JL. LXVII, OLD LANDMARKS “ THE FORGOTTEN CITY OF THE DEAD. Penns Valley Away Back.—-Farms in the Family Name to the Fourth and Fifth Generations, To the present reader of the CENTRE REPORTER there is much of interest in the early history of Penns Valley, run- ning back one hundred years and more, when the red man roamed here, and the valley was a vast forest stately pines and oaks and hemlocks, which have bowed to smiling fields of wheat and corn and oats, and the In- dian tent has disappeared before cozy homes and spacious barns of the farmer. Near Centre Hall there was a fort, and in Haines township, on the south side there was also a fort, where the early settlers could find shelter when the wild man made his incursions up- on the settlers. These forts have dis- appeared, and happy villages, church- es and school houses have taken their places. . Along the foot of Nittany Mountain, between it and the Brush Valley road, within a rifle-shot of the CENTRE RE- PORTER office, a little to the north- east, is a dilapidated and almost for- gotten cemetery, which we struck on a stroll the other day. Asa matter of interest to our readers, we explored this little city of the dead, and noted the inscriptions on the yet standing or rather leaning slabs. Once it was a clear spot, comprising an acre of ground, donated as a burial ground by John Bitner, owner of the farm upon which William Bible now resides. The acre is now with young mountain pines thirty feet high, and it has grown back as a part of the original forest, trees of na- ture's planting, over and between the graves, For aught, we know, there may be a hundred departed neath the sod, and it was possible for us to find crude head and foot and depressions to mark the final rest ing place of upwards of fifty. The acre has no enclosure; but in the centre there inclosure, 20 x 30, pale fence, of which three sides are pretending to be erect, and the fourth, or south side, rotted This enclosure contains the graves of the Pennington family, who were promi- nent here half century ago. Only two of the graves outside the Pennington inclosure have slabs with inscriptions. At the north-east corner at the edge of a deep sink, the first grave has a common with the following inscription: “Moses, son of James and Phelmley, died Feb. 28, 1832, months.” Another slab of similar stone has on it: “John, 4th son of David and Eliza Mitchell, died April 29, 1835, months and 2 days.”’ All the other graves have nothing but common mountain stones for head and foot marks, many being graves of children. The graves in the inclosure are sup- plied with marble slabs, and have the following inseriptions: “In memory of a young son and Ann E., daughter of Robert and Ellen Pennington. Ann E. died Dec. 16 1827, aged 2 years.” “In memory of Margaret G., daugh- ter of Robert and Ellen Pennington, who died Jan. 10, 1835, aged 9 months aud 5 days.” “John David, son of James W. and Rebecea Pennington, died Feb. 12 1849, aged 6 months and 18 days. Al- so, Catherine Ellen, died May 27, 1853, aged 1 year and 7 days." “In memory of R. Henry Clay, son of Robert and Ellen Pennington, who died April 4, 1850, aged 7 years and 27 days.” “In memory of Sarah who departed this lite, Oct. aged 35 years and 7 months.” “In memory of Margaret, wife of Henry Pennington, died January 5, 1853, in the 77 year of her age.” overgrown Ones bee stones, is an is dow i. a and more sandstone slab, Sarah 11 aged aged + ow Pennington, 2, 1850, -y in the 63rd year of his age.” “In memory of Robert Pennington, who died February 3rd, 1854, aged 55 years and 5 months.” “In memory of Rebecca, wife of Robert Pennington, who died Oet, 17, 1824, aged 65 years.” “In memory of Robert Pennington, who died April 22, 1826, aged 72 years.” “In memory of Rev. John Penning- ton, son of H. and M. Pennington, who died January 22, 1830, aged 20 years,” “In memory of Eliza Pennington, daughter of Henry and Margaret Pen- nington. Departed this life July 5, 1833. Age, 17 years and 20 days.” This was the only graveyard in the vicinity at that day. Nearby stood a a Methodist church, built of logs, eighty years ago, It had high ceil ings, and one of the pulpits. Our friend, & | remembers attending singing school | in this church, back some fifty years | ago. | The church was sold thirty or thir- | ty-five years ago, torn down, the logs [sawed into lumber; and out of the | product were built the Harpster prop- | erties opposite the REPORTER office. { This was the first M. E. church | built in this valley; it was erected in 15814, on the then Pennington, now | the William Bible farm. Mr. Bible thinks the house he lives in was erect- ‘ed about one hundred years ago. Ebenezer Doolittle preached the first sermon in this church from the text, | Prov. ix, 1: “Wisdom hath builded ‘her house. She hath hewn out her seven pillars.” PASSED THE CENTURY MARK. Fhe Stover Farm In Haines Towaship 105 Years in the Family. The Stover farm, one sand one-half miles west of Woodward, in Haines township, along Pine creek, has re- mained in the family at least 105 to 110 years, going down from Frederick Stover to his son Martin, and is now occupied by Martin's Michael Stover, son, Frederick Stover was an early set- tler, took up this tract some 110 years ago, cleared it and erected the first building, log, as was the custom at | that early day. Finer buildings, mod- ern in style took the place of the origi- nal log habitations, Frederick Stover had a Frederick, aged 72 years, son named died June 25, 1861, He was born on this thirty-three period of 105 years since he was born upon the | who and being dead years, would farm, make =n homestead in Haines township. Frederick, the son, died near Centre REPUBS NOMINATE THE FAITHFUL TURN OUT INCON- VENTION: Convention Held on Tuesday at Bellefonte. ~Large Attendance. ~- Nominations and Work of the Convention. The unterrified and faithful licans held their convention on Tues- day morning. Owing to the interest manifested over the judicial contest, and the conjecture on Legislature, the turn out was good, the court house be- ing well filled. During the forenoon little groups could be found all about the court house setting up their schemes and doing a little wire pull- ing, but the slate had been set up and only needed a knock on the head to send it through. The convention was called to order at eleven o'clock by county chairman Reeder. A roll call of delegates was made, with but oneor two absentees, Substitutions and corrections were made, and the convention then began the real work of the day. For chairman of convention 8. Cam- eron Burnside was unanimously elect- ed. He took the chair and proceeded to work, after a few words of thanks to the convention for honor conferred For secretaries, C. F. Deininger, o centre Hall, and J. E. Rickard were elected. For reading clerk H. C. Quigley, of Bellefonte was elected. A form of business was adopted which greatly facilitated the work of the convention. A committee of five were appointed to draw up resolutions. They were J, L. Holmes, R. T. Comley, 8. 8. Miles, M. F. Loy, J. A. Hatch. The nomination of a candidate for jury commissioner was first in order. Hall, and is buried in the cemetery at | this place. He was the father of Sam. uel Stover, who now resides with Wil- | linm Bible, a short distance from town. our Thus the Frederick Stover con- nection might celebrate at least the 105th of the original] homestead still inpossession of descend- | anniversary ants, OVER THE HUNDRED, The Hess Farm 108 Years in the Family | Connection, Jacob Yarnell, Charles Smith, W. Williams, John D. Decker, and H. H. Osman were placed before the conven tion. The balloting resulted fol lows: as Ballots Chas. Bnith........ Jacots Yarnell W.B. Wililams John D. Decker H.H Osman... Decker having received the majori- 1 2 19 - 9 bo » then made unanimous. For assembly, P. E. Womelsdorf, of | CAPITOL GOSSIP SENATOR QUAY DABBLES IN SU- AR STOCK. ! The Pennsylvania Senator Before the Ine vestigation —~His Evidence Not i Surprising. | WASHINGTON, June 18.-—Secretary | Carlisle, in common with many prom- inent Democrats, thinks the passage of a bill introduced by Representative | Coombs, of N. Y., and now being con- | | sidered by sub-committee of the | House committee on Banking and Currency, would be a very desirable a thing. The bill provides for the ap- { pointment of a non-partisan currency | commission, which shall devote the rest of this year to investigation and | {study of the subject and then report | to Congress a bill for a complete bank- ing, coinage and currency system | which shall come nearer to meeting | | the demands of the country than what | {we have at present. The authors of | { this bill are C. N. Jordan, U. 8. Sub- | | treasurer at New York City, and W. | D. Trenholm, who was Controller of | { Currency under the first Cleveland ad- | ministration, both of whom have ap- peared before the committee to argue in favor of its being favorably reported to the House. In view of the differ- ence of opinion on this subject among | Democrats in Congress, so radical that {It has so far defeated all attempts at financial legislation, it would seem that this bill is one upon which men {of all opinions could unite, It could certainly do no harm, and, if the com- mission was properly made up, might do much good. Senator Harris has to grit his teeth | and bear the unexpected delay in| reaching a final vote on the tariff bill | as best he can, being unable to get and keep forty-three Senators on the floor | continuously in order to things The Republicans took | advantage of this to streteh the debate | on the wool schedule out of all propor- tions and this writing they are threatening to fillibuster against tak- ing a vote upon it until wool is taken from the free list, and the charge is foree along faster. at ed by several Democrats of their will ingness, if it can be done by agree- Woodward, in Haines township, has remained in the family name 108 years up to this time. Matthias Hess bought the land in 1786, and cleared it. After his | Hes came in| possession of it, and died on the place, | tract of | death his son Michael when his son, John Hess, became the owner of the farm, and upon his death his son Michael purchased it and farm- | ed it a number of years and retired, leaving his son on it as tenant, who is | now farming it, making the fifth gen- | eration of the Hess family up to this! time, in a period of 108 years, to occu- | py the ancestral homestead, and it in | likely to remain in the same name! many years yet. It is one of the best farms in this valley. 108 YEARS, The Motz Property also 108 Years In Family. The well-known Motz property, mill, tavern and farm land, in and ad- Joining Woodward, has remained in the family name 108 years. John Motz was an early settler there and made a purchase of a survey in 1786, and built a grist mill in later years, He died in 1802. His son John came in possession of the property, in- eluding the mill, which was destroyed by fire, and erected the present mill on the same site. At his death, his son Jolin C. Motz, became the owner i of the property. He died a few months ago, and the property fs still in th | possession of his estate, and his sons, {or one of them, is likely to become jowner of it, and it will likely continue | thus in the name of Motz for many Years to come, the 101 YEARS, Potter Homestead, In Harris, 101 Years in the Same Family, The Potter homestead, three miles west of Centre Hall, in Harris towne ship, has remained in the family 101 years, this month of June. Fergus Potter came to this country from Ireland, and in June of 1798, he purchased the survey now constitute ing the Potter farm. After his death his son Joshua Potter continued on the place, where he was born, lived and died. After the death of Joshua, which was not many years ago, the farm continued in the family by his son Henry Potter and sisters, who oo cupy the homestead, and will likely remain there all their lives. This con- tinues the Potter farm in the same’ family down to the third generation. The descendants of Fergus Potter had township, and James A. Fiedler, of Bellefonte, were nominated. The bal- lotting resulted as follows: PF. E. Wosnelsdor! HK Canin J. A. Fiedier..... Womelsdorf and Curtin having re- ceived a majority were declared nomi- nated. For associate Judge, Benjamin Rich, of Unionville, was nominated. Being the only candidate his election was made by acclamation. For senatorial conferrees, James W. I. Fleming, and Clemens, W. E. Gray in a pointed little speech placed before the convention the name of John G. Love, Esq., for President Judge. When Love's name was an nounced the applause was great, letter was read by the clerk from Hon. A. 0. Furst withdrawing his name from before the convention. He was no longer a candidate. Love received the unanimous vote of the convention. J. G. Platt, John M. Dale and W. L. Malin were elected congressional conferees. For Judicial conferees, W, E. Gray, 8. Cameron Burnside and J, W. Dunwiddie were elected. W. T. Reeder was reelected chairman by the unanimous of the convention. The committee on resolutions then ported. . They endorsed the candidacy of {astings and did not denounce De- mocracy, ete, which was disappoint- ng. John G. Love was then called upon, and was escorted to the bench. The applause that greeted him was voelf- erous. He addressed the convention at length and was frequently inter rupted by applause, Col. James Coburn, of Aaronsburg, was next called on for an address, He was loaded and primed for a speech and his disappointment would have been great could he not have unloaded, Unlike all other addresses delivered before the convention, his was a veri- table verbal diarrhoea. When a man has lost all sense of argument he resorts to abuse. So it was with Coburn. He denounced the Democrats and the Democratic party, and laid all ealami- ties and ills that the flesh Is heir to at their door, T. H. Harter, editor of the Gasette, was next called upon for an address, which was spirited and pointed. P. E. Womelsdorf, the nominee for assembly was next called and respond. ed with a carefully committed address. He was followed by H, R. Curtin, A motion was made to adjourn at # A. . Frank county consent help them get a small duty on wool. The attempt of a local paper to get a little notoriety by insinuating that Representative Richardson, of Tenn had engaged in real estate transac tions that were not entirely right and ¥ proper, with representatives of a street railway syndicate that seeking Congressional legislation, was a failure even before Mr. Richardson had taken the unnecessary trouble to make an explanation to the House. The man or newspaper which attacks the integ- rity of men like Mr. Richardson must | present absolute proofs, not vague in- sinuations, before the public's atten- | tion can be secured. If the evidence taken by the House committee on Naval Affairs can be substantiated, the government should at once cancel the contract with the | Carnegie companies for armor plate for our war ships, and begin suits for the recovery of every dollar that has | { been paid to those concerns for plates | | that are not what they purport to be. | This would, of course, result in delay- | | ing the completion of those ships yet | | to be armored, but it would be better! | that they never be completed, than | | that the crookedness which has been | | testified to should be allowed to go un- | | punished. The committee is still tak- | ling testimony. It will probably be necessary to remove plates from a number of the ships in order to ascer- tain whether witnesses have told the truth or not, and that will consume considerable time, and make it impos- sible for the committee to conclude the investigation in time to report during the present session of Congress, Every Senator at present in Wash ington, except Quay, of Pa., has de- clared under oath that he neither speculated in nor gave information to others to be used in speculating in the stock of the sugar trust. Quay says he has been speculating in sugar stock whenever he felt like it and that he is going to continue. The evidence did not surprise any sensible person, but all the same it was wise in the investi- gating committee to examine all the Senators; beginning with themselves; it closes the mouths of the buncombe speakers and writers who have been continually asking “why not swear the Senators?’ The only features in the examination of the Senators hat varied from the stereotyped denial of the eight leading questions asked enough to arouse any special interest were the confession of Senator Quay and the statement of Senator Ransom, that he had a day or two before learn. u that his son had during the month is i 1 course, a foolish thing for young Mr. Ransom to have done, but the amount invested is of itself sufficient to clear NO. 25 STRUCK THE TREE | having acted upon any information beyond his own desire to bet his own money upon his own judgment. When side information he puts up more than $20. Benator Ransom has never bought a share of speculative stock of LIGHTNING, ! | Under the Shelter of a Tree they are Stan. ned and Horribly Burned by the Elee trie Fluid Striking it | Three young boys of Bellefonte, | Winfred and Edgar Lose and Charles the Senate, Ws Mp Farmers do the Handsome, J. C. Neff, residing on a farm near | Petersburg, Huntingdon county, was | a great sufferer from the recent flood, | many of his fences being swept away { had corn was completely inundated | and covered with mud to the depth of | inches, which necessitated | plowing and planting again. The | neighbors around remembering that a | “friend in need is a friend indeed’ de- | cided as soon as the ground became | dry enough, to come and help their | unfortunate neighbor plow his field. | On Wednesday morning of last | week, about eight o'clock, there was | several some from the valley, Alexandria and | Petersburg. In a short time all were | ready, and the signal for starting was | given. With the genial proprietor at | the head, the procession started around the fifteen acre field. Truly when all i "Round and ‘round the Jolly plow | boys went, stopping of course at noon to regule themselves with a sumptuous | dinner, and by halt past five the fif-| teen acres were ploughed, after which | the boys assembled on the banks of} the Juniata and gave three rousing | cheers which went echoing and re- echoing over valley and hill. | Wp - No More Corkscrews The board of public buildings and grounds, at Harrisburg, whose duty it is to furnish the necessary supplies for senators and members of the lower house, have gone over the list of requi- sitions for the and weeded out a large number of things coming session considered “necessary’’ by the various chiefs of the departments, but not con- sid ered as “essential” by the board. On the list of things which will not be furnished are seven Webster's diction- aries, four sets Purdon’s digest, pearl handle penknives, cut glass inkstands, card gilt-edged memorandum books, gold-mounted fountain pens, spiral pocket pencils, ivory knife eras- ers, scissors, Russian leather memoran- dum books, silver key rings, silver malch safes, cases for postage stamps, CANCE, envelope openers and corkscrews—pre- sumably for opening ink bottles—and reduction was made in lounges at the | rate of from $300 to £150, and the whole list in proportion. It is said that the bill for “necessaries” will thus be re duced fully forty per cent., which will be a great saving to the state. The only item which will be most missed | by the law-makers, we presume, is the corkscrews; it is sways hard to open an ink or mucilage bottle with a pen | knife. A Pension Ruling Assistant Secretary Reynolds, of the interior department, has rendered an | important decision, which is far-reach- | ing in its effect and will involve the immediate cancellation of thousands! of pension certificates issued under a | ruling of the last administration. | He holds that where a claimant for | pension has deserted from his first ser- vice and enlisted in another and differ- department refuses to remove the charge of desertion or recognize the le- gality of the second service but holds him to be in a continuous state of de- sertion, that department has exclusive Jurisdiction, the correction of its rec- ords and the legality of the soldier's service, and until the charge of deser- tion is removed by the war depart- ment the claimant has no pensionable status, How the Mennonites Choose a Minister, A Harrisburger who attended the services incident to the selection of a minister by Mennonites at Salunga, Lancaster county, during the week gives this version of the choosing. As many Bibles as there were candidates were placed on a platform. In this case there were ten. In one of the Bi- bles was placed a slip of paper. The candidate selecting the Bible contain ing the paper was the person called to the ministry. The ten candidates were seated ace cording to age and, strange as it may seem, the slip of paper which designa- ted him for the place, was drawn by Hiram Kauffman, of the youngest of the ten, and therefore the last to make the selection. Ordination services followed the selection. For Sale, y for 4 | narrowly escaped death by lightning | last Monday, when the heavy rain and i storm passed over Nittany and Penns Valleys. The three boys in company with others had gone up Spring Creek, about a mile above Roopsburg, where they went in swimming. All but those mentioned left before the storm came on. Those remaining, seeing a storm approaching, betook themselves to a large tree near by the creek for shelter, Here they sat more or less discon- certed by the violence of the storm, when (instantly ithe tree shattered and was felled to the ground, and they knocked into insensibility. Winfred Lose, who is about fifteen years of age, suffered the slightest shock and alone is able to tell the story of their tragic experience, It was about three o'clock when they took shelter. Winfred’s younger brother, Eddie, was standing close to the trunk between them, and was cry- ing. He said he wanted to go home. This was the last word uttered. About ten minutes later he came to and found himself lying on the ground. At first he could not tell where he was. He saw his hat lying some distance away, he was numb and was too weak to rise, He looked around and saw his com- panions lying on the ground. Eddie's clothing was smoking. He made effort to arouse them, but could an not, Win. started for help a mile distant, and arrived in an exhausted condition, and told his story of the fate of the boys. A search was instituted and Charley Hunter was found in 8 comatose con- dition at the root of the tree. A few feet away in the brush Edward Lose was found struggling in an effort to get up, apparently unconscious and visibly exhausted, The boys were taken to their homes at Bellefonte. Wins left arm was par- alyzed and burned where the fluid struck him. The flash struck him back of the neck and passed down his body burning him in a frightful man- ner. His under shirt was almost sumed, a few shreds only con remaining. His left arm was burned and a piece of flesh was torn out of the left leg. Charley Hunter was severely burned also. His face was swollen and cover- ed with a number of bright red spots. Eddie Lose, who suflered the sever- est injuries died Wednesday at two o'clock. The other two boys will like- ly recover, REI RR, Arrested at Tyrone. Officer Andy Barr, of Tyrone, arrest- ed a fellow named Ed. Couch, aged Officer Barr says that Couch was in the com- girls and that he administered to the Miller, a knockout dose and then rob- bed him of his gold watch and chain. Miller never recovered from the dose ing the night. When Barr arrested Couch he admitted the robbery but said it was done while he was drunk, and, not knowing that Miller was dead, said he would be able to get the matter fixed up all right with William as they were both good friends and had been on a drunk together. Couch some years ago lived at Tyrone and seemed to be a quiet and very innocent fellow, but since then he has fallen in- to bad company and become some- what of a moral wreck. He is a bar ber by trade but owing to his habits has not done much for some time. The dose administered to Miller con- sisted of laudanum, whiskey and nut. Hungry Coxeyites, The Coxey army is hard up for “vit tele’, as the latest advices from Wash ington say. Food has given out in the Coxey camp and unless some very lively hustling is done the men will likely dine on river water only. Coxey and Browne have been so busy this week trying to get an opportunity to talk before the Congressional commit. tee that the commissary has beer nog- lected. The committee of citizens who have been soliciting contributions for the Coxeyites have about reached the end of their rope and find it very hard now to get a wagon load of provisions, ————
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