, David Caldwell and Ellis M. Bodine. At a council meeting on March 2, 1835, Mr. Bodine was elected President and Mr. Nichols Secretary. March 11, 1835 David Caldwell, Josiah Emery and James Kimball were elected to a building committee after it was agreed that the directors would raise a sum of money by subscription to build a school. The drawing document is as follows:

“We, the undersigned, promise to pay Jonah Brewster, David Caldwell, E.M. Bodine, J.F. Donaldson, L.I. Nichols and Josiah Emery the various sums agreed on our behalf to establish a school in the community of Wellsboro; said house belongs to the underwriters, in proportion to the amounts subscribed, but remain under the control of the school board for the next year, be rented for school purposes at a reasonable price, sell the house initially to said municipality upon its completion, at first cost when the Directors vote on purchase at law school meeting. The house will be placed as close to the city center as circumstances permit and to be completed as soon as possible, and the sums of money referred to are payable in vision".

Erastus P. Deane was hired to direct the school for five months beginning November 20, 1835, at $16 a month. The following year he returned to work. He agreed to begin school November 7, 1836, and continue for five months for the sum of $28 a month; It should board itself and "go at the expense of the firewood and cut it". That same year Mrs. Mary P. Nichols was hired every twelve or sixteen weeks for $3 a week and found her own room, firewood, and food. That was the beginning of Wellsboro's free school system.

One of the first taxes levied for school purposes was set at one-third of one percent. The highest tax collected was against Samuel W. Morris, $6.54. William Bache's tax at the time was $1.98. J.N. Bache, Laugher Bache, and A.P. Cone each paid 17 cents. William Bache's school tax was $225 in 1875, forty years later.

On March 7, 1860, the school district purchased land at the east corner of Pearl and Norris Streets from Laugher Bache and soon thereafter constructed the school building known as the Main Building. In 1869 and 1870 there was a process whereby ownership of the academy passed to the school district, and in the fall of 1870 Professor A. C. Winters was hired as a teacher at an annual salary of $1,600, and also hired three assistants. 🇧🇷 In 1871, eight teachers were employed and 477 students attended the school. In 1872 there were eight teachers and 491 students, and in 1873 there were eight teachers and 530 students.

By this time, Wellsboro residents had realized that an additional building needed to be erected. Public meetings were held at the courthouse and speakers called for the school board to take action. Public sentiment was completely agitated, and the popular belief was that the school board bought land and eventually erected a building costing $33,500 furnished. It is on what is commonly known as St. Louis and consists of a central high school building with elementary schools for 200 students each.

At the opening of the Central High School Building on August 20, 1875, Reverend N. L. Reynolds, James H. Bosard, Judge H. W. Williams, Reverend J. F. Calkins, Judge Stephen F. Wilson, the Hon. J. B. Niles, Rev. DR. Charles Breck, and other. A letter was read from Professor F. A. Allen, regretting his absence and congratulating the citizens of Wellsboro on the auspicious event. The school board under which this building was erected and completed consisted of John W. Bailey (President), William Bache (Treasurer), James H. Bosard (Secretary), Jerome B. Potter, Hugh Young, Chester Robinson, and J. B. Niles .

More than 500 students are already receiving instruction in postgraduate schools in the community, with benefits surpassed in any other city of the same size in the state, with large classrooms and all the necessary equipment, under an efficient panel of trained and experienced teachers. The current installation consists of Professor H. E. Raesley, Director; Miss Susan R. Hart, governess; Miss Sarah I. Lewis, First Grammar; Frank A. Rowland, second grammarian; Miss Myra M. Davis, First Intermediate, Miss M. Louise Jones, Primary, assisted by Miss Stella Cook.

The school board consists of George W. Merrick (President), L. Harrison (Secretary), J. M. Robinson (Treasurer), Morgan L. Bacon, Charles W. Sears, Frank R. Fischler, and Isaac M. Bodine.

The company of friends.--Benjamin Wistar Morris, the founder and original owner of Wellsboro, was a member of the Society of Friends, and the first services held within Wellsboro boundaries were under his direction. The first building for religious meetings was designed by Mr. Morris and faced the public square on the north side of the street, near where the former offices of Henry Sherwood & Son now stand. It consisted of logs cut on one side and joined at the corners. Mr. Morris, assisted by his wife, Mary Wells Morris (Wellsboro's first female resident), held services there for many years. But after a while, as most of the new settlers were not of the Quaker faith, the services died out and the society became special with the death of Mrs. Morris on November 6, 1819. Log's old church, however, survived his for a few years death exist and has been used for various purposes.

Methodist Episcopal Church.--In 1801 or 1802, the Reverend Caleb Boyer and his Delaware family, along with several other families, settled in present-day Delmar Township near Wellsboro. Mr. Boyer was one of fifteen ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church in North America. He first preached in and around Wellsboro and probably also in Tioga County, except for Mr. Morris the Quaker.

In 1820, Wellsboro was on the old Tioga Circuit, which included all of the area within the boundaries of Troy County and then some. The referee. Hiram G. Warner formed the first class that year and was first year coached by Rev. Herr. Moore and sophomore by Rev. Kaleb Kendall. Meetings were held in the block court, located on almost the same site as the current courthouse, and later in a school or academy. Among the members of the first class were William Bache, Sr., Mrs. Pamelia Coolidge, Captain Israel Greenleaf (a revolutionary soldier), Israel Kelsey, Sr. and Mrs. Kilbourn, and Hannah Cole.

In 1839-40 the Rev. Robert T. Hancock raised $2,000 by subscription to build a church. His successor, Rev. I. K. Tuttle, left the Church enterprise in an advanced state, and was commissioned by Rev. Philo Tower, who completed the building, and the new building was designed by Rev. William R. Babcock, Senior District President, May 21, 1842; it cost $3000. The Church grew in strength, and soon after a presbytery was erected, the Rev. D. B. Lawson, the minister in charge, labored on it with nearly $100, which was very common then and is not unprecedented today.

Many conversions and additions to church membership took place under the pastorate of Rev. C. Nash in 1850. The referee. WC Mattison succeeded Mr. Nash and interest in church affairs continued throughout the year.

1867 Rev. O. L. Gibson was appointed to the post. As debts to the Church accumulated during the war, Isaac Sears distributed a signature document, which he signed generously enough to pay off the $1,000 debt and leave $200 to repair the Church. The first Sunday the church was used after these improvements was November 17, 1867. During the service it was discovered to be burning, and despite people's best efforts, it burned to the ground. That was a sad blow, but fortunately Mr. Gibson, who had helped hold revival meetings for two or three weeks and received $25, generously refused his acceptance unless enough was added to warrant an insurance policy in the value of $2,500 to complete. This was done, and this amount, guaranteed to the church, served as the nucleus around which funds were raised for a new building. Through the persistent work of pastor and members, with the help of generous outside resources, a fine brick building, the best in that segment of the conference, was completed at a cost of $25,000 and was erected on November 17, 1869 (two years for a day after the burning). by Rev. K.P. Jervis. Mr. Gibson was no less successful in the ministry he was assigned than in church building.

The Ministers in Charge since the last appointment are the Revs. W. M. Henry, Thomas Stacey, D. D. Buck, K. P. Jervis, and the present pastor, Rev. E. H. Latimer, who is in his third year of ministry at Wellsboro.

The church has recently been fitted with new stoves, carpets and cushions and is decorated with frescoes. It will offer space for around 600 people. Current membership is 277. Trustees are R.C. Cox, Charles Toles (Treasurer), Ira Johnston (President), C.W. Sears and C.F. Veile (Secretary).

Connected to the church is a very interesting Sunday school with 175 students, 19 teachers and officials. The library contains 547 volumes. Henry C. Cox is the librarian.

Episcopal Church of Sao Paulo.--- The record records that Rev. Charles Breck, then a religious deacon, arrived in Wellsboro on Tuesday, August 21, 1838, and officiated at the first bishop's service in Tioga County the following Sunday. This service was held in the courthouse because no place of worship had been built in Wellsboro. The arrival of Mr. Breck happened like this: the lack of services prompted the citizens to call a town meeting and the question arose as to whom to run for vicar. The choice fell between the Presbyterians and the Episcopalians, and the assembly decided in favor of the latter. Arrangements were made immediately to get a minister. James Lowrey and Joshua Sweet were appointed to a committee to implement the meeting's wishes. Ignoring diocesan boundaries, the committee made its first request to Rev. Richard Smith, then officiating in Elmira, who advised them to apply for Bishop Onderdonk of Philadelphia since they belonged to the Diocese of Pennsylvania. Consequently, Mr. Sweet wrote to the bishop, who sent the letter to Mr. Breck, then a student at New York General Theological Seminary.

On the second Sunday after Mr. Breck, he was met at the door of the courthouse by a deputy sheriff, who informed him that services could not be held there. He therefore retired to the schoolhouse behind the present church and officiated there for a short time until the upper part of the academy was furnished with a sacristy, lecterns, chairs and a small organ, which were kindly placed at the disposal of the congregation by Levi I .Nichols. Visiting the residents of the town and immediate neighborhood, Mr. Breck could not find a single communicant. There were only four or five professing Christians in the city. The Church, of course, was severely disadvantaged, since the people were almost completely ignorant of the liturgy and the episcopal offices.

On October 30, 1838, about two months after Mr. Breck, a meeting was held in James Lowrey's office, and a congregation was organized, adopting the charter recommended by the diocesan assembly. At the same time and place trustees and vestry members were elected, namely: Benjamin B. Smith, Levi I. Nichols, Otis L. Gibson, Joshua Sweet (later minister), James Lowrey and John L. Robinson. Through a petition to the Legislature, the congregation was duly incorporated under the name of Rector, Wardens and Clerk of St. Paul's Church, Wellsboro.

On April 15, 1839, the cornerstone of a church was laid, and on the following December 1, the church was inhabited as a place of worship for the first time. It was consecrated on September 12, 1841 by the incumbent Bishop Onderdonk. The total cost was around $3,000. The organ, shutters, and chairs cost about $400. Galleries were later erected at a cost of $667. Including the cost of the bell, the total cost of completing the church building, furniture, etc. was approximately $4,065.

Mr. Breck remained chancellor for ten years and praises the effectiveness of the industry women's group. At the end of his association with the parish, the names of vestry members were James Lowrey, Samuel Dickinson, William Bache, and James P. Magill, and wardens Otis L. Gibson and John L. Robinson. During Mr. Breck's presidency, the site of the present rectory was generously donated to the community by the late Judge Samuel W. Morris. The number of communicants at the time of Mr. Breck was 90 years old. Of these, 12 were originally Episcopalians, 8 were Methodists, 15 were Quakers, 31 were Presbyterians, 10 were Congregationalists, 8 were Baptists, and 6 were Unitarians. Sunday Schools, of which Mr. Breck took the lead. There were three with a total of 150 scholars.

In 1848, with Mr. Breck resigning, the Rev. A.A. Marple was summoned to the sacristy, and on October 1st took over the leadership of the parish. The vicarage was built in 1850 and moved into in July of the same year; costs $1,300. After more than fourteen years of service, Mr. Marple resigned and retired from Wellsboro in 1863.

Between the years 1863 and 1872 the parish was responsible for the Revs. George H. Jenks, Henry J. Van Allen, JB Calhoun, John A. Bowman, and S.K. Karcher. At the express request of the parish, Rev. Charles Breck, DD, returned and took over in December 1872. In 1873 the old rectory was sold and removed and a new one erected at a cost of $7,000. Sheds were installed in the church and a new bell was purchased. This church was the pioneer of its denomination in Tioga County, and its influence spread over a wide area of ​​northern Pennsylvania and other parts of the Commonwealth. Dr. Breck is the present Rector, paternal, kind, spiritual, full of good works and deeds, like when he came to Wellsboro 44 years ago, young in the diaconal order, and started the Church in a humble desert village. A.F. Barnes is a senior director and D.H. Belcher is a junior director. Connected to the church is a very interesting catechesis with about a hundred scholars, led by the Rector and supported by a group of 10 professors. William Schearer is the organist. The library comprises around 400 volumes.

Presbyterian Church.--The Wellsboro Presbyterian Church was organized on February 11, 1843. Reverend Thomas Forster of Harrisburg provided the pulpit for a year and assembled thirty members in Wellsboro and Pine Creek. He was the son of the late General John Forster of Harrisburg, a prominent citizen of that city and a member of the Market Square Presbyterian Church. Thomas Forster was received into this church by a creed on September 4, 1834. He was a graduate of Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and studied law with Mr. Forster at his father's request. Chauncey of Philadelphia. However, he chose the ministry and went with Rev. DR. Ezra S. Ely for the colony and college he was planning in Missouri; However, not finding what he was looking for, he returned to Western Theological Seminary in Allegheny and completed his studies with Dr. Elliott, Class of 1836. The Rev. The following September he became pastor of this church, and continued as such for over thirty years.

The congregation prayed at court for nine years and in 1853 built the church where they have met ever since, dedicating it in 1854. In 1872 the church was enlarged and improved at a cost of $4,000.

The first elders were S. P. Scoville, Chauncey Austin, and W. W. McDougall. "These all died in the faith." Prof. E. J. Hamilton was ordained an elder in 1848 and, along with his predecessors, will be remembered with gratitude by those who remain.

The referee. DR. A. C. Shaw entered the ministry in March 1880 and is a minister of rare ability.

Since the organization of the Church, over 400 members have been admitted. Current membership is approximately 225. The meeting consists of Samuel E. Ensworth, H.W. Williams, James Forsythe, Alexander Pollock Sr., Thomas Allen and C.G. Osgood.

The Church has always maintained a well organized Sunday school with an efficient board of directors and faithful teachers. The Sunday school library contains 1,450 volumes and offers reading material not only for children but also for adult church members. Andrew G. Sturrock is the librarian, C.G. Osgood is the superintendent, and Mrs. Osgood is the organist. The school has maps, charts, and other devices for studying and illustrating the Scriptures. The Hon. H. W. Williams has a keen interest in the school and the Church and enjoys giving advice and direction. Now there are 245 scholars, 15 professors and 6 officers. A fund of $100 is allocated annually for the purchase of library books, $60 for articles, graphics, etc., and $43 for missions.

First Baptist Church.-- On the night of Thursday, March 19, 1868, N. L. Reynolds preached at Bunnell's Hall, Wellsboro. After the sermon, 27 people gathered to organize the First Baptist Church of Wellsboro. The usual articles of faith and ecclesiastical covenant were accepted. The church was approved by a council of sister churches on July 20, 1868, Rev. J.J. Keys of Elmira preaching. Reverend W.A. Smith of New Jersey was elected pastor. Within a year Rev. S. M. Brockman was succeeded as Deputy and was replaced by Rev. C. A. Storr. May 1871, Rev. N. L. Reynolds became pastor. He remained an earnest and efficient preacher for seven or eight years. Since Mr. Reynolds, Rev. Isaac C. Houd, and Rev. Messrs. Millis, Vandorn, and Morrell (the current pastor) worked here. The congregation now has about 150 members. The deacons are James Playfoot and E. H. Hastings; Clerk, N. T. Chandler. Associated with the Church is a Sunday School of 150 students, led by Superintendent N. T. Chandler, and assisted by 12 teachers.

Roman Catholic Church of San Pedro.--Yes. John's Catholic Society was founded in August 1873 by Bishop O'Hara of Scranton. It was a mission and was provided by Reverend Fathers Wynne and McDermott of Blossburg. In 1873 it had 75 members. He held his services monthly, initially at Converse Hall. As the congregation and membership increased, in 1879 the Reverend John C. McDermott settled in Wellsboro and the church received the title of St. Peter. In 1881 the old academy and grounds were purchased and the academy building remodeled to meet the needs of the church at a cost of approximately $1,200. A presbytery was purchased for $1,000 which was repaired at considerable expense. Several church festivals have been held and through Father McDermott's tireless energy and good administration all property has been paid off and the church is debt free. There are now around 200 contacts. The church and vicarage are in a pleasant and stately location on Academy Hill, one of the most desirable spots in the neighborhood. In addition to his ministry in Wellsboro, Father McDermott attends churches in Antrim and Tioga, having built a church over the past eighteen months at a cost of approximately $3,000.

A well run Sunday school is affiliated with the church in Wellsboro, which consists of about 25 students, with Miss. Lizzie Connelly as Headmistress.

Father McDermott is a gentleman of culture and sophistication and a tireless worker in Church affairs.

In 1824, Ellis Lewis and Rankin Lewis began publishing thePioneer.This, we accredit, was the first newspaper published in Concelho. The citizens of Wellsboro were initially very enthusiastic, but they did not make it a successful venture, and the press and materials were sold to Elisha Booth and he moved it to Tioga, and the citizens of that rival city subscribed for the money of for sale.

This created a sense of loss in the people of Wellsboro, and in 1827 Benjamin B. Smith began publishing thePhoenix, which was more successful when citizens learned the need to run a newspaper in the county seat. He drove a car for a good four or five years; then its publication ceased, but was resumed in 1833 by B. B. Smith and Charles Coolidge. In 1834 it came into the hands of John F. Donaldson, who had been in the office since 1827. then sold to Josiah Emery and a Corey. The newspaper was published by them until the summer of 1838, when it was passed on to Mr. Hartman, who changed the name toHerold.Mr. Hartman died about two years later and the establishment was taken over by Howe & Rumsy. In 1847 George Hildreth published theHerold, after ownership of the office passed to a limited liability company. OHeroldhe was a Whig in politics.

In 1838, James P. Magill founded a Democratic newspaper called TheAdler.It was skilfully managed and well supported for several years when publication ceased. The motto she captioned was: "This country is the wealthiest where work is most rewarded."-James Buchanan."The Union is founded on the Constitution and its obligations".Office supplies were used by R. Jenkins to inform his political successor, theDemocrats, in 1858. In December 1861 the bureau burned down, and for several months no Democratic newspaper was published in Wellsboro.

In April 1862, R. Jenkins acquired new material and began publicationBandera.In a short time he was sold to a company in Tioga and moved to that city. But it did not stay there long, for in 1864 Theodore Wright of Lock Haven, Clinton County, a candidate for Congress, bought it, brought it back to Wellsboro, and turned it over to the county Democratic committee, which prof. N. Allen hired to edit and publish a Democratic article. The role only lasted about a year. In 1866 C. C. Keeler took over the company and publishedThe Herald of Union🇧🇷 After a year he was succeeded by Charles G. Williams, an accomplished writer, who changed his name back toDemocrats.Mr. Williams continued to publish the paper until the fall of 1869, when Mr. Jenkins again became editor and remained until July 1873, when ownership passed to Ferguson & Schlick, who edited the paper for about a year.

In November 1874 theWellsboro Gazette, made with materials from the ancient crafts ofDemocratsand the employment office Dr. Robert Roy began his career edited by F.G. Churchill, who published a risque memoir during the turbulent time of the trial of Cosgrove and others, the Wellsboro bank robbers; beginning on the morning of Wednesday, December 2, 1874, and ending December 12, 1874. Mr. Churchill continued the publication of the Wellsboro WeeklyGazetauntil 1876, when S. N. Havens worked with him, and until 1878, when Mr. Churchill sold his share to Mr. Subsequently, Mr. Havens connected with him Frank Conevery, and set up a steam-press and a large number of kinds of work, &c.Gazetawas published by Havens & Conevery until November 1881, when Mr. Havens sold his share to Mr. Huntington, and the business is now conducted by Huntington & Conevery.

In 1846, William C. Webb published an article on "Free Soil" entitled TheBandera.So he drove west.

In 1850, William D. Bailey founded theinserta Whig magazine of decided skill and great typographical value. This newspaper existed until 1854 when M.H. Cobb bought the company and changed the name of the newspaper and rebranded itAgitator,the title by which he has been known ever since. Mr. Cobb was a very insightful and capable writer and one of the best editors Tioga County has ever had. L. Bache and W.W. McDougall were partners in the business. 1857 Mr. Cobb became both a sole proprietorship and a publisher. In 1859 he gave the facility to Hugh Young for a small advance on the original cost ($850) and left Wellsboro to serve on the staff of theNew Yorker Welt,a magazine that started out as a religious daily but is now published as a political newspaper. Mr. Young bought a new typeface for the newspaper and paid more attention to local columns, greatly increasing the value of the magazine. During the war theAgitatorbrought the audience closer to the experiences of eyewitnesses on site and in the camp and provided a vivid history of the moving events of the day. Mr. Cobb returned in January 1863 and bought back the facility and installed a cylinder press in 1864. In December 1865, P.C. Van Gelder bought half the shares and the owners expanded the newspaper to seven columns. In January 1867 it was expanded again. On January 1, 1870, Mr. Cobb retired and John I. Mitchell took his place as partner. The law firm of Van Gelder & Mitchell existed for a year, Mr. Mitchell retired and Mr. Van Gelder became sole proprietor, with George W. Sears as editor. On January 1, 1872, A. F. Barnes of Bath, N. Y. bought half the company's inventory and bought a complete suit of a smaller type. On September 1st, 1872 Mr. Van Gelder retired from the company and A. M. Roy of Wellsboro took his place; and from this date theAgitatorwas published by Barnes & Roy. Improvements have been made from time to time, and it is now one of the finest printers in northern Pennsylvania. OAgitatorHe is a Republican in politics.

On January 1, 1874, R. Jenkins, former director and editor of theDemocrat,began publishing a five-column folio devoted primarily to local news and the Odd Fellowship. He was politically neutral. Shortly thereafter he left the company. In 1878 OS Webster removed Westfield asIdea,and began publishing an article in Wellsboro entitled asLeader of Tioga County.It was the organ of the Greenback party. Its publication ceased in 1881.

Logia Tioga, n.230,I. O. O. F.was organized at Wellsboro, February 15, 1847, with the following officers: Robert C. Simpson, N.G.; William Garretson, V.G., James P. Magill, Secretary; James S. Bryden, Assistant Secretary; James D. Booth, Treasurer. After a thriving ten years of existence, it was dissolved.

In the spring of 1871, a sufficient number of former members applied to the Grand Lodge to have the letter returned. It was returned on April 12, 1871 and the Lodge was taken over by D.D.G.M. Otis G Gerould of Covington. The officers elected were: Andrew Foley, N.G., H.W. Dartt, V.G., N.I. Kramer, Secretary; Jose Riberolle, Treasurer.

There are currently 125 members. Older figures in good standing are Henry W. Williams, Robert C. Simpson, Elisha J. Brown, Hiram W. Dartt, George O. Derby, N.I. Chandler, Jerome B. Potter, Moses Yale, William S. Hoagland, WW Webb. John Brown, Frank A Deans, L L Bailey, Joseph Williams, John W Mather, George W Merrick, and Horace B Packer. The current officers are: H.E. Raesly, N.G., James Matson, V.G., Frank A. Deans, Secretary; N. I. Chandler, Assistant Secretary; Jose Riberolle, Treasurer.

Wellsboro Camp, Nr.78,I. O. O. F.was commissioned at Wellsboro April 10, 1848 with the following officers: John S. Williston, C.P.; James S. Bryden, HP; John F Donaldson, SW; Edward W Ross, JW; Simon H. Landis, secretary; Joseph Weaver, Treasurer; LB Reynolds, leader. The camp relinquished its charter about 1856 or 1857 and was restored under the same charter on March 27, 1873, in the presence of the officers of the great state camp. The sworn officers were: A. Foley, C. P.; Robert C. Simpson, HP; EJ Brown, SW; N.T. Chandler, J.W.; Hiram W. Dartt, Secretary; Joseph Riberolle, Treasurer; George O. Derby, leader.

Distinguished former Great Patriarchs include Robert C. Simpson, N.T. Chandler, George O. Derby, Jerome B. Potter, Hiram W. Dartt, Andrew J. Tipple, Moses Yale, Frank A. Deans, Charles Eberenz, M.C. Potter, Ezra Benedict Young and L.L. Bailey.

The current directors are: John W. Mather, C.P.; LL. Bailey, H.P.; William S Hoagland, SW; Richard Lownsberry, JW; Frank A. Deans, clerk; Josef Riberolle, Treasurer.

Bone Science, No.317,Free and recognized Freemasonswas founded on January 11, 1858. The first officers were: Ebenezer Pratt, W.M.; William A Roe, SW; William Roberts, J.W.; James Kimball, Treasurer; Thomas B. Bryden, Secretary; Robert Roy, SD; Angus Griffin, J.D.; Hubbard carpenter, tiler.

Former Friends Now are Robert C. Simpson, William Roberts, Hugh Young, Massena Bullard, Henry W. Williams, John I. Mitchell, Ezra B. Young, James H. Bosard, Max Bernkopf, John Cuyle and Charles T. Kimball. 🇧🇷

Chapter Ten, No.194,Royal Arch Maurerwas founded on August 15, 1859. The first officers were: Robert C. Simpson, H.P.; William Butler, K.; A.W. Howland, S.; William Roberts, Treasurer; Thomas B. Bryden, Secretary; Hubbard carpenter, tiler.

Former high priests who are now members include Robert C. Simpson, William Roberts, Massena Bullard, Hugh Young, Henry W. Williams, and Jerome B. Niles.

Tyadaghton command, no.28,Knights Templarwas founded on June 12, 1867. The first officers were: Robert C. Simpson, E.C.; William Roberts, G.; Andrew Foley, CG; Mark H. Cobb, Prel.; Robert Roy, Treasurer; Thomas B. Bryden, Secretary.

The Hermaic Societywas organized by the youth of Wellsboro on May 11, 1869 as a literary or debating society. In the winter of that year, he offered a free home-lecture course to the public and paid all necessary expenses to the Society from his own funds. In 1870 it was continued as a debating and literary society, met weekly and organized what was then a risky undertaking, namely a first-class lecture course. Wellsboro citizens were generous in supporting the partnership, subscribing to a $1,000 fund that was assessed to cover any deficiencies that might arise. But the success of the experiment far exceeded the Society's most optimistic expectations, for thirteen lectures were given by the best talent money could buy, and the shortfall was less than $50, almost completely exonerating its patrons. In 1871 the course included lectures or conversations by Frederick Douglass, Mendelssohn Club, Mary A. Livermore, George Vanderhoff, William Parsons, D.R. Locke, George William Curtis, Anna E. Dickinson, and Rev. Edwin H. Chapin, D.D. The course of Taught by local talent, 1873-74 proved to be interesting beyond all expectations. The society had an excellent reference library and reading room on Bowen Block. The lecture course of 1874-75 was brilliant. In January 1875, former governor Andrew G. Curtin, former Russian minister, gave an admirable lecture on that country. Other distinguished speakers graced their conference platform throughout the season.

Societies of moderation.--In 1865 a department of Sons of Temperance was organized which had remarkable success in reforming many who had fallen into habits of excess. For several years there were no licensed hotels in Wellsboro. In 1868 the Good Templars founded a society and soon after took over the organization of the Sons of Temperance. A great wave of temperance hit the county in 1877, dubbed the Murphy Movement. A large mass gathering was held at Bush's Park in Tioga, where people from all parts of the county gathered to welcome Francis Murphy, the great modern apostle of temperance.

The night after the Tioga meeting, Wednesday, June 27, 1877, Mr. Murphy and Luther Caldwell said they spoke in Wellsboro's public square to an estimated crowd of 3,500 people. Never seen a meeting in the city where there was so much well-being and so much illusion. From beginning to end there was a sustained ovation for the speakers and the cause they were defending. They had a similar meeting the following night, and as a result of the two meetings, 257 names were added to Murphy's already long roll of honor. Local temperance organizations held meetings with occasional local speakers. Many of those who signed the Murphy Pledge returned to their old ways, while large numbers kept them intact. Wellsboro Ladies now have an organization dedicated to suppressing the trade in spirits as a beverage.

Tioga County Medical Associationwas organized June 20, 1860 at the Wellsboro office of N. Packer, M.D., and originally consisted of Drs. N. Packer, R. H. Archer, C. V. Elliott, W. W. Webb, Daniel Bacon, and Otis W. Gibson, son of Otis L. Gibson, who had practiced in Wellsboro for the past thirty years. The organization slowly grew its membership and held its meetings occasionally. The last took place in Mansfield on December 19, 1860. Thereafter the society was in a state of suspended activity until September 9, 1868, when it was reorganized at a meeting in Tioga. It was then developed by Drs. W.W. Webb, Daniel Bacon, Robert M. Christy, R.B. Smith, T.R. Warren, H.A. Phillips and Lewis Darling Jr.

In this organization, new life was breathed into society and a useful career began. The membership has steadily grown and has attracted great interest among district physicians to this day as it is unrivaled in the state of Pennsylvania. There are now 36 active members who encompass the best skills and talents in the county. The Society holds four annual meetings in the months of April, June, September and December. At these meetings, issues related to the treatment of diseases are discussed and opinions are exchanged on the best calculated methods for advancing the science and practice of medicine. The association is one of the best institutions in the district.

The following appointed physicians have served as Presidents of the Association since its inception: R. H. Archer, 1860; Daniel Bacon, 1868, 1869; N. Packer, 1870; James Masten, 1871; WW Webb, 1872; C.K. Thompson, 1873, 1881; WT Humphrey, 1874; RB Smith, 1875; Lewis Darling Jr., 1876; ML Bacon, 1877; EG Drake, 1878; geo. D. Rector, 1879; AM circuit, 1880.

In 1806 Wellsboro became the seat of Tioga County. However, courts were not held there until 1813 and the county's legal affairs from 1804 to 1813 were conducted in Williamsport. The first charges were malicious mischief and breaking the Sabbath. The first action in the common causes was expulsion; Judgment in favor of the defendant and the bailiff informed him that the plaintiff's body had been removed to collect costs. The country was so sparsely populated that Sheriff Lorain Lamb said it was difficult to find suitable people for juries.

On the night of September 16, 1874, a very brazen and successful bank robbery was committed in Wellsboro. A masked gang managed to break into the home of John L. Robinson, President of the First National Bank of Wellsboro, whose son Eugene H. Robinson was a teller and lived with his father. The thieves detained some of the residents of the house. After tying and gagging her under threat of death, they forced Eugene H. Robinson to show the keys to the bank and take them to open their safes, where they helped themselves to their contents and a very large sum in cash received. . Funds, in addition to US bonds and other securities. After the loot had been secured, the thieves calmly left the premises and fled. The next morning, the prisoners managed to free themselves before daybreak and sound the alarm. An immediate manhunt ensued and the fugitives were pursued along the road leading to Elmira.

The bank's president and teller immediately issued a warning that their loss would not eat up more than a third of their excess funds or compromise the depositor's safety. This has been confirmed by Chester Robinson, John R. Bowen, William Bache and H.W. Williams. No event has moved the people of Wellsboro so much. Anyone who could help capture the robbers volunteered or went after them. A great reward has been offered. The following Sunday, C. Cosgrove, a man with many aliases, was arrested near Waverly, NY, and a man in Elmira named Orson Cook; also Mike Welsh of Waverly. A large sum of money was found in Cosgrove's possessions, along with titles and other belongings, and the gold watch and chain of E.H. Robinson, the teller. The prisoners were held at Wellsboro Jail and tried at the following December session. The Honorable Stephen F. Wilson was the presiding judge and his associates were D. McNaughton and LB Smith. J.C. Strang was the District Attorney at the time. During the multi-day trial, the Palace of Justice was packed to capacity as crowds waited in the corridors and aisles, listening intently for the slightest word about the progress of the cases. The district attorney was assisted in the prosecution by Henry Sherwood, J.B. Niles and M.F. Elliott. The prisoners were defended by John I. Mitchell, L. P. Williston, John W. Mather and J. H. Shaw. It was 5:40 p.m. m. on the last day of the trial, when the jury retired to prepare the verdict and the judge said if they were ready to appear before 10:00 p.m. m., the court bell rang as a signal for the prisoners to be brought in and the verdict to be received. At 6:45 a.m. a bell rang and there was a stampede on the courthouse, through mud and darkness; when it was discovered that the bell being heard was that of the nearby Presbyterian Church, calling people to worship. However, it was only a few minutes before the courthouse bell rang, and soon the courthouse was full. The expected “guilty” verdict was passed. Cosgrove and Cook were found guilty and sentenced on three separate counts, the former to fines of $2,000 and 16 years and nine months in prison and the latter to fines of $2,000 and thirteen years and eight months in prison. Later another thief was tried, imprisoned and pardoned. Through him, most of Silas X. Billings' stolen titles were recovered. It's safe to say that no other trial in the Tioga County courts has garnered as much interest as the Wellsboro bank robbers.

The county has never had a death penalty case.

On January 27, 1882, Floyd Whitney of Chatham Township, Michigan was arrested and committed to the Tioga County Jail in Wellsboro to stand trial the following May for the murder of William S. Stafford of Chatham Township some eighteen months ago. Whitney admitted to killing Stafford with a mace, but maintained the blow was not intended to commit murder.

We have already alluded to the Wellsboro and Lawrenceville Railroad, now operating as the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad, and discussed its completion in May 1872. Although the railroad continues to Antrim, Wellsboro is actually the end of the first-class passenger rail route. Passengers will be taken to Antrim but will change trains in Wellsboro. The officers in charge of Wellsboro are: H. J. Easton, station agent; LP Williston Jr., telegraph operator; Harry Wheeler and William Sullivan, assistants; Z. W. Baker, master builder. All trains heading north to Corning form in Wellsboro. There are four trains, excluding coal trains, that run down the street every day. The conductors of the passenger trains are John H. Way, who has served the company in that capacity for twenty years; Thomas Brown, also an employee of the Brook Coal Company case for over twenty years; Net Wheeler, clerk, aged seventeen or eighteen; James Baty, who has worked continuously for the company for eighteen years, and Harry Kreger, another former railwayman, although he has not worked with Fall Brook Coal Company for that long. These conductors also operate between Corning and Lyon on the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway. Corning is the junction of these two lines, and the railroad alternates weekly service to Wellsboro and Lyon.

The Jersey Shore, Pine Creek, and the Buffalo Company have all been discussed in the general history of the county.

Wellsboro has had good luck for many years when it comes to property destruction by fire, fires are rare and no major casualties have been sustained. But on the morning of October 23, 1873, a severe and devastating fire destroyed more than $100,000 worth of property in the city's business district. It was probably the work of an arsonist. It originated in the business of E. H. Hastings and quickly spread, in its course affecting the offices of M. Watkins, E. H. Hastings, C. L. Wilcox, Charles Yahn, Van Valkenburg & Co., Mrs. Wilcox, Guttenburg, Rosenbaum & Co. and Thomas Harden and the Big B.B. Holliday, which had just been painted, refurbished and furnished; in addition to hurting other people across the street. The panic of 1873 had just swept the country with its crippling effects, and this blow was the most disheartening for businessmen, along with the tightening of the money market.

The citizens had only partially recovered from the shock when, on the morning of April 1, 1874, another fire broke out, even more devastating than the first, and destroyed the entire edifice between Crafton Street and Walnut Street to Pearl Street. The fire was first discovered in William Wilson's shop and it's unclear how it started. It was said at the time that many had heard the alarm; However, since it was April 1st, this was seen as a fabrication to "fool" them, and the fire became uncontrollable before the true state of affairs was understood. The biggest losers were Cobb & Bache, H.W. Williams, A. Foley, Dr. L M Johnson, L A Gardner, W T Mathews, Charles Toles, M Watkins, Nichols & Seeley, William Wilson, L B Reynolds, Nichols Estate, C J Wheeler, CC Mathers, Mrs A J Sofield, Guttenberg & Co., N P Close, J R Anderson , Mathers & Bodine, C.G. Osgood, Robinson & Co., WB Van Horn, Harkness & Burnett, EH Wood, AL Bodine, J. Johnson, Mrs. Hatkins, Mrs. Carey J. Etner, William Hill, Bowen & Fisher, S.B. Warriner, E.H. Hastings, William Riley, Mrs. Mary Lamb, M.M. Converse, Wheeler & Wilcox, David Carr, ------ Bunnell, G.W. Navle, John Gray, Seth Watkins, C.L. Wilcox, William Roberts and W.E. Pierson.

This terrible conflagration, together with that only six months ago, was enough to discourage the bravest; but after a short while a reaction set in and reconstruction work began on a larger scale, so far Main Street is now one of the best shopping streets in any rural town; it is broad and straight, and for two and a half squares the structures are made almost entirely of brick and stone.

The improvements weren't limited to Main Street; but in all departments of the county the hand of improvement is to be seen. Elegant dwellings were erected, old ones renovated, roads improved, fairgrounds made comfortable and orderly, and loving hands beautified the final resting place of the dead. Many pleasant forests can be found in different parts of the city, where there are cozy cottages in the shade of evergreen cozy cottages, sheltered from winter gusts or scorching summer heat by swaying pines or balsams.

The losses caused by the great fire of 1874 seemed irreparable at the time, but today there is hardly any trace of its destructive course.

The Wellsboro Fire Department consists of three companies, namely: Lafayette Engine Company, No. 1, with 65 members; Alert Hose Company, No. 2, with 35 men; and Eureka Hook and Ladder Company, No. 3, also of 35 men, making 135 men in all. The department was organized and incorporated on February 13, 1874. Its first officers were: Thomas B. Bryden, chief engineer; Walter Sherwood, first assistant; Joseph Williams, second assistant; JM Robinson, secretary; Arthur M. Roy, Treasurer. Mr. Bryden was chief engineer until his death on March 31, 1878. MG. Spalding, then first assistant engineer, served as chief engineer for the remainder of 1878. Joseph Williams was chief engineer in 1879; Joseph W. Brewster in 1880 and John Brown in 1881.

The officers of 1882 were: Frank A. Deans, chief engineer; Joseph W. Brewster, first assistant; David Karr, second assistant; George W Williams, Secretary; George O. Derby, Treasurer. The department's affairs are governed by a board of trustees composed of its directors and one trustee for every ten employees on each company's roster. Admin meetings are held on the second Monday evening of each month, with each company holding a monthly meeting.

The voting for county officials on February 21, 1882 was reported in theAgitatoras follows:

Bürger-Walter Sherwood, 305; T. A. Robinson, 116. Berater-F. A.Johnson, 360; LL Bailey, 269; J. L. White, 254; DL Deane, 139; GO Derby, 136; T. A. Robinson, 31. Schulleiter: Charles Sears, 310; ML Bacon, 268; P. Long, 167. Constable-E. J. Purpur, 206; J. B. Wilcox, 205. Assessor-F. K.Wright, 280; J. W. Mather, 134. Hilfsgutachter-B. F. Kelsey, 265; J. W. Mather, 234; FA Deans, 159; J. E. English, 147. Election Judge-J. H. Matson, 397. Wahlinspektoren - John Fischler, jr., 228; Williams Hoagland, 158; H. B. Packer, 6. Auditor-F. W. Gräber, 396.

Some of the themes discussed in these articles were not connected to Wellsboro history at the time of its early development and are therefore not described under "Church Planters". Although some have been so mentioned, they should be considered further before we leave this section of our work.

Silas X. Billings, son of Silas and Abbey Freeborn Billings, was born February 2, 1826 in Knoxville, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. His father was a great logger on the Cowanesque River and Pine Creek, and young Billings soon became acquainted with the details of his business. His father moved to Elmira in 1840 and placed Silas at Elmira Academy where he received a good English education. In 1847 the young man was sent to tend his father's lands in Gaines and Elk counties in the south-west of the county, at Pine Creek and Cedar and Slate Runs. Silas X. Billings and P.S. McNeil built and took over a steam-powered sawmill. Our subject's father died in Elmira on August 28, 1853 and his estate was divided amicably, with Silas X being one of the trustees who liquidated the estate. After two years this was accomplished, and Silas X took his share of the property in savage lands in Tioga County and settled permanently in Gaines in 1855, where he lived until his death.

He was a man of great energy and methodical business habits, as evidenced by his diary, which spanned a period of over 36 years, which is itself a lengthy and interesting story. He built factories, shops, tanneries and hotels and greatly increased his wealth. He bought large tracts of land for coal and timber and was extraordinarily successful in all his ventures. Married 5 Jan 1865 to Miss. Sarah M. Locke, daughter of Jesse and Lura Locke, of Wellsboro; he had no children.

He had an active and prosperous business life. He had a prominent connection to the early struggles for a permit for the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek, and Buffalo Railroad, and despite much opposition he succeeded, but did not live to see the highway's construction. He was a brilliant companion, a faithful and steadfast friend, a loving husband and a generous man with a big heart, kind to the poor and a staunch defender of the weak against the oppression of the strong.

A few months before his death, as his health deteriorated, his friends persuaded him to seek medical attention and rest. He went to New York City and consulted eminent physicians; On the way home, while he was seeing his sister, Mrs. McNeil, in Elmira, she suffered a stroke and was unconscious for several hours. However, she recovered and returned to this beautiful, peaceful home in Gaines on the banks of Pine Creek. After about three weeks he was wounded again and was unconscious for forty-eight hours; and on the morning of October 13, 1879, he died at the age of 53 years, 8 months and 11 days. His funeral was well attended. The services were conducted by Rev. J. F. Calkins, pastor of Wellsboro Presbyterian Church. His remains were taken to Wellsboro for burial, where a simple but expensive Quincy granite monument erected by his beloved wife in the beautiful hillside cemetery marks his final resting place. The knights who brought him to his final resting place were the Hon. HW Williams, Hon. JB Niles, John R. Bowen, Thomas Veazie, John W. Bailey and HS Hastings.

He did not aspire to office, although he was capable of holding high office. In politics, he was a lifelong Democrat. His death was a great public loss.

Robert C. Cox was born on November 18, 1823 in Fairfield Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania. He grew up on a farm and was educated in his hometown's public schools. In 1841, when he was about 18, he moved to Liberty, Tioga County, and began farming and logging. In April 1846 he married Miss. Lydia Ann Wheeland. Their children are Henry C., Mary E. (wife of Jacob K. Richards), and Carrie M., now at home.

In 1843 he joined a cavalry company under Captain John Sebring and served as an aide-de-camp until 1857 while the company remained organised. He was then appointed brigade inspector of Tioga County. He possessed a true military spirit, and although he was actively involved in building sawmills and lumberjacks, his enjoyment of the soldier's life was often evident. He reacted immediately to his country's first call to arms. On Sunday morning, April 20, 1861, he received news of the dangerous situation; it roused its residents, who were soon parading through the streets with fifes and drums and soon began organizing businesses for the country. In the afternoon he went to Wellsboro and organized two companies there; then one in Tioga, one in Lawrenceville, one in Covington, and one in Mainsburg; and by Thursday of that week he had organized six hundred officers and men at Troy, Pennsylvania, on the Northern Central Railroad line, ready for Harrisburg. At that time he held the rank of major and brigade inspector. In November 1862 he joined the 171st Regiment and was promoted to Major on the 19th of the same month. While with this regiment he took part in the battles of Blunt's Creek and Jacksonville, NC, in February 1863 and at New Hope Church in March of that year. The regiment's tenure was nine months, but as his country needed his services he stayed for eleven months. He returned to Tioga County and immediately began recruiting volunteers. On September 6, 1864 he enlisted as a private and on the 9th he was appointed colonel of the 207th Regiment, where he remained until the end of the war. For a time Colonel Cox's regiment was stationed on the return line opposite Petersburg, occupied by the Army of James; He was then assigned to the Hartranft Division of the 9th Corps.

Bates puts it this way in his history of the Pennsylvania Volunteers:

"When the enemy took Fort Steadman at dawn on March 25, 1865, Colonel Cox immediately led his armed regiment and joined the attack for its recovery with four companies, which he himself led. Colonel Cox hastened, heedless of the enemy. and he himself was one of the first to reach the enemy lines and free them from the clutches of the invaders, but even bolder and bolder was his action in the invasion and capture of the rebel works on April 2, 1865, when Petersburg after a siege of nine Months, finally yielding to Union bravery, At 2 a.m. that day his camp was alive, just after 3 he brought his regiment and readied it for the attack, just opposite Fort Sedgwick, popularly known as "Fort Hell" known to rest on Jerusalem's planked road to the left, opposite is the rebellious Fort Mahone, equally evocatively titled "Fort Doom".friesian horses, a well-reinforced picket, a trench and a strong main work had to meet at the front, while to the right and left were posts and angles from which a devastating artillery cross-fire could sweep the ground over which a force was to pass .. .Attack power. 🇧🇷 In breathless silence, this dedicated regiment waited for the moment when the test of strength would come. Hardly any work so desperate was attempted during siege or war, and it was accomplished only by the attack of Pickett's division at Gettysburg. Eventually the rocket that was supposed to be the signal lifted into the sky and General Hartranft gave the order to take off. Colonel Cox did not put his subordinates in charge of the movement; but dismounted, sword drawn, he took his place in the first row and cried, "Boys, live or die!" The enemy artillery had been in action for some time now, and the roar of guns, the roar and crack of shells, and the almost desperate toil before them were enough to fill the heart with dismay; but when the order came and the leader's call was heard, not a soldier faltered. As they advanced the men fell at every step, and all the ground over which they advanced was covered with dead and dry. The loggers cut the links offriesian horsesand quickly opened; but time passed, every second cost precious lives. From Colonel Cox's neck the bullets cut his hair and his coat was riddled with bullets; but he remained intact, almost miraculously preserved, and led the survivors in the advance over the enemy works, opening his way with the bayonet and planting his flag on the walls of the enemy lines. Such a display of bravery and such a complete triumph was seldom the fate of a soldier."

The loss of men was terrible. His honorary sergeant, George J. Horning, died from wounds from seven bullets; three of her escort fell at her side; 37 of his men were killed and 140 wounded. Upon hearing the news, President Lincoln immediately breveted him to the rank of brigadier general. A week later, the rebel army laid down their arms at the Appomattox courthouse and the war was over.

General Cox, who had earned an enviable reputation in the field and added laurels to the crowns of our Tioga County soldiers, returned to his home in the mountains of Liberty, Tioga County, and resumed his trading occupations, dealing with lumberjacks and merchants employed. Governor Geary appointed him a major general in the Pennsylvania National Guard on June 6, 1871, and he resigned his post on April 16, 1873.

In 1869 he was elected Treasurer of Tioga County by Republicans and Independent Democrats, a position he held for three years. In 1872 he was elected proto-notary by the Republicans and has been in office ever since. Last fall he was re-elected to a full three-year term.

The general is a pleasant, pleasant, unassuming gentleman, always dutiful, and one would not guess from his appearance that he had that boldness and martial enthusiasm which so rightly characterizes him. He is held in high esteem by the citizens of Tioga County and holds a warm place in their affections.

Aaron Niles was born on June 27, 1784 in Hebron, Connecticut. His father, Nathan Niles, was mainly engaged in commerce and owned a number of ships engaged in coastal trade before the Revolutionary War and during that war they were captured mainly by cruisers British. Losses in the Revolutionary War robbed him of most of his fortune, he collected the fragments, invested in land in Tioga County under the Connecticut titles, and came to that county with his family in 1796. Aaron Niles was 12 years old at the time. 🇧🇷 Connecticut bonds proved worthless, Nathan Niles lost his investment and was left in a new country with nothing but a strong and brave will to start life's struggle all over again. At that time there were only ten log homes in Tioga County. It was initially located at the mouth of Mill Creek in the township of Tioga, about three miles south of what is now the city of Tioga. For many years there were no mills grinding grain on the river near Tioga Point or Athens, and the Tiogans were forced to grind their corn and other grain in a hollow tree stump using a "spring post". The desert was then inhabited by wild painted and wild predators. Such was the life of the early pioneers, and such were the scenes that young Aaron Niles lived through.

In June 1807 Aaron Niles married Miss Deborah Ives, daughter of Cornelius Ives of Tioga. Their children were: Clarinda, born June 12, 1808, Philander, born March 13, 1811; Erastus, born April 17, 1814; Lucinda, born August 28, 1816; Sylpha, born August 29, 1818, Irena, born August 28, 1820; Betsey, born March 13, 1822, and Russell, born August 20, 1826. All are now alive except Lucinda and Sylpha, who died in infancy. Woman. Deborah Niles died in 1830 and on March 4, 1833 Mr. Nils married Mrs. Betsey Kilbourne, widow of John Kilbourne and daughter of Rufus Butler, who was from Vermont earlier in the century. Of this marriage a son, Jerome B. Niles, was born on September 25, 1834. Aaron Niles' last wife died on June 3, 1863 at just over 65 years of age in Niles Valley, Tioga County. born on 5.5. 1798.

Around 1810 Aaron Niles bought savage land in Wellsboro and vacated the farm where Laugher Bache now resides. In 1820 he sold it and moved to what is now the Nile Valley, five miles north of Wellsboro, where he raised and raised his family and opened a valuable farm. He lived there until 1865, when he died in Wellsboro with his youngest son, the Hon. J. B. Niles, at whose home he died on February 22, 1872, at the age of 88.

He was a man of unyielding integrity and unshakable courage; an energetic, industrious, public-spirited gentleman and a worthy pioneer, whose life and character were an honor to his posterity, and whose name deserves a shining page in the history of Tioga County.

John L. Robinson, son of Jesse and Abiah Robinson, was born January 6, 1813 in Hartwick, Otsego County, New York. Educated at the county school, he was employed at age 14 as a clerk at Daniel Lawrence's store, in Otego, Otsego County, where he remained for nearly six years. He then traded as a merchant for about a year in Nineveh, Broome County, New York, and in February 1834 he arrived in Wellsboro and engaged in trading and lumber business. He remained in that line with the Chester and J. L. Robinson firm until the spring of 1864, when he began to work in banking. He was instrumental in founding the First National Bank of Wellsboro and has been a director since its inception; and is now President of this institution, which is one of the most trusted in the state.

In September 1832 Mr. Robinson married Miss. Azubah Bowen, daughter of Hezekiah Bowen, of Hartwick, N.Y. They had seven children, three of whom are living, namely Jesse M. and J.F. Robinson and Mrs. Azubah Smith, widow of the late G.D. Smith who died in the Civil War at the Battle of South Mountain.

Mr. Robinson was a very successful merchant and lumberjack and amassed a large fortune. He was one of the original vestry members of the Episcopal Church, which was organized in Wellsboro 44 years ago and continued that relationship until about two years ago. You have done your part to promote and promote all public corporations calculated for the benefit of Wellsboro and the county as a whole. He never aspired to political fame, but he was a staunch entrepreneur who devoted his energy, talent, and time to entrepreneurial pursuits. His social and domestic relationships are of an extremely pleasant character, and his home, run by the good wife he chose fifty years ago, is the center of comfort and elegance. Although well preserved at 70 and active in his vocation.