J)ts£7
LOCAL HISTORY,
OF-
DILLSBURG. PA.
•BY-
A. N. ESLINGER,
FIFTY YEARS A RESIDENT.
WITH NOTES AND COMMENTS,
FfiOM THE—
EARLIEST KNOWN SETTLEMENT
TO THE
PRESENT
1902.
PRICE 25 CENTS
LOCAL HISTORY,
OF
DILLSBURG, PA.
BY
A. N. ESLINGER,
FIFTY YEARS A RESIDENT.
WITH NOTES AND COMMENTS,
-FROM THE-
EARLIEST KNOWN SETTLEMENT
-TO THE-
PRESENT
1902.
o-
DJLLSEURG BULLETIN PRINT.
&1SH
A. N. ESLINGER.
ERRATA.
On page 11 the sentence which reads: "In 1898
there was $334,057.86 less on deposit than in the
year ending September 2, 1902," should read as
follows: In 1898 there was $334,057.86 less deposited
than in the year ending September 2, 1902.
■ ■ •
-
I.
INTRODUCTION.
DILLSBURG, PA.
This town which bears the honored name of the
most prominent Scotch Irish settler of the vicinity,
was laid out by one of his descendants in the year
1800. The town is situated on the old Harrisburg
and Baltimore road, near the South Mountain, in
York county, about twenty-one miles from the City
of York, the county seat of York County and ten
miles from Carlisle, the county seat of Cumberland
county and twenty-two miles from Gettysburg, the
county seat of Adams county. Matthew Dill was one
of the first settlers of the vicinity of Dilleburg,
locating there about the year 1740. He
came from the County of Monaghan, Ireland. He
died in 1750, a large sandstone slab marks his grave
in the old Graveyard near Dillsburg. His son, Col.
Matthew Dill, became famous in the Revolution-
ary War, for his bravery and services in the army.
He obtained a free patent of land, three leagues
square, on part of which Dillsburg is built. When
the town was laid out there were only six houses in
the place, including the old Monaghan Presbyterian
Church, and there are now only three remaining of
the original buildings. Two on North Baltimore
street, one of them owned by D. W. Beitzel, our pres-
ent Postmaster, and the other by E. A. Fishel, and
ore on South Baltimore street, owned by Wm. Har-
bolt. When I first knew the place in 1839, the house
above named owned by D. W. Beitzel, was owned and
occupied by the Rev. Anderson B. Quay, who was at
that time serving the old Monaghan Church as Pas-
tor. He was the father of Hon. Matthew Stanley
Quay, who is at this time serving his third term as
one of our United States Senators. The one owned
by E. A. Fishel, was owned and occupied by John
Dill, one of the descendants of the founder of Dills-
burg, and the other one was occupied by John Smith,
the father of John A. and Geo. W. Smith, who still
reside in Dillsburg. There were two Hotels in the
place. They have both been taken away and new
ones built on the same stands. One was built by S.
P. Nelson, deceased in 1863, the other was rebuilt by
Peter Sidle in 1901. They are both excellent three-
story brick buildings and are well calculated to ac-
commodate strangers and travellers. But the town
increased slowly until the year 1833 when it was in-
corporated as a borough, with limited powers, and
named in the charter, The Borough of Dillsburg. At
this time the town had only about forty house, less
than two hundred of a population. According to the
charter the election of Borough Officers was held an-
nually one week previous to the time of holding the
the regular township elections. At the first election
Jacob Heiges, (father of Dr. J. D. Heiges, of York
City,) was a Judge of the election, and Dr. George L.
Sheaie: was chosen as the Chief Burgess of the Bor-
ough and Jacob Heiges was chosen Tax Collector of
the borough. The borough then began to improve.
The sirests were grade;! and piked and brick pave-
ments ten feet wide were laid in front of the resi-
dences on Baltimore street, (the main street,) which
was quite an improvement, for the convenience for
pedestrians to attend church and for the children at-
tending school, and it proved to be a great benefit to
the citizens of the borough. The principal object in
writing this book is to show the present generation
the origin of this borough and its growth. My sub-
ject will be
DILLSBURG, PAST AND PRESENT.
II.
ORIGIN OF DILLSBURG.
Dillsburg was laid out by Col. Matthew Dill, in the
year 1800. There were at this time only six houses
in the place. Three of the original houses are still
standing.
III.
FIRST CHURCH.
The Presbyterian Church in Dillsburg, ecclesiasti-
cally known as the Monaghan church, derives its
name from the township in which it was originally lo-
cated about one-fourth of a, mile west of Dillsburg.
The exact year of its organization is not known, but
preaching services were held as early as 1737, hence
it is one of the oldest churches in the county. In
1782 Rev. Samuel Waugh became the Pastor, and un-
der his pastorate "Th'e Monaghan Presbyterian"
Church was rebuilt, and the location changed to the
one at present occupied. It is located in Dillsburg,
but it was built eighteen years (1782) before Dills-
burg was laid out, on a piece of land donated by Col.
Dill as a site for a church and burying ground. This
was a stone structure about fifty feet long and forty
feet wide. A small stone building about fifteen feet
square with a fire place in it was attached to the
north side. This was called the study. In 1813 the
church was partly destroyed by fire. The next year,
1814, it was rebuilt, and remained in that condition
until the year 1849, when it was torn down, and a
brick building put in its place. In 1887 this church
was remodeled by placing a tower at the southwest
corner and placing a bell in it, &c. But the same
church still remains and preaching services are held
in it every Sabbath. The second church in Dillsburg
was built by the Methodist Episcopal congregation in
1843. It was located on North Baltimore street. It
was remodeled and enlarged in 1879, and at this writ-
ing, 1902, it has been torn down, and the congrega-
6
tion is busy building a new one, much larger than the
old one. It will be buff brick with a large tower, and
it is expe?ted to be ready for services before the first
of April, 1903. The third church is St. Paul's Lu-
theran. This church was built in 1856. It is located
on South Baltimore street. It was remodeled since it
was built, and enlarged. It is a brick building, and
has regular preaching every Sabbath. The fourth
church was built by the United Brethren in Christ in
the year 1894. It is also a brick edifice located on
East Harrisburg street, and has preaching every Sab-
bath.
IV.
FIRST SABBATH SCHOOL.
The first Sabbath School known by the name of
"The Dillsburg Union Sabbath School," was organ-
ized about the year 1834 by Daniel Kraber and Miss
Catherine Eichelberger and later the wife of Enos
Young, Esq., and others in the study of the old
Monaghan Presbyterian Church with between thirty
and forty pupils. It continued in this building only
a few years. It was then removed to the public
school house. It continued its sessions there until
the year 1865, when it was removed to the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, but was still continued as a
Union Sabbath School. Soon after this removal in the
same year, the Lutheran congregation organized a
Sabbath School in their own church. In a few years
after this date the Presbyterians organized a Sab-
bath School in their church. This ended the old
Union Sabbath School. But in 1873 the Methodist
Episcopal congregation organized a Sabbath school in
their church. In 1894 the United Brethren organized
a Sabbath School in their new church. You will
therefore notice the increase in Sabbath School effort.
In 1834 one Union Sabbath School with about forty
scholars in a town with a population of two hundred.
At this writing we have four Sabbath Schools with
about five hundred in attendance with a population of
eight hundred. This you will notice is a marvelous
increase of attendance. The schools are all in a pros-
perous condition.
POST OFFICE.
The first post office was established in Dillsburg
January 8th, 1816. Mr. Wm. Gillilan was the first
Postmaster. His successor was Asa Sawyer. He was
again succeeded by Mr. Gillilan. Dr. George L.
Shearer became his successor in 1828, and served con-
tinuously for seventeen years. He was succeeded by
J. B. Hurst in 1845. He was succeded by Mrs. Mary
Stewart in 1849. She was succeded by H. G. Sidle
in 1853. He was succeeded by Alex. Wentz in 1857,
and he was succeeded by Dr. T. L. Cathcart in 1861.
Dr. Cathcart served two years and resigned, and in
1863 A. N. Eslinger was appointed Postmaster and he
filled the office for twenty -two years in succession. A.
N. Eslinger was succeeded by Lemuel Ross in 1885,
and Mr. Boss was succeeded by A. N". Eslinger in
1889. Mr. Eslinger served four years and seven
months and was succeeded again by Mr. Ross, who
served four years. Mr. Ross was succeeded in 1<S ( .)7
by D. W. Beitzel, who is still at this writing Post-
master, 1902, When A. X. Eslinger first got the
post office it was worth to the Postmaster only one
hundred and twenty dollars a year. But as the busi-
ness increased the salary increased yearly until at this
time, 1902, it is worth about one thousand dollars a
year. We have now two daily mails by railroad, and
three stage coaches leave the post office every morn-
ing during the w^eek to supply the rural districts with
mail matter, and two coaches in addition leave the of-
fice for Rural Delivery, and they return every even-
ing with the mail matter gathered up to have it
mailed in the Post Office at Dillsburg. This makes
the Dillsburg Post Office the largest fourth -class office
in the County of York.
VI.
FIRST PRINTING PRESS.
The first paper published in Dillsburg was in 1870,
and was called the New Era. It was published by
G. W. Nichols, semi-monthly, but he soon after sold
out to other parties, and the name of the paper was
changed to ''The Dillsburg Bulletin." It is still con-
tinued and is published weekly, and has a circulation
of over one thousand regular subscribers, and
is an excellent medium through which business-
men can advertise their business, and it has a large
patronage on that line. The Editor and Publisher of
the paper at this time is Wm. M. Elicker, Manager.
His residence is Dillsburg. Pa.
9
VII.
RAILROAD.
Dillsburg was without a railroad until the year
1873, when a charter was granted for the construc-
tion of a railroad from Dillsburg to Meehanicsburg, a
distance of nine miles, named The Dillsburg and
Mechanicsburg Railroad Company. The principal
incorporators in this movement were Dr. G. L.
Shearer, Christian Render, John N. Logan, Esq.,
James J. Moore, Col. S. X. Railey, S. P. Nelson and
George Lau and others. The first regular train came
into Dillsburg July 18th, 1873. Dillsburg is at this
time accommodated with three regular trains daily.
The road is doing a good business. Its receipts at
Dillsburg amount to about thirty thousand dollars
annually. It is a feeder to the Cumberland Valley
Railroad and is controlled by that company, and it is
equipped with good engines and cars, and accommo-
dating officers.
VIII.
THE RANK.
A Deposit Rank was organized in Dillsburg in
1873. Capt. Wm. E. Miller, of Carlisle was its first
President and John X. Logan, Esq., was its first
Cashier. It continued in business until the year 1878,
when it was reorganized and a charter secured for a
National Rank, and is known as The Dillsburg Na-
tional Rank. It has been doing an excellent business
ever since it was organized. Joseph Deardorff was
its first President and John N. Logan, Esq. , its first
10
Cashier. Mr. Deardorff died, and Mr. Logan resigned
on account of ill health. The Bank is at this time
located on the corner of Baltimore and Harrisburg
Streets, in Dillsburg, in a beautiful brick building
three stories high, with iron front. The President at
this time is D. \V. Beitzel, and Geo. W. Cook is
Cashier, S. R. Posey is Teller, and Ralph B. Cook is
the Book-keeper. This building was erected in 1891
by the Bank, and it makes a beautiful appearance. It
is quite an improvement to the town and a great con-
venience to the business-men of the Borough, and to
the surrounding country. Its financial business you
will find as follows: Total deposits during the year
ending Sept. 2, 1902, was $1,452,6, >7.94, checks paid
during the same year, $1,416,765.80, showing an in-
crease in deposits during the year of $30,672.14. The
present line of deposits approximates one quarter of a
million dollars. In 1898 there was $334, 057. 86 less
on deposit than in the year ending Sept. 2, 1902.
This shows a remarkable increase in the business done
in the Dillsburg National Bank. This surely speaks
well for the Bank. This statement is taken from the
records of the Bank by the Cashier and handed to me
by the Teller. Taking the Dillsburg National Bank
building for beauty and location, and its accommo-
dating Officers and Directors, I can truly say that it
is not very easily surpassed as a banking institution.
11
IX.
MORALS OF DILLSBUKG.
The morals of the town are in a fair condition as
compared with other towns of the same size. As al-
ready stated, we have four churches and four Sabbath
Schools. There are at least five hundred people at-
tending our churches on the Sabbath and fully as
many attend the Sabbath Schools. Our hotels are
closed on the Sabbath and so are all the other places
of business. After church hours on the Sabbath, our
town is very quiet. You see very few people on the
streets, and it looks as though the Sabbath was re-
spected. How was it forty years ago as compared
with the present? Then the Hotels were kept open
on the Sabbath the same as during the week. One
little Sabbath School with about forty children at-
tending it, most of the children running the streets.
Hotels were regular loafing places for old and young.
Whiskey was sold at three cents a drink. Pitching
horse shoes and pennies and playing ball was a com-
mon thing to do on the Sabbath at that day. All
these things have long since passed away, for which
we feel glad, and thank our Heavenly Father for
these great reforms. But as I desire to give the past
as well as the present, of Dillsburg to the public, you
can plainly see that there is a great improvement in
the morals in Dillsburg. But I confess that there is
still plenty of room for improvement, so we must
confess with the poet
"On this earthly ball below
The wheat and tares together grow, ' '
12
and Dillsburg is not excepted. But when wecompare
our Borough with other places of its size I think
we can truly say for morals our town will compare
favorably with other towns of its size.
X.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
When the first law was passed by our Legislature
in 1834, it was made optional with the citizens of the
different boroughs and townships whether they would
accept the provisions of the law or not. This was
left to a vote of the people of the Boroughs or Town-
ships. I said in the beginning of these articles that
when Dillsburg w T as incorporated as a Borough, it was
with limited powers and one of the limits was, that
the Borough and the Township of Carroll should re-
main as one School District, and it can be truthfully
said that Dr. George L. Shearer and Thomas P. Blair.
the former was a Whig, and the latter a Democrat,
labored hard to get the District to accept the benefits
of the law, and at an election called for the purpose.
Carroll District accepted the benefits of the
law as early as the year 1836. This was one of
of the first districts in the County to accept the law.
The Directors at once proceeded to buy a piece of
ground on South Baltimore Street, and built a one-
story brick schoolhouse and opened a school. About
ten years after this time they found the building too
small, and they built an end to it. At this same time
many of the pupils were still sent into the town
school from the township. The school in 1845 bad
one hundred and forty-six pupils. Two teachers were
13
employed to teach this large school. They each got
a salary of eighteen dollars a month for a six months
term. Adding the cost of fuel it cost the tax-payers
about two hundred and forty dollars a year. But in
1855, the Legislature passed an Act separating all
boroughs and townships as School Districts. This re-
duced the number of our pupils. But as our borough
increased in population the old schoolhouse became
too small, and in 1877 the directors decided to build
a new one on the same site where the old one stood at
a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars, with three
school rooms. But in 1894 the Directors considered
the one recently built too small, so they unroofed it
and made it much larger and put a Mansard roof on
it, and made it three stories high, with four school
rooms. We have at this time three schools. The
term is eight months. We pay the teachers for teach-
ing the three schools eleven hundred and fifty dollars
for the term, adding about one hundred dollars for
fuel, it would make the cost over thirteen hundred
dollars for the term. You will notice that in 1845 it
cost the Borough two hundred and forty dollars to
teach one hundred and forty-six pupils for a six
months term, while in 1902 it costs over thirteen hun-
dred dollars to teach the same number of pupils eight
months. This shows quite an increase of teacher's
wages, but shows likewise a great increase in the
property owner's taxes. But then we are living in a
fast age, and somebody must pay the bills. School
and building tax in 1902 was five and one-fourth
mills.
14
XL
BUILDINGS.
I have already stated that in 1800 we had six
houses in the plaee. In 1833 when the town was in-
corporated we had forty houses, but in 1902 we have
two hundred and twenty, and we have a much better
class of buildings than we had in an early day. Our
Bank building will compare favorably with the Bank
buildings of many of our county seats. Our business
rooms, many of them, are large and well furnished.
But I shall speak more particularly about them un-
der the head of Busixess Men.
XII.
POPULATION.
Dillsburg when first laid out in 1800. with six
houses, allowing five of a family to each house, would
make a population of thirty persons. In 1833 when
the town was incorporated there were forty houses, at
the same ratio it would make the population two
hundred. In 1890 the census report makes the popu-
lation five hundred and eighty-seven. But the cen-
sus report of 1900 makes the population seven hun-
dred and thirty-two. But at this time, 1902, our
population in the borough exceeds eight hundred.
The town has not grown very fast, but it has never
taken a step backward.
15
XIII.
BUSINESS AND BUSINESS MEN".
There are at this time sixty-five business men and
women engaged in the different lines of business.
Some of them I will speak of in this pamphlet. There
are at this time fifty-six different places of business.
I have already given you a full description of our
Bank and the amount of business they do. I will
now describe the next business house to you, owned
by K. L. Nesbit. This is a three-story brick house
fifty feet front, extending back one hundred and
ninety-eight feet to the public alley. The firm is do-
ing business under the name of R. L. Nesbit &
Co. They keep a Hardware, Stove and Furniture
Store, and they carry a very large stock of nearly
every kind and quality. Mr. Nesbit commenced
business in 1887 in a small building located at the
name place that he is doing business at this time,
keeping only a hardware store at first. He prospered
in his business and he then added to his hardware a.
regular line of stoves and furniture, until his busi-
ness increased to such an extent, that at this time he
has one of the largest and finest business rooms in
the county, and carries a very large stock of goods of
every kind above mentioned.
In the same block we have J. F. Rearick's Shoe
Store. He keeps constantly on hand a large assort-
ment of Shoes and Hats.
We pass the printing office of which we have al-
ready spoken, and come to A. K. Stray er, Carpenter
and Contractor. He employs from six to twelve
hands, and does a business of five thousand dollars a
year.
16
We next come to C. K. Weaver's Shoe and Hat
Store. He keeps constantly on hand a large assort-
ment of shoes and hats.
We next come to the firm of Smyser, Creager & Co..
who keep a large Hardware, Stove and Furniture
Store. Mr. Smyser, the senior partner of the firm,
opened a Hardware Store in the north end of the
Shearer block less than four years ago. His busi-
ness increased, and he took in a partner and enlarged
his stock and added to it stoves and furniture. The
firm also bought out the Hardware Store kept almost
opposite, known as the Dillsburg Hardware Co. The
firm is now known as Smyser, Cr eager & Co. They
run both rooms and keep a large assortment of all
kinds of hardware, stoves and furniture on hand.
We next come to M. W. Briteher's Drug Store. He
keeps an excellent assortment of Drugs. He also
keeps the news office, and keeps on sale quite a va-
riety of city daily papers.
We next come to Charles Gallatin's Restaurant,
where you can get j^our meals or lunch, or ice cream
at all hours.
Then you come to S. M. Ensminger's Meat Shop.
He kills from four to five beeves a week, and keeps
meat constantly on hand to accomodate customers.
Then we come to John H. Dick & Co.'s Dry Goods
and Grocery Store. He keeps a large assortment of
dry goods and notions on hand. Then we come to
the Palace Hotel, kept by Peter Sidle, of which I
have already spoken. We next come to Jerry May-
berry's Harness Shop, and then we come to John L.
Anderson, Paper Hanger and Undertaker. Next we
17
come to C. W. Sheffer, Coachmaker, who keeps eon-
stantly on hand a large stock in his line of business.
We commence again at the square and we have F. M.
Altland's large Dry Goods and Grocery Store. He
has a large room, and he carries a heavy stock of
goods. We next come to H. G. Eslinger's Clothing
Store. He keeps constantly on hand a well assorted
stock of ready-made clothing. We next come to the
Hotel Central kept by Win. Sidle, which is well kept,
but I have already referred to it. We next come
to the Post Office, to which I have already referred in
this book. Next we come to the Telephone Exchange
kept by Lewis Blackford. Then we come to Mrs.
Louisa Smith's Milliner Store. She keeps a fine lot
of Ladies' Hats and Bonnets constantly on hand.
Next we come to Smyser, Creager & Co.'s Hardware,
Stove and Furniture Store, to which I have already
referred in this book.
Next we come to the clothing store kept by J. A.
Lerew & Co. , where they keep constantly on hand a large
assorted stock of ready made clothing. We next come
to the fine Jewelry Store of N. R. Bailey. He keeps
a large assortment of watches and clocks on hand and
all kinds of jewelry, such as rings, breast-pins, &c,
and the repairing of watches and clocks prompt!} 7 at-
tended to. We next come to Miss Annie Harbold,
Milliner. She keeps constantly on hand a large as-
sortment of Ladies' Hats and Bonnets, &c. We then
come to the Dillsburg Bakeiy owned by John Mc-
Creary. This is one of the largest bakeries in Cen-
tral Pennsylvania. He uses on an average fifty-five
barrels of flour a week. This would be a total of
18
two thousand eight hundred and sixty barrels of flour
per year. He sells in Dillsburg and in the surround-
ing towns and country between fifteen and eighteen
thousand dollars worth of bread, cakes and pies, an-
nually. He employs from fourteen to sixteen men
regularly, who do the baking and peddle his bread.
Next we come to Kapp & Seibert's Large Dry Goods
and Grocery Store. They have a large room, filled
with goods in their line of business. Then we come
to A. D. Altland, Manufacturer of Fly-Nets and
Horse Collars, Jobber Saddlery Hardware, Whips,
Horse Clothing and Leather. He employs as high
as forty to fifty hands. Then we come down
to York street and we come to L. C. Bushey's
large Exchange Stable. He keeps on hand horses
to sell or exchange, and deals in cattle. Win.
H. Schriver keeps a large Farming Implement Store
on the corner of Second and West Harrisburg Street.
He keeps a large assortment of all kinds of farming
implements, such as wagons, reapers, corn shellers,
&c. , &c. Then we come to the large warehouse of
Cook, Deardorff & Co., where they pay the highest
market price for all kinds of grain, and they will sell
you stone coal, phosphates, &c. , as cheap as you can
buy it elsewhere. Then we come to the warehouse of
S. N. Bailey & Bro. They also buy all kinds of
grain and will sell you stone coal and phosphates at
reasonable rates, &c. I have already referred you to
the Railroad on another page of this book. Then we
come to Britcher & Bender's Lumber Office. They
keep a large asortment of lumber on hand. Their
sales run from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars an-
19
nually. Tlien we come to Morrett Coover's Shirt and
Overall Factory. It employs from thirty to forty
men, girls and boys, and it is doing quite a good
business. We now come to North Baltimore street,
and come to M. D. Eby's Creamery, which is open
every day in the week (Sunday excepted). He tells
me he makes on an average about twenty-five hun-
dred pounds of butter per week. That would make
sixty-five tons of butter a year. And in connection
with this creamery he manufactures as much as
thirty-five hundred gallons of ice cream annually.
The Dillsburg Ice Cream has quite a reputation for
its good qualities. Then we come to Bauman and
Hinkel's. Mr. Bauman makes wagons, locomobiles
and automobiles if ordered, and repairs wagons and
all kinds of farming implements. Mr. Hinkel manu-
factures spokes for wagons and carriages for home
trade, and many of them he ships to all parts of the
world. He employs 7 hands. Then we have an
Electric Plant that supplies the Borough with electric
light, lighting all business houses, as well as private
residences, and many have the electric light in their
houses. Then we have John A. Smith & Co.'s Tin and
Stove Store, where he constantly keeps on hand a large
assortment of Stoves and Tinware. And the town has
many other shops and business places. On the cor-
ner of Baltimore and Church Streets we have the law
offices of Logan and Logan, who are always ready to
attend to any business in their line. Next we come
to Dr. J. H. Graff, (Dentist), who will extract your
teeth and give you new ones in exchange if you desire
20
thorn, at a very reasonable price. Next we come to
S. H. Klugh. Undertaker and dealer in furniture.
XIV.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE.
We have a telegraph office where you can send mes-
sages to all parts of the Globe, and a telephone in al-
most every business place in the town from which
you can communicate to almost any place in the
United States.
XV.
DISTINGUISHED MEN.
Hon. Matthew Stanley Quay was born in Dillsburg,
Sept, 30th. 1833. The old house is still standing
where he was born. His history is well known. He
was elected two sessions to the Pennsylvania Legisla-
ture. He was twice elected Prothonotary of Beaver
county, and was twice Secretary of State in Pennsyl-
vania. In 1885 he was elected State Treasurer. He
was chairman of the National Republican Committee
in 1SSS, and at three different times he was Chairman
of the Republican State Committee, and is at this
time serving his third term in the United States Sen-
ate, and is acknowledged by friends and his enemies
of being the most successful political leader that this
country ever had.
Hon. John M. Bailey, of Huntingdon Pa,, was born
21
and raised in Dillsburg. He is a prominent Lawyer
and was a member of the Convention that drew np our
State Constitution of 1873, which was adopted by the
people of this State by a large majority. He is at the
present time President Judge of the 20th Judicial
District of Pennsylvania.
Dr. George L. Shearer was a citizen of Dillsburg
for a period of fifty-two years, practiced medicine
very successfully during this entire period of time. I
have already said that he was the first Chief Burgess
of the borough. He served quite a number of years
as School Director very acceptably, and was often
elected a member of the Town Council. He was one
of the charter members that secured the charter of
the borough of Dillsburg. He was active in all the
public enterprises that proved beneficial to our bor-
ough such as the early acceptance of our public
schools in Dillsburg, and the State Eoad leading from
Dillsburg to York, and we are also greatly indebted
to him for the efforts he made to get a railroad to
Dillsburg and after laboring for more than thirty
years, he had the satisfaction of seeing the cars run-
ning into Dillsburg. He was elected a director of the
road and had the advantages of the road for only five
years, 1878, when he was removed from time into
eternity. He was succeeded in the directorship by
his son, Dr. James M. Shearer, who survived his
lather only four years.
Col. S. N. Bailey was born in the year 1809, and
lived in Dillsburg nearly all his life. He was the
father of the Hon. John M. Bailey, of Huntingdon,
to whom I have already referred. He was an intelli-
22
gent man and served three successive terms in the
Pennsylvania Legislature very acceptably. He was
for seven years a clerk in the Auditor General's
Office in Harrisburg, and he was also a clerk in the
Custom House in Philadelphia. When the Civil War
broke out in 1861 he raised a company in Dillsburg
and vicinity and was afterwards elected Lieut. Colonel
of the 12th Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserve
Corps, he died in 1872.
Jacob Heiges, the first judge of the election for
borough officers in Dillsburg, was born in the year
1800, he moved to Dillsburg about the year 1830, and
built a two story rough cast house, which is still
standing, and has its original appearance yet. Mr.
Heiges had the reputation of making the best chairs
that were made in the county, he was a very quiet
citizen, and worked at his trade until he died in 1866.
He was the father of four sons and two daughters.
The oldest son, John M., was elected Register of
York County and later he served three years as Clerk
to the Commissioners, and was also a clerk in the
Register's Office and died in 1882. His second son.
Dr. J. D. Heiges, is a Dentist, and is doing a good
business in his profession in the city of York, he has
been corresponding secretary of the York County Ag-
ricultural Society for fifteen years, and is still holding
the position. His third son is Prof. S. B. Heiges,
common school teacher. In 1860 and 61 he taught a
Normal School in Dillsburg, in 1862 with Prof. W.
H. Griffith he opened Cottage Hill College, York, Pa. ,
County Superintendent from '64 to 1870, he was Pro-
thonotary of York County for three years. He was
23
the Principal of the Soldiers Orphan School at Camp
Hill and Principal of the Shippensburg Normal School.
He also held a position in the Pomalogieal Depart-
ment of Agriculture, as Chemist, in Washington-, D.
C, and has also been a public Lecturer, and also well
known correspondent of Moore's Rural New Yorker.
The fourth and youngest son, George W. , was a
Lawyer by profession, and practiced at the York bar,
he was twice elected to the Pennsylvania Legislature,
and was afterward elected Chief Burgess of the
borough of York, before York was incorporated as a
city, he has since died in the prime of life. The
youngest daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Win.
N. Seibert, Esq., a prominent Lawyer of New Bloom-
held. Perry County, Pa.
Jacob Lauman was a Very prominent merchant in
Dillsburg, at an early day. James J. Moore was his
successor in the same business for thirty -five years,
and he was one of the leading citizens of Dillsburg.
Henry Sidle was also a prominent business man in
Dillsburg for thirty years. He was in the mercantile
business and he also kept a hotel.
XVI.
SOLDIERS OF THE CIVIL WAR,
I will now give you a brief history of our soldiers
who went into the army from Dillsburg during the
civil war, between the year 1861 to 1865. When the
enrollment was first taken in Dillsburg in 1861, of all
the men between the ages of twenty-one and forty-five,
we found the number to be sixty -six, at the last draft
24
made in 1865 there were but nine men left in the
borough subject to draft. This shows that out of the
sixty-six men who were first enrolled, fifty-seven had
entered the United States service. Below you will
find the names of the men who entered the civil war
from Dillsburg, between the year 1861 to 1865, as
follows :
Wm. Reitzel,
Solomon Arnold,
S. M. Chronister,
Wm. Harbolt,
Americus Wickey,
Capt. T. B. Hurst,
Solomon Smith,
H. C. Smyser,
Henry Lau,
Dr. James M. Shearer
Dr. W. D. Bailey,
Wm. Arnold, of D,
Wm. Arnold, of H,
Andrew Weimer,
J. L. McClure,
D. D. Bailey,
R. A. Moore,
G. W. Reed,
Addison Sheffer,
Thomas Smith,
Henry Reed,
Of this number
wounded.
D. D. Bailey,
J. L. McClure,
Wm. Bittinger,
John Bowman,
Henry Sheffer,
Abram Rhoads,
Jacob Koontz,
Andrew Kinter,
Henry Harman,
Thomas Gardner,
Col. S. N". Bailey,
Jacob King,
George Ditmer,
Geo. L. Britcher,
Wm. McKeever,
Mr. Uhler,
Alex. McKeever,
Adam Mountz.
Edward Moore,
Wm. Chronister,
David Chronister,
Dr. N". H. Shearer.
tlie following were killed and
KILLED.
Wm. Arnold of H-,
Solomon Smith,
25
Wm. Arnold of D., Heniy Harman,
Jacob Koontz, Alex. Mckeever.
WOUNDED.
S. M. Chronister, Wm. Bittinger,
G. W. Reed, Henry Sheffer,
making a total of eight killed and four wounded. The
names of the other sixteen I cannot recall but I can
say of a truth , that at the last call for troops there
were only nine able bodied men between the ages of
twenty -one and forty-five that were left in the bor-
ough of Dillsburg. This certainly shows that Dills-
burg furnished a full proportion of her young
men for the protection of the Union in the sixties.
XVII.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS IN DILLSBURG,
Governor A. G, Curtin and Major General George
G. Meade visited Dillsburg on the third day of July,
1865. They remained in our town for about three
hours. They were on the way to Gettysburg to assist
in laying the corner stone of the Soldier's National
Monument. The ladies of our town prepared bou-
quets which were presented to them in the parlor of
the Howard House, by A. N. Eslinger, in the name
of the ladies. General Meade thanked the ladies and
Governor Curtin thanked them in a very appropriate
address. Governor Robert E. Pattison and the Gov-
ernor's Troop visited Dillsburg August 18th, 1894,
and stopped at the Hotel Central. They received a
very cordial reception by our citizens, a procession
26
was formed, headed by the Dillsburg Brass Band, and
our Chief Burgess S. N. Bailey, led the procession,
followed by the Town Council and School Directors,
and Ministers of the Gospel. At the Hotel Central
an address of welcome was delivered by A. N. Es-
lingei-, which was responded to by Governor Pattison,
in a very appropriate and eloquent address, and a
general reception given to the citizens of town and
vicinity in the afternoon of the same day.
The New York City council also stopped in Dills-
burg, for dinner on their way to Gettysburg in July
1863, to look after the dead and wounded, who fell in
that great battle from their stale.
XVIII.
MEN WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL IN BUSINESS.
Henry Sidle and sons left this place for Minneapolis
in the year 1863 with a capital of sixty thousand dollars
nearly all made in this place in about thirty years,
J. J. Moore, merchant, commenced business in Dills-
burg a poor young man, when he died in 1875, his
estate was worth twenty-eight thousand dollars. J. B.
Hurst, came to Dillsburg soon after the town was in-
corporated, a poor tailor, he left the town thirty-six
years ago, worth about twenty-five thousand dollars.
George Wagoner, came to Dillsburg in 1843 and was
worth less than five hundred dollars, in about twenty-
nine years he left the town worth about sixteen thou-
sand dollars. L. H. Watts, came to town with less
than three hundred dollars, in about twelve years he
left for the west with over five thousand dollars, and
27
there were others that were also successful in business
which I will not name in this book.
XIX.
COMPARISONS.
In 1833 we had two small dry goods and grocery
stores, each selling about ten thousand dollars worth
of goods annually. We had no hardware store. No
drug store. No bakery. No factories, except a small
whip factory. No coach shop. No Telegraph. No tele-
phone. No daily mail. No railroad. No Bank. No
jewelry store. No barber shop. No clothing store. No
printing press. No shoe store. No livery stable,
but in 1902 we have three dry goods and grocery
stores that sell about seventy-five thousand ($75,000)
worth of goods, 2 hardware stores with stoves and
furniture sell at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)
worth of goods. Then we have 1 drug store, 1 cream-
ery, 1 spoke factory, 1 shirt and overall factory, 1
electric plant, 3 stove and tin stores, 2 shoe stores, 3
milliner stores, 1 National Bank, 1 jewelry store, 1
bakery, 1 tailor shop, 1 coach shop, 2 undertakers, 3
furniture stores, 6 mantua makers, 2 smith shops, 1
chain shop, 2 livery stables, 1 printing office, 1 railroad
office, with three trains daily, 2 warehouses, 1 lumber
yard, 1 farmers implement store, 1 wagon-maker shop,
3 paper hangers, 1 dentist, 2 clothing stores, 3 barber
shops, 1 net and collar factory, 1 restaurant, 2 hotels,
5 Ministers of the Gospel, 3 Physicians, 2 Lawyers.
28
All told sixty places of business at this writing, 1902.
You will notice that nearly one-fourth of the houses
in Dillsburg are places of business. This surely
speaks well for a small town, with only eight hundred
of a population.
XX.
INVASION OF THE CONFEDERATES.
On June 28th, 18G3, part of the Confederate Army
came into Dillsburg on Sunday afternoon. This was
part of General Ewel's Corps. They were under the
command of Col. Jenkins. They encamped over
night just a short distance south of the borough.
They sent squads of their soldiers into Dillsburg for
provisions, such as bread, meat, coffee and tobacco,
&c, and offered to pay for it in Confederate script,
but it was worthless to our people. They left the
camp on Monday morning the 29th, after taking all
the good horses in the borough and from the farmers
all around the country. On the following Wednes-
day, July 1st, 1863, the battle of Gettysburg opened,
and the cannonading could be heard distinctly in
Dillsburg, and on the same day Stuart's cavalry
passed through Dillsburg. They numbered probably
about eight thousand, under the command of General
Fitz Hugh Lee and General Wade Hampton. They
robbed the stores in Dillsburg, and the post office of
all the money and stamps and even the postmaster's
overcoat, and all the goods they could find in the
stores. Fitz Hugh Lee led his brigade up to Carlisle,
29
bombarded the town, and burned the United States
Garrison, located there at that time. General Wade
Hampton led his brigade out north as far as John
Mumper's farm, where he camped for the night. This
place is about one and one-half miles north of the
Borough. But before morning they got word to come
to Gettysburg immediately, so they all left during the
night for the battlefield by the way of the mountain
road through Beaver town, to the State road that leads
to Gettysburg. This was the last of the Confederate
army in Dillsburg, and it was a happy riddance to
our town and the vicinity.
XXI.
IX COXCLUSIOX.
The amount of money handled in Dillsburg in one
year amounts to over one million eight hundred thous-
and dollars, ( $1 , 800, 000. ) When I first knew the place
in 1839 the surrounding country was mostly a wilder-
ness. In the evening the cry of the whip-poor-will
and the tree frogs could be heard around the village.
But now (1902) the vicinity of Dillsburg is a beauti-
ful country, well improved and produces as much
grain per acre as any other community in Pennsyl-
vania. In 1901 we had the water brought into town
from elegant mountain springs with a fall of one hun-
dred and eighty feet, which affords sufficient pressure
to throw the water over the highest three-story build-
ing in Dillsburg. The town is surrounded with iron
30
ore banks of both Magnetic and Hematite. Thous-
ands of tons have been shipped and some is being
shipped at this time. The town is also surrounded
with clay called kaolin, of almost every color, to
make brick and tiling. It has been tested by experts
and pronounced to be of the very best quality. Dills-
burg is at this time the central place of business, ly-
ing between the four county seats of Dauphin, York,
Adams and Cumberland and its future looks encour-
aging. We also have the very best prospect for two
trolley lines run into this place inside of a year, one
from Dillsburg to Church! own, to form a connection
with the Carlisle and Harrisburg route by way of
Mechanics burg. The other from Dillsburg to Dover
there connecting with the City of York, wh'ch would
give the citizens of Dillsburg and vicinity the advan-
tage of hourly transportation from Dillsburg to our
county seat, or to Harris! urg our State Capital, or
any other place in a rural district. Having known
the place for sixty-three years, and being a citizen of
the town fifty years, it gives the writer the advantage
of knowing the place and seeing its growth and pro-
gress I can write what I really know from personal
observation.
31
CONTENTS.
PAGE
I. Introduction
5
II. Origin of Dillsburg
5
III. First Church
6
IV. First Sabbath School
7
V. Post Office
8
VI. Printing Press
9
VII. Eailroacl
10
VIII. The Bank
10
IX. The Morals
12
X. Public Schools
13
XL Buildings
15
XII. Population
15
XIII. Business and Business Men
16
XIV. Telegraph and Telephone
21
XV. Distinguished men
21
XVI. Soldiers of the Civil War
24
XVII. Distinguished Visitors
26
X VIII. Men Who were Successful
27
XIX. Comparison
28
XX. Confederate Invasion.
29
XX I. Conclusion
30
XXII. Poem
33
32
XXII.
The poetry below attached was copied from an old
copy found in the bottom of an old bandbox and is
reproduced in this book as an old relic.
DILLSBURG FARE.
1. All you that wish to see,
A day spent in sport and glee,
Come to the fare.
2. Rooms we have long and wide,
Where you may dance and slide,
We'll have music there.
3. Rum, Brandy and wine will be,
Handed when call'd by thee.
Come to the fare.
4. Sugar, Nutmeg and Lemon Juice,
If you would rather chose,
Will be ready there.
5. Figs, Reasons and Almons sweet,
Will be sold in the street.
Come to the fare.
(>. Ribbons, Laces and earrings too
The Pedlars will sell to you.
Bring your Beaus there.
7. Sportsmen with horses fleet,
Here can their matches meet,
Come to the fare.
8. Here's half a mile of good road,
Mind have your creatures shod.
You can run there.
9. Likewise upon that day,
From Carlisle there'll be a man there
A man at the fare.
33
10. Strange things will show to you,
And walk the wire too,
He'll have a clown there.
11. On Tuesday the third of June,
Early in the forenoon,
Come to the fare.
12. As June comes but once a year,
Come and join in our cheer,
There will be sport there.
1817, 3 of June is the date hereof.
34
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
014 209 812 P
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
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