HISTORY: Warner Beers, 1886, Part 2, Chapter 18, Cumberland County, PA
Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.
Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages,
Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and
Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and
Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers
& Co., 1886.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm
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PART II.
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.
CHAPTER XVIII.
BOROUGH OF SHIPPENSBURG.
257 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
ITS FIRST SETTLEMENT - EARLY REMINISCENCES - LIST OF ORIGINAL LAND
PURCHASERS - EARLY HOTELS IN SHIPPENSBURG - CHURCHES - CEMETERIES -
SCHOOLS - NEWSPAPERS - BANK - SOCIETIES.
SHIPPENSBURG is the oldest town in the valley and, with the exception
of York, the oldest town in the State west of the Susquehanna River.
The first settlement at this place is said to have been made by twelve
families in June, 1730.* In May, 1733, there were eighteen cabins in
the settlement, which had, as yet, no name. These cabins were mostly
at the eastern end of the town, which was the first to present the
appearance of a village. "When the town was subsequently laid out by
the proprietor, the point where Queen Street crosses King was selected
as the centre."
The following letter, written in May, 1733, will serve to give some
vivid idea of this settlement at that period:
May 21st, 1733.
Dear John. I wish you would see John Harris at the ferry and get him
to write to the governor to see if he can't get some guns for us;
there's a good wheen of ingens about here, and I fear they intend to
give us a good deal of troubbel and may do us a grate dale of harm. We
was three days on our journey coming from Harrises ferry here. We
could not make much speed on account of the childer; they could not get
on as fast as Jane and me. I think we will like this part of the
country when we get our cabin built. I put it on a level peese of
groun, near the road or path in the woods at the fut of a hill. There
is a fine stream of watter that comes from a spring a half a mile south
of where our cabin is built. I would have put it near the watter but
the land is lo and wet. John McCall, Alick Steen and John Rippey built
there's near the stream. High Rippey's daughter Mary [was] berried
yesterday; this will be sad news to Andrew Simpson when he reaches
Maguires bridge. He is to come over in the fall when they were to be
married. Mary was a verry purty gerl; she died of a faver, and they
berried her up on rising groun, north of the road or path where we made
choice of a peese of groun for a graveyard. She was the furst berried
there. Poor Hugh has none left now but his wife, Sam and little
Isabel. There is plenty of timber south of us. We have eighteen
cabins bilt here now, and it looks [like] a town, but we have no name
for it. I'll send this with John Simpson when he goes back to paxtan.
Come up soon, our cabin will be ready to go into a week and you can go
in till you get wan bilt; we have planted some corn and potatoes. Dan
McGee, John Sloan and Robert More was here and left last week. * * *
Tell Billy Parker to come up soon and bring Nancy with him. I know he
will like the country. I forgot to tell you that Sally Brown was bit
by a snaik, but she is out of danger. Come up soon.
Yr. aft. brother
JAMES MAGAW.
In the year succeeding the Penn purchase of the land in the north
valley, Edward Shippen obtained (in January and March, 1737) patents
for two tracts of and, containing in all, 1,312 acres, on the first of
which, west of the center and not far from the southeastern border
stood the nucleus of the village, which thirteen years later, became
for a brief time, the county seat, and which, from that time until this
has been known as Shippensburg.
Edward Shippen, the founder and proprietor of Shippensburg, was born
in Boston July 9, 1703. He moved to Philadelphia, where he married
Miss Mary
*Their names were Alexander Steen, John McCall, Richard Morrow, Gavin
Morrow, John Culbertson Hugh Rippey, John Rippey, John Strain,
Alexander Askey, John McAllister, David Magaw, John Johnston. Soon
after, Benjamin Blythe, John Campbell and Robert Caskey.
258 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Plumley, in September, 1725. His fourth son, Edward (born February 16,
1729), became chief justice, and, by the marriage of his daughter
Margaret, he was the father-in-law of Benedict Arnold. The elder
Shippen removed from Philadelphia and lived in Lancaster. He died in
1781.
For some time after the buying of the land by Mr. Shippen, the
population of the town seems to have increased rapidly. Three years
after (1740) the first fort was built. The whites, seeing that the
Indians were becoming alarmed at the rapid increase of population, met
at the public house of the Widow Piper, and determined to erect a fort.
A time was fixed, the people assembled, cut the logs, and erected the
building on the northeastern side of the town. This was in the spring,
and in the autumn of that year Gov. Thomas sent a garrison of twenty-
two men to supply the fort. A well was afterward dug by soldiers and
citizens within the outward inclosure of the fort, the traces of which
are still visible on Burd Street, just outside of what is known as the
"Fort Field." This log structure was named "Fort Franklin," probably
in 1755, to distinguish it from Fort Morris, which was then in process
of construction.)
As early as 1740 or 1741 a log flouring-mill was built by William
Leeper (then of Shippensburg) on the west bank of the stream, south of
the town. In this year, 1740, the Campbells, Culbertsons, Duncans,
Reynoldses, Rippeys, McCalls, Dunlaps, Pipers and Lowerys were among
the leading families of the place.*
It is not certain when the town was first laid out, but it seems to
have been as early as 1749. From the time of the Shippen purchase
until February, 1763, the first inhabitants held their lots upon grants
or permits issued by Mr. Shippen. In the above mentioned year deeds,
or leases as they were then called, were issued by him, with the
reservation of an annual quit-rent (of $1.66 2/3) on each lot of sixty-
four feet four inches in breadth. After his death, in 1781, when the
property descended to his sons, the quit-rent upon the remaining unsold
lots was $4.
When the county of Cumberland was formed in January, 1750, the first
courts of justice were held in Shippensburg. This was, indeed, "the
only town in the valley," and, although it had not regularly been so
appointed, it was regarded as the county seat. There were but four
terms of court held in Shippensburg; the first on the 24th day of July,
1750, and the last April 24, 1751.** In this latter year the courts
were removed to Carlisle (Letort's Spring), which had been chosen by
the proprietors as the county seat, which action on their part caused
great excitement and called forth a vigorous protest from the
inhabitants of the upper end of the county. In what house the courts
were held, in Shippensburg, is not known; there was, however, a public
whipping post, which is said to have stood at or near the intersection
of King and Queen Streets.
For some time after this period the growth of Shippensburg was slow.
This was not owing to the removal of the courts, but to that terrible
period of Indian depredation, which began in 1753, and ended in 1764.
Among the Indian depredations in 1757, near Shippensburg, are the
following: "On the 6th of June, 1757, two men were murdered, and five
taken
*Francis Campbell was a man of culture, a ready and forcible writer,
and one of the first merchants in Shippensburg. He died in 1790.
Daniel Duncan built a stone house on Lot 52, in which he kept a store
and tavern. His son Stephen represented the county in the Colonial
Legislature, and was at one time the heartiest remaining in
Shippensburg to-day. See sketch by late Hon. John McCurdy.
**This date is, by an error in the records, marked 1750, which make
the four terms at Shippensburg stand thus: July 24, 1750; October 23,
1750; January 22, 1750; April 24, 1750. But those of July and October
are the first on the records, besides which the next regular term in
Carlisle, July 23, 1751, follows naturally, if we correct the error.
259 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
prisoners, by a party of Indians, a short distance east of where Burd's
Run crosses the road leading from Shippensburg to Middle Spring. The
names of the killed were John McKean and John Agnew, and those of the
captured, Hugh Black, William Carson, Andrew Brown, James Ellis and
Alexander McBride. All but Ellis, it appears, made their escape.
These escaped prisoners stated that Ellis was the only one who
remained, as a white girl, whom this band had captured in Maryland,
previously becoming exhausted, had been killed and scalped by them on
the evening before they made their escape. On the 18th of July, 1757,
a band of savages surprised a party who were harvesting in John
Cessna's field, about a mile east of Shippensburg. They approached the
field from the east through the woods, which bounded it o that side,
and, when within short range, fired, killing Dennis O'Neiden and John
Kirkpatrick; then rushing forward they captured Mr. Cessna, his two
grandsons, and a son of John Kirkpatrick, and made their escape with
their prisoners. There were other hands in the field at that time, but
a thicket which stood between them and the Indians concealed them from
view. The next day, in a field belonging to Joseph Steenson, nine
persons were killed and four taken prisoners."
When the town was laid out, the old Indian path became the main road,
and was chosen for the location of King Street. Three-fourths of the
residents of the town, in 1751, lived upon that portion of this street,
which lies between Washington Street and the top of the hill west of
the toll-gate.
In the spring of 1755 the road-cutters were at work opening a road
west. Braddock's army was in the field, and it was proposed to make
Shippensburg the base of supplies.
On June 14, 1755, Charles Swain writes to Gov. Morris from
Shippensburg: "I arrived at this place on Monday, and judge there are
sufficient buildings for storing the provisions without erecting any;
these will want but a small repair, except the fastings, and to be had
on easy terms, as they are all left, to be possessed by any one who
will inhabit them. The owners do not seem inclined to take any
advantage of their being wanted on this occasion. I find not above two
pastures here; these but mean as to grass, from drought; but there is a
fine range of forage for upward of four miles in the woods, quite to
the foot of the South Mountain; also a good run of water, that the
cattle will be continually improving after they come here. I shall use
the methods practiced here of keeping their beasts together; have a
constant watch on them; daily see to them myself. I can find but
little cellaring here for securing the pork, but have pitched on a
shady and dry spot in the woods for making a cellar for what I can not
store in such cellars as are in the town. There are no bricks here,
and little lime at present, so the making of ovens would be difficult,
and, if made of clay, then there would be some iron wanting. The
principal expense which seems to attend the magazine here will be the
hire of some person or persons to attend the cattle, also to watch the
stores and pork, etc. * * The coopers in these parts have plantations,
and they but occasionally work at their trades * * The mills, also,
here have no bolting cloths, so that they make only a course flour."
In another letter, dated July, 4, 1755 (just five days before
Braddock's defeat), Mr. Shippen says: "I shall give orders to Mr.
Burd's servant, a cooper, to take charge of some cattle, as Mr. Swain
shall direct. The cattle are provided with a range of pasture. But
the place which shall be agreed upon by the General (Braddock) for the
magazine, ought to be protected by at least twenty or thirty soldiers;
and there should be a blockade built, otherwise they (the Indians) may
easily destroy the cattle, for they can march through the woods,
undiscovered,
260 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
within twenty miles of Shippensburg, and they may come these twenty
miles one way on a path, leaving Jacob Pyatt's near Tuscarora Mountain,
on the right hand and see but two houses till they are within two miles
of my place."
Within a few days after the writing of this letter Braddock was
defeated, and the ominous danger-cloud which had threatened the
inhabitants of the valley, burst.
At Shippensburg they began immediately to erect another fort. This
fort was called Fort Morris, after the Governor of the province. In a
letter written by Charles Swain to him, July 30, 1755, he says: "A
defeat is, I believe, beyond doubt. I suppose that the people will now
come fast into these parts, and shall use all expedition in forwarding
a fort. I have pitched on a piece of ground of Mr. Shippen's, and the
timber about here is all his; therefore should be glad he was to write
about it, if your Honor thought proper, that there may be no afterclaps
on his part." On November 2, of this year (1755), James Burd writes to
Edward Shippen, at Lancaster: "We are in great confusion here at
present. * * * This town is full of people, they being all moving in
with their families - five or six families in a house. We are in great
want of ammunition; but with what we have we are determined to give the
enemy as warm a reception as we can. Some of our people had been taken
prisoners by this party, and have made their escape from them and come
in to us this morning. * * * We have 100 men working at Fort Morris
every day."
He also wishes that they would send guns - "great guns, small arms
and ammunition" - from Philadelphia. This fort seems to have been
completed in 1756.
"It stood," says Hon. John McCurdy, "on the rocky hill at the western
end of the town. The brick schoolhouse now standing there, which was
built some [forty-two} years ago, stands within the boundaries of the
fort, the foundation of a part of which can still be traced." The
walls were built of small stone, with mortar which became hard, and
were about two feet in thickness. The roof and timbers of the building
were removed before 1821, and the remaining portion of the walls were
town down in 1836.*
In the sudden unslaught of the Indians, and the panic which ensued,
in 1763, there was, on the 25th of July, 1,384 of these fugitives in
Shippensburg, of whom 301 were men, 345 women, and 738 children, many
of whom were obliged to lie in barns, cellars and sheds, the dwelling
houses being all crowded. Fort Franklin had, before this time, we are
told, been enlarged with additions, and during the Indian troubles of
this period the various sections were occupied by private families. It
was afterward allowed to decay, and was torn down about 1790.
At the time of these Indian troubles in 1763, and previous to it,
various parties, and, among others, those living around Shippensburg,
spent piteous appeals to the government for aid, but they seem often to
have been powerless, or to have turned a deaf ear to the supplications
of these _o_der inhabitants.
In February, 1763, Mr. Shippen began to issue the first deeds or
leases to purchasers, and to those who had previously settled upon the
lots. The list of the original purchasers, with the numbers of the lot
is as follows:
*On the 19th of March, 1764, the Indians carried off five people from
within nine miles of Shippensburg, and shot one man through the body.
The enemy, supposed to be eleven in number, were pursued successfully
by about 100 provincials. The houses of John Stewart, Adam Simms,
James McCammon, William Baird, James Kelley, Stephen Caldwell and John
Boyd were burnt. These people lost all their grain, which they had
threshed out with the intention to send it for safety further down
among the inhabitants. - Gordon's History of Pennsylvania, p. 624.
261 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
BOROUGH OF SHIPPENSBURG.
1 Samuel Montgomery. 82 Adam Carnahan.
2 David Magaw. 83 James Reynolds.
3, 4 Francis Campble. 84 Robert Peebles.
5 Peter Miller. 85 Anthony Maule.
6, 7 William Piper. 86 James Dunlap.
8 John Cunningham. 87 Gideon Miller.
9 Anthony Maule. 88 Andrew Boyd.
10,11 Richard Long. 89 Joseph Parks.
12, 13, 14 Francis Campble. 90 Tristram Miller.
15 Alexander Sterrit. 91 John Redott.
16 William Cowan. 92 Anthony Maule.
17 John Brady. 93 James Reynolds.
18 William Reynolds. 94 George Ehley.
19, 20 James McCall. 95 William Duncan.
21 Robert Chambers. 96 Anthony Maule.
22 John Cesna. 97 John Mains.
23 William Hendricks. 98 Robert Brown.
24 George Ross. 99 John Heap. Meadow lot.
25 Andrew Wilkins. 100, 101 Samuel Rippey.
26, 27 William Barr. 102 Lucinda Piper.
28 Andrew Wilkins. 103 Samuel Rippey.
29 Thomas Finley. 104 Robert Peebles.
30 Humphrey Montgomery. 105 John Smith.
31 Thomas Finley. 106 Anthony Maule.
32 Daniel Duncan. 107 Johnson Smith.
33 Isaac Miller. 108 James Piper.
34 John Montgomery. 109 Samuel Rippey.
35, 36 Samuel Perry. 110 William Wilson.
37 John Corbet. 111 Margaret McDaniel.
38 Daniel Duncan. 112, 113 Benjamin Kilgore.
39 Blank. 114 Blank.
40 Daniel Duncan. 115 Anthony Maule.
41 Archibald Flemming. 116 William Campbell.
42 James Lowery. 117, 118 James McCall.
43 Andrew Keith. 119 George McCandless.
44 James McClintock. 120, 121 Daniel Duncan.
45 William Leeper. 122 Blank.
46 Blank. 123 Blank.
47 David McKnight. 124 David Ellis.
48 William Barr. 125 John Montgomery.
49 William Sutherland. 126 James Russell.
50, 51 John Miller. 127 Blank.
52 Martin Holderbaum. 128 John Montgomery.
53 Samuel Tate. 129, 130, 131 Blank.
54 William Brookins. 132 Thomas Atkinson.
55 Samuel Duncan. 133 Blank.
56 Matthew Adams. 134 Robert Beatty.
57 William McConnel. 135 Samuel Perry.
58 Blank. 136 John Carnahan.
59, 60 Meeting-house, graveyard. 137 Samuel Perry.
61 Richard Long. 138 John Cessna.
62 Henry Davis. 139 Alexander Askey.
63, 64 Edward Lacey. 140 John Mahan.
65 Archibald Mahan. 141 to (and including) 148 Blank.
66 James McKeeny. 149 Alexander Johnston.
67 Jacob Kiser. 150, 151 John Dietrick.
68 Blank. 152 Abraham Beidleman.
69 Dr. Robert McCall. 153 Anthony Maule.
70 Blank. 154 Jacob Lightner.
71 George Taylor. 155 John Gregory.
72, 73 Andrew McLean. 156 George McCandless.
74 Church lot - free. 157 Jacob Kiser.
75 Benjamin Coppenheffer. 158 John Davenport.
76 Robert Reed. 159 Joseph Mitchel.
77 Joseph Campbell. 160 Thomas Moore.
78 John Reynolds. 161 John Dietrick.
79 Jacob Milliron. 162, 163 Frederick Shipley.
80 Valentine Haupt. 164 John Stall.
81 Simon Rice. 165 Christian Gish
262 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
166 Andrew Patterson 171 Christian Gish.
167, 168 Blank. 172 Frederick Sheval.
169 Casper Sallsgibber. 173 Walter Welsh.
170 David Duncan.
The place in early days was sometimes spoken of as "Shippen's Farm."
As a specimen of the deeds, an indenture made on the 13th of March,
1764, between Edward Shippen of the borough of Lancaster, of the one
part, & Archibald Machan, of the other," conveys, subject to the quit
rent "a certain lot of ground Scituate within a certain new town called
Shippensburg, in the county of Cumberland, containing in breadth sixty-
four feet four inches, & in length 457, 4 inches, No 65, Bounded on the
South by King Street & on the west by Lot No 60 granted or intended to
be granted to James Mackeney, & on the east by Lot No 64 Granted to
Edward Lacey & on the north by a fourteen foot alley, &c. (Signed)
Edward Shippen."
In the Revolutionary war Shippensburg was prompt to respond to the
call for men. Capt. Matthew Henderson, at the beginning of the war,
raised a company of 104 men in Shippensburg, and another, but not a
full one, was raised by Capt. Mathew Scott. It is said that at this
time there "was scarcely an able bodied man in the place who was not
enrolled in one or the other of these organizations."
In December, 1775, Capt. William Rippey, of Shippensburg, enlisted a
company, of which he was commissioned captain January 9, 1776, which
became one of the companies of the Sixth Regiment, commanded by Col.
Irvine. With the brigade to which it shortly afterward belonged it was
sent to Canada, where, at Trois Rivieres, Capt. Rippey with his colonel
and most of the men were captured. Rippey made his escape, and after
the war resumed keeping the Branch Hotel in Shippensburg - down to the
time of his death in 1819.
Until 1790 there was no postoffice in Shippensburg. Previous to this
time the people depended simply upon private carriers. But by an act
of Congress in 1788, "posts" were established for the regular
transportation of mails between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh by the
route of Lancaster, York, Carlisle, Chamberstown and Bedford, from
which mails were dispatched once in each fortnight. The first
postmaster, at the establishment of the first "post" in Shippensburg,
May 13, 1790, was Robert Peebles.
During the "Whiskey Insurrection" of 1794 Gen. Washington passed
through Shippensburg, at which place he remained for some portion of
the day. It is said the citizens gathered to pay him their respects,
but others, a few days after his visit, in order to show their
disapprobation of the use of a military force to suppress the
insurrection, during the hours of night, erected a "liberty pole" on
the corner where the council house now stands. This pole was afterward
cut down at night by the opposite party - or by parties "to whom its
presence was objectionable."
Although Shippensburg is the oldest town in the valley, it was not
incorporated as a borough until January, 1819.
The population of the place at various times was as follows: In
1800, it contained less than 800 inhabitants; in 1810, 1,159; in 1820,
1,410; in 1830, 1,308; in 1840, 1,473; and at present about 2,500.
Although it has not increased rapidly in population, the town in other
respects has improved greatly within the last quarter of a century.
EARLY HOTELS IN SHIPPENSBURG.
The earliest public house in Shippensburg was, in all probability,
that of "The Widow Piper." It existed as early as 1735, when a number
of persons living in the vicinity met to protest against the new road
running through
263 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Portrait of Daniel V. Ahl
264 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Blank Page
265 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
"the barrens."* Here, for many years, the public business was
transacted, and in it, it is possible, the first courts were held.**
"A brewery was started at a very early day in the building now known
as the Black Bear Hotel. This building was erected for that purpose,
and the business of brewing was carried on there for a number of years;
at first by Adam Carnahan, and afterward by James Brown. This house
was subsequently converted into a tavern, and was first kept by a man
named John Saylor, who was succeeded by Jacob Raum, he by John Snyder,
and he, in 1821, by Jacob Hartzell.*** We find that this hotel was
known as the "Black Bear" as early or prior to 1792; for in the records
of the court, August, 1792, there is a petition for a "road from the
sign of the Bear in King Street past Reynold's mill to Middle Spring
Church," which was granted. And, among public papers owned lately by
the late Jason Eby, kindly furnished to us by Christian Humrich, Esq.,
we find the original petition presented to the court in August, 1792,
as follows: "The humble Petition of Jacob Rahm, of Shippensburg,
Humbly Sheweth - That your Petitioner, having provided a Commodious
House & accommodations for Travellers in the Town of Shippensburg,
Humbly prays your Honorable Court to grant him a licence for the
purpose of keeping a house of intertainment in the said town," etc.****
There was also a hotel in Shippensburg prior to 1792, known by the
name of the "Black Horse." For in another petition to this term of
court (August, 1792) from Patrick Cochran, we find "that the petitioner
hath lately rented and now occupies the commodious and long accustomed
public house known by the name of the Black Horse, in Shippensburg,
where he is well provided with liquor and all other necessaries for a
public house, and also has had many repairs made for the better
accommodation of travelers." There was also another hotel in
Shippensburg, in and prior to 1792, known by the name of the "King of
Prussia." The application is by Conrad Beamer, presented at the same
term of court (August, 1792), who prays that "Whereas your petitioner
continues to keep the old accustomed and commodious tavern known by the
name of the 'King of Prussia,' in Shippensburg," that the court will
recommend him to his Excellency the Governor for license to continue a
public house in the said place. One other petition is made, also
August, 1792, by George McCandless, who "hath kept a house of
entertainment in the house where he now lives, the preceding year, and
is desirious of continuing the same." And this is all we know of the
"taverns" of ye Town of Shippensburg," before the beginning of this
century.
Following the Indian moccasin, "when the days of the pack-horse had
passed away, the Black Bear Hotel became the principal stopping place
for wagons engaged in the transportation of merchandise to the West."
Shippensburg was then lively with this traffic to and from Pittsburgh
and Philadelphia. But the Conestoga teams, with their noise and
bustle, have passed away. They have ceased "to collect nightly in
groups around the house," and the recollection of them, even, has grown
dim.*****
Sixty years ago there were six wagon-maker shops, each employing a
number of hands, and nine blacksmith shops all busily employed.
*Historical Discourse (Middle Spring) by Rev. S. S. Wylie.
**There is, in the records a bill of sale from Jannet Piper, of
Shippensburg, innkeeper, in 1765.
***Hon. John McCurdy's sketch in Wing.
****The petitioner of this is recommended by John Heap, a handsome
signature, Jacob Blocher, James Cissire,(?) Samuel Quigley, James
Moore, Patrick Cochran and Samuel Rippey; the latter by John Scott,
Thomas Wilson, Robert Colwell, Samuel Colwell, Alexander Beatty,
William Bell, John White, Samuel Peebles, R. McCall, William Brookins,
William Barr, John Heap and Samuel Mitchell, "residents of Shippensburg
and parts adjacent."
*****Many of these wagons were made at Shippensburg and Loudon, and
this was one of the most prominent industries of the place.
266 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
CHURCHES.
The Scotch-Irish Presbyterians who settled at Shippensburg belonged
to the church at Middle Spring, so that no church of that denomination
was for some time erected. Mr. Shippen and his agents, and the
Government employes at Forts Morris and Franklin, located at
Shippensburg, were Episcopalians, and "an effort was made to establish
an Episcopal Church. This scheme, however, never promised to be
successful, and when the agents withdrew, was abandoned."*
In 1767 Lot 59 was conveyed by Mr. Shippen to Francis Campble in
trust, for a Presbyterian Church, "with yearly rent of one penny
sterling," and a log house was erected about 1768, but little used, and
was turned into a schoolhouse, neglected, and finally torn down. The
adjoining Lot 60 had previously been set apart and used for the burial
of the dead. There was early a Reformed Associate Presbyterian Church
in Shippensburg. "Lot 216 on the village plot was, June 2, 1794,
deeded by the Shippen brothers to this church, and a stone meeting-
house was erected on it about 1797, which was subsequently enlarged,"
and is still standing. Its pastors were Rev. James Walker, ordained
September 4, 1799 (of congregations of Shippensburg and Chambersburg,
giving to each half his time), resigned August 8, 1820. Rev. Thomas
Strong, ordained (over the two churches) October 23, 1821, at which
time a union was formed between his congregation in Shippensburg and
the members of the church at Middle Spring, who resided in or near the
village. On February 18, 1824, Rev. Henry R. Wilson, D. D., was
installed and remained till October, 1839. He was born near Gettysburg
in 1780; graduated at Dickinson College under Nesbit; was chosen
professor of languages in that institution in 1806. He preached in the
First Presbyterian Church at Carlisle, as colleague with Dr. Davidson.
In 1814 accepted call at Silver's Spring, from which place he went to
Shippensburg. He died in Philadelphia March 22, 1849.
He was followed by Rev. James Harper in 1840, who served till May 8,
1870, and was succeeded, in 1872, by Rev. W. W. Taylor, succeeded, in
May, 1875, by Rev. W. A. McCarrell.
In April, 1839, a suit was brought for the exclusive right to the
church property by a few Associate Reform members still remaining in
the town, which was successful. The little society gradually dwindled
away, and the church building was leased to the borough for school
purposes for ninety-nine years, for $1,000. When this case was
decided, the Presbyterian Congregation purchased a lot in another
portion of the town and erected the neat brick edifice in which they
worship. A new church is now being erected.
Methodist Church. - The first church was built in 1790. It was a log
structure, one story high, and stood on the northwest end of the lot
where the old brick church stands. At first the congregation was
small, but it grew in strength and importance, and has included in its
membership many of the most prominent residents of the town. In 1825,
a new brick church was erected on the southwest end of the old lot. It
was used about half a century. The present church, on King Street, was
built in 1875.
German Reformed and Lutheran. - Some time during the latter part of
the last century a lot located on the southeast corner of Orange and
Queen Streets was selected as a place of burial by the Lutheran and
Reformed denominations, and on it a log church was erected, which was
used until about 1812.
*Until the (Presbyterian) organization was effected, the Episcopal
element was, perhaps, dominant in the borough, through the influence of
Mr. Shippen, the proprietor, who was connected with that denomination."
- Nevin's Churches of the Valley, p. 155.
267 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
In about that year a brick church was erected, where the German
Reformed Church now stands, and was at first used as a place of worship
by both congregations. After some time the two congregations
separated, each erecting a church edifice of its own.
A brick church was built by the denomination known as the Church of
God about 1828, which was town down in 1870, when the present one was
erected.
In 1868 the United Brethren built their present church on North Penn
Street.
CEMETERIES.
The burial places of Shippensburg having become full of the bodies of
those who, during more than a century of its existence, had taken up
their abode "in the dark house and narrow bed" in the various
inclosures. A new burial place, known as the "Spring Hill Cemetery,"
was incorporated January 18, 1861, and twelve acres of land, which were
purchased for that purpose, were laid out into lots. We may mention
that the first burial in these grounds was that of Robert McFarland,
who had contracted a fever in the army, and that of thirty-two soldiers
who served in the late war are buried beneath its sod.
SCHOOLS.
There are nine public schools in Shippensburg, which are taught for
eight months during the year; but the main educational institution is
"The Cumberland Valley State Normal School," which was chartered in
1870 and opened on April 15, 1873, with a registered list of 300
pupils. Its cornerstone was laid on May 31, 1871. The building, which
is about one-fourth of a mile north of town, is a handsome
architectural design, and is situated on a commanding eminence,
surrounded by beautiful and spacious grounds, tastefully laid out. It
was erected at a cost of over $125,000.
NEWSPAPERS.
There have been ten papers published in Shippensburg since the
formation of the town. One, the "Valley Spirit," was, about 1846,
moved to Chambersburg, where it is still published. Another, the
Valley Sentinel, was bought by Henry K. Peffer, Esq., who moved it to
Carlisle, where it is still published. The present papers in
Shippensburg are the Shippensburg News, established in 1844, and the
Shippensburg Chronicle, started in 1875.
BANK.
There is one National Bank in Shippensburg, which was established
under the title "The First National Bank of Shippensburg," in 1866.
SOCIETIES.
Cumberland Valley Lodge, No. 315, F. & A. M., was instituted February
18, 1858, with following named charter members: Rev. James Colder,
Rev. F. A. Rupley, Henry Ruby, Sr., Jacob Heck, John S. Blair, John
Wunderlich, R. J. Lawton and Rev. D. A. Laverty. Present membership,
twenty-nine. Present officers: John Wolf, W. M.; J. M. Gardner, S.
W.; S. M. Houston, J. W.; S. C. Henderson, Treas.; W. M. Geesaman, Sec.
Lincoln Lodge, No 38, A. Y. M. (colored), instituted in 1868; has
about eighteen members. Present officers are Henry Johnston, W. M.;
George A. Barnes, Jr., S. W.; Edward Arthur, J. W.; William A. Barnett,
Sec.; Thomas Miller, Treas.
Valley Encampment, No. 34, I. O. O. F., was chartered June 22, 1846,
with charter members William F. Carey, John C. Altick, William B.
Cochran,
268 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
John Fisher, J. H. M. Peebles, John A. Clippinger and John Bender.
Present membership thirty-eight. Present officers: G. F. Cressler, C.
P.; G. S. Clark, H. P.; Elmer E. Shelley, S. W.; R. W. Hockersmith, J.
W.; J. K. L. Mackey, Scribe; W. J. Angle, Treas.
Cumberland Lodge, No. 90, I. O. O. F., was organized December 12,
1843, the charter members being William F. Carey, B. F. Irvin, William
H. Hoover, John McCurdy and John C. Altick. Present membership,
seventy-two. Present officers: George W. Noftsker, N. G.; J. E.
Wolfe, V. G.; John A. Fleming, Treas.; J. K. L. Mackey, Sec.
Mount Alto Lodge, G. U. O. F., No. 1941 (colored), was organized in
1879 with about twenty members. Discontinued working in 1885.
Royal Arcanum. - There was also organized, August 24, 1886, for
social and insurance benefits, a council of the Royal Arcanum.