I've heard that Mount Carmel in Northumberland County was the first town to have electric lights. I wonder if that was the first town anywhere? My grandfather, Sam Weary, worked with Edison. Elida ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeanie Stout" <msjbostian@earthlink.net> To: <PANORTHU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 8:45 PM Subject: [PANORTHU-L] SUNBURY history > OUR TOWN: SUNBURY > Original Broadcast Date: August 12, 2002 > > At the picturesque point where the west and north branches of the > Susquehanna converge, sits the town of Sunbury. Sunbury dates back to 1772 > and was named for an English Village near London, England. > > Because of its strategic point along the Susquehanna, Sunbury became the > site of one of the most important frontier forts in Pennsylvania, Fort > Augusta. Ft. Augusta was a reliable stronghold during the days of the French > and Indian War. It also played a major role in the Revolutionary War where > it served as the military headquarters for the American Forces in the Upper > Susquehanna Valley. > > But it wasn't until the Wizard of Menlo Park came to town, that Sunbury > truly became a historic site. Sunbury became internationally famous when in > 1883 Thomas Edison demonstrated his invention, the electric light, by wiring > the city hotel. The hotel, which was the first building to use Edison's > three wire system, changed the world and was renamed "The Edison Hotel" to > honor the inventor. > > >From Cameron Park to community playgrounds, from the historic downtown > district to "The Squeeze In." there is plenty to see and do as we explore > this beautiful area along banks of the Susquehanna River. > > ----- > SUNBURY > Transcribed from Bell's History of Northumberland County Pennsylvania > > THE TOWN PLAT - EARLY RESIDENTS - SUNBURY IN 1805 - REMINISCENCES OF > DR. R. H. AWL - PROMINENT MERCHANTS, 1772-1850 - EARLY HOTELS - > MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT > SUNBURY. > > > THE site of Sunbury is an alluvial plain of triangular shape, > evidently an island at some former period in it geological development > and eminently rich in historic interest. At the time when definite > knowledge regarding this region begins it was the site of the Indian > village of Shamokin and the residence of the great chief Shikellimy. > Here the Moravian missionaries preached and taught, and Conrad Weiser > met his dusky friends with that simple ingenuousness which formed the > strongest element in his diplomacy; and here the Provincial Government > erected Fort Augusta, the most formidable defensive work in central > Pennsylvania, from which were directed the military movements throughout > the colonial and Revolutionary periods which form so large a part of the > history of the northern frontier during these eventful times. By the > census of 1890 the population of the borough was five thousand nine > hundred thirty. > > THE TOWN PLAT. > > Pomfret manor, a tract of several thousand acres surveyed for the > Proprietaries in 1768, originally embraced the town site, which was > doubtless selected from pecuniary considerations as well as on account > of its natural > > END OF PAGE 444 > > eligibility. The survey of the town was determined upon at a meeting of > the Governor and Council on the 16th of June, 1772, when Surveyor > General Lukens was directed to repair to Fort Augusta, and, with the > assistance of William Maclay, "lay out a town for the county of > Northumberland to be called by the name of Sunbury at the most > commodious place between the fort and the mouth of Shamokin creek, into > three hundred lots to be accommodated with streets, lanes, and alleys > and a commodious square in the most convenient place for public > buildings; the two main streets to be eighty feet wide, the others > sixty, and the lanes and alleys twenty feet; the lots to be sixty feet > wide in front and two hundred thirty feet deep if the ground and > situation will conveniently allow that depth. And it is further ordered > that a space of at least one hundred twenty feet be left between the > town line and the bank of the river: every other lot adjoining the > square and fifty commodious lots besides to be reserved for the > Proprietaries." In compliance with these instructions Mr. Lukens set out > for Fort Augusta on the 18th of June, 1772, and the survey was completed > in the following month. > In the original town plat the streets extending north and south in > order from the river are named Broadway, River, Deer, Fawn, and Short, > intersected at right angles by Cranberry street, Strawberry alley, > Dewberry street, Hulberry alley, Shamokin street, Barberry alley, > Blackberry street, Gooseberry alley, Pokeberry street, Raspberry alley, > Whortleberry street, Billberry alley, and Elderberry street, in order > from the north. For some of these streets popular usage early adopted > other names. Broadway became Water street; Penn, Mud street; Spruce, > Bullet alley; Third, Back alley; Fourth, Hog street, and Shamokin, > Market street. The present system of nomenclature was established by > borough ordinance, June 5, 1866, changing the name of Broadway to Front; > of River, to Second; of Deer, to Third; of Fawn, to Fourth; of Short, to > Fifth; of Elderberry, to Spruce; of Whortleberry, to Walnut; of > Pokeberry, to Penn; of Blackberry, to Chestnut; of Shamokin, to Market; > of Dewberry, to Arch, and of Cranberry, to Race. > The most extensive addition to the original town plat is that part > of the borough popularly known as Caketown. This land also formed part > of the manor of Pomfret; it embraced the site of Fort Augusta, and was > the residence of Colonel Samuel Hunter until his death, although it does > not appear that he ever acquired a proprietary interest. On the 10th of > April, 1786, John Penn, Jr., and John Penn executed a conveyance to > William Wilson for three hundred forty-two acres of land, "the same > place and tract of land whereon the late Colonel Hunter dwelt and part > of the manor of Pomfret," the consideration being one thousand twenty- > six pounds specie. The purchaser was an American officer during the > Revolution and associate judge of Northumberland county, 1792-1813; a > biographical sketch is given in this work in the chapter on the Bench > and Bar. On the 20th of October, 1700, he sold one moiety or undivided > half part of this tract to Alexander Hunter; > > END OF PAGE 445 > > the other moiety was deeded to Mary Scott, June 17, 1811, at a nominal > consideration, and from this time (or possibly at an earlier date), the > land was known as the Hunter and Scott farms. The latter, embracing one > hundred forty acres, adjoined the original northern boundary of Sunbury > borough; the former comprised one hundred fifty-three acres. > The upper division, taken in execution as the property of Alexander > Hunter at the suit of John Cowden, was sold at sheriff's sale on the 22d > of April, 1814, and purchased by Thomas Grant. In compliance with his > will, his executors and executrix; George, William, and Deborah Grant, > deeded it to Mrs. Nancy Hunter, widow of Alexander Hunter, October 16, > 1817. By her will, dated July 26, 1833, Mrs. Nancy Hunter devised the > farm to her son, Samuel Hunter. He died in 1852, and by the terms of his > will it became the property of his sisters, Mary and Nancy Hunter, and > Elizabeth, wife of Henry Billington. One hundred six acres of this tract > eventually came into the exclusive possession of Mary Hunter, by whom it > was conveyed to Benjamin Hendricks by deed of August 9, 1859, and on the > 25th of June, 1863, it was purchased from Mr. Hendricks by Joseph W. > Cake. > Mary Scott died intestate, leaving her estate to her children, > Samuel H. Scott, Mrs. Sarah Gobin (nee Scott), wife of Charles Gobin, > and Susan Scott. Samuel H. Scott also died intestate, leaving his estate > to his sisters, Mrs. Sarah Gobin and Susan Scott, who sold the Scott > farm to David Longenecker, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, February 4, 1854. > It was purchased at sheriff's sale, June 27, 1857, by Joseph S. Silver, > of Philadelphia, who deeded it to Francis W. Hughes, of Pottsville, > August 28, 1857. It was purchased from Mr. Hughes, August 23, 1859, by > Joseph W. Cake. > Having thus secured both the Scott and Hunter farms, Mr. Cake > proceeded to lay out the addition that bears his name. It was surveyed > in September, 1863, by P. W. Sheafer, of Pottsville, Pennsylvania; the > principal streets extending east and west are Masser, Greenough, Packer, > Amy, Alice, Julia, Joseph, John, and Main, intersected by Fort Augusta > avenue and Susquehanna, Railroad, Scott, Thompson, and Moorehead > streets, of those last mentioned, however, several have not yet been > opened. > The only other additions of any importance within the borough > limits are those of Benjamin Hendricks, the executors of Henry Masser, > John W. Friling, Dr. R. H. Awl, and William & E. D. Lenker. Hendricks > extended Second street below Spruce and opened Pine between Second and > Third, Friling opened Pine street between Front and Second, and laid out > several blocks below Spruce; Masser's addition comprises Vine street, > which is parallel with Race and immediately north of it; Awl's and > Lenker's additions are in the southeastern part of the borough. > > EARLY RESIDENTS. > > In a list of the taxables of Augusta township in the year 1774 each > of the fol- > > END OF PAGE 446 > > lowing persons is accredited with a house and lot: Sebastian Crevous, > George Cliver, Frederick Dunkelberger, Robert Desha, Martin Epley, > Philip Everhart, David Fowler, Peter Gearhart, Charles Garmont, Solomon > Green, Stophel Gettig, Samuel Harris, Jacob Haverling, Adam Haverling, > Charles Huffy, Nicholas Kofield, William Maclay, Joseph McCarrell, > Robert McBride, David McKinney, Nicholas Miller, Frederick Reely, > Zachariah Robins, Henry Reigert, John Ream (butcher), Gustavus Ross, > Cornelius Row, Stephen Sutton, Thomas Steinbach, Michael Troy, George > Vaughan, George Wolf, Jonas Weaver, John Weitzel, James Wild, John Wall, > and Elias Youngman. As Sunbury was then the only town in Augusta > township, it is fair to presume that this list includes the names of its > principal inhabitants at that time. Colonel Samuel Hunter and Mrs. > Alexander Grant resided north of the town, and Valentine Geiger at > Maclay's mill a mile to the east but within the present limits of the > borough of East Sunbury. > Colonel Samuel Hunter was born in the North of Ireland in 1732. His > military career began in 1760; on the 2d of May in that year he was > commissioned as lieutenant in Captain Joseph Scott's company of Colonel > Hugh Mercer's battalion of the Pennsylvania regiment, and on the 10th of > November, 1763, as captain in Colonel Turbutt Francis's battalion. He > was at Fort Augusta in June, 1763, when the first intelligence of > Pontiac's conspiracy was received, and initiated the measures > subsequently carried into execution by Colonel Burd for the defense of > that post. In the following year. he joined Colonel Bouquet's > expedition, but was again at Fort Augusta in 1768 and doubtless earlier. > On the 24th of March, 1772, he was commissioned as one of the first > justices for Northumberland county, from which he was elected to the > Assembly, 1772-75, to the Committee, of Safety, 1775-76, and to the > Council of Censors in 1783; and when the militia organized at the > outbreak of the Revolution he was elected colonel of the First > battalion, February 8, 1776. He was appointed county lieutenant, March > 21, 1777, and re-appointed, April 6, 1780; in this responsible position > he directed the movements of the local militia during the Revolution, > and his official correspondence is an invaluable contribution to the > history of Northumberland county in that eventful period. He died at > Fort Augusta, April 10, 1784, leaving a widow, Susanna (nee Scott), and > two daughters, Nancy and Mary. The former married Alexander Hunter; the > latter, Samuel Scott. > Alexander Grant, a native of Scotland, where he resided in the > vicinity of Aberdeen, settled near the Susquehanna river immediately > opposite Shamokin island prior to the organization of Northumberland > county, and was elected the first constable of Augusta township in 1772. > He died, March 21, 1775, leaving a widow and two sons, George and > Thomas. Their mother was born on the 31st of October, 1718, and died on > the 26th of November, 1821, at the great age of one hundred three years. > George Grant was born, August 16, 1755; on the 19th of March, 1776, he > was > > END OF PAGE 447 > > commissioned as third lieutenant in Captain Weitzel's company; he was > promoted captain in the Ninth regiment, May 3, 1777, and died on the > North river three miles above New Windsor, Connecticut, October 10, > 1779. Thomas Grant was born on the 20th of November, 1758, and died on > the 16th of June, 1815. He served as sheriff of Northumberland county > one term, 1785-88, and also as lieutenant and captain in the local > militia. He was an active promoter of the Centre turnpike and during its > construction disbursed the funds in payment for work, making frequent > journeys to different points on the route with the money in his saddle- > bags. He married Deborah, daughter of Robert Martin, of Northumberland. > William Maclay, whose connection with the early history of Sunbury > and of Northumberland county was of the most intimate character, was > born in New Garden township, Chester county, Pennsylvania, July 20, > 1737, son of Charles and Eleanor (Query) Maclay. His father removed to > Lurgan township, Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1742, and there he > grew to manhood. At the outbreak of the French and Indian war he was a > pupil at the classical academy of Rev. John Blair in Chester county; > entering the military service as ensign, he was promoted to the rank of > lieutenant on the 7th of May, 1758, in the Third battalion, and served > with credit in General Forbes's expedition in that year. In 1763 he > participated at the battle of Bushy Run, and during the subsequent > progress of Bouquet's campaign was stationed in command of his company > at one of the stockades on the route of the expedition. In the intervals > of his military service he studied law, and on the 28th of April, 1760, > was admitted to the bar of York county, Pennsylvania, although it is not > probable that he ever engaged actively in the duties of the profession. > He visited England at the close of the French and Indian war, and had an > interview with Thomas Penn, one of the Proprietaries, relative to the > survey of lands on the frontiers of the Province. It was in the capacity > of a surveyor that his first acquaintance with the territory of > Northumberland county began; on the 23d of February, 1769, he made the > first survey in the valley of the West Branch, one of the tracts > apportioned to the officers in the French and Indian war, in which he > participated by virtue of his services. On the 24th of March, 1772, he > was commissioned as first prothonotary, clerk of the several courts, > register of wills, and recorder of deeds for Northumberland county, and > was the incumbent of these respective offices until 1777. He was also > commissioned as justice for the county, March 24, 1772, June 11, 1777, > and January 24, 1785. In 1772 he assisted John Lukens in surveying the > town of Sunbury, and in the following year erected a stone dwelling at > the northeast corner of Arch and Front streets, the most substantial and > pretentious of the early private houses of the county seat. Early in the > Revolutionary struggle he entered actively into the support of the > American cause, marched with the militia to the seat of war and > participated in the battles of Trenton and Princeton, > > END OF PAGE 448 > > and served as issuing commissary after his return to Sunbury. In 1781, > 1782, 1783, and 1785 he was elected to the Assembly from Northumberland > county, and in 1786 to the Supreme Executive Council; in January, 1789, > he was elected to the United States Senate as one of the first members > of that body from Pennsylvania, his colleague being Robert Morris. The > latter drew the long term, and Mr. Maclay accordingly retired on the 3d > of March, 1791. His attitude toward the administration while a member of > this body and its far-reaching results are thus stated by W. H. Egle, M. > D.:- > > His election to this body raised him upon a higher plane of > political activity, but contact with the Federal chiefs of the Senate > only strengthened his political convictions, which, formed by long > intercourse with the people of middle Pennsylvania, were intensely > democratic. He began to differ with the opinions of President Washington > very early in the session; he did not approve of the state and ceremony > attendant upon the intercourse of the President with Congress; he flatly > objected to the presence of the President in the Senate while business > was being transacted, and in the Senate boldly spoke against his policy > in the immediate presence of President Washington. The New England > historians, Hildreth and Goodrich, repute Thomas Jefferson as the > "efficient promoter at the beginning and father and founder of the > Democratic party." Contemporary records, however, show beyond the shadow > of a doubt that this responsibility or honor, in whatever light it may > be regarded, can not be shifted from the shoulders or taken from the > laurels of Pennsylvania statesmanship. Before Mr. Jefferson's return > from Europe, William Maclay assumed an independent position, and in his > short career of two years in the Senate propounded ideas and gathered > about him elements to form the opposition which developed with the > meeting of Congress at Philadelphia on the 24th of October, 1791, in a > division of the people into two great parties, the Federalists and > Democrats, when, for the first time appeared an open and organized > opposition to the administration. The funding of the public debt, > chartering the United States Bank, and other measures championed > necessarily by the administration, whose duty it was to put the wheels > of government in motion, engendered opposition. Mr. Maclay, to use his > own language, "no one else presenting himself," fearlessly took the > initiative, and, with his blunt common sense (for he was not much of a > speaker) and democratic ideas, took issue with the ablest advocates of > the administration. Notwithstanding the prestige of General Washington > and the ability of the defenders of the administration on the floor of > the Senate, such was the tact and resolution of Mr. Maclay that when, > after his short service, he was retired from the Senate and succeeded by > James Ross, a pronounced Federalist, their impress was left in the > distinctive lines of an opposition party - a party, which, taking > advantage of the warm feeling of our people toward the French upon the > occasion of Jay's treaty with Great Britain in 1794, and of the > unpopularity of the Alien and Sedition laws, passed under the > administration of President John Adams in 1798, compassed the final > overthrow of the Federal party in 1800.* > Mr. Maclay kept a journal during his senatorial term, in which he > summarized the debates in both open and secret sessions; it has been > published in book form with notes by George Washington Harris, and also > in the New York Sun, and forms a most interesting and valuable > contribution to the history of this country in the period immediately > succeeding the adoption of > ___________________________________________________________________ > > > > > Can someone tell me what year the name Sunbury started being used? As I > go > > through the federal Census online, there is no Sunbury listed as a place > > that census was taken for the year 1880. What other location would have > > included residents of Sunbury? > > > > Thanks > > Sharon > > > > > >