4rr
J)
TO i!fflDi8
! J
VOLUME 12
McCONNELLSBUllG, PA., OCTOBER 27, 1910.
NUMBER G
OLD WAR TIME CAMPS.
Early Military Organizations in This
County, and the Part They Played ;
. in The Civil War
WRITTEN BY A FILTON RIFLEMAN.
Eeitor News: Recently I
visited the sites of two war time
camps nearChambersburg, Pa.
One of these, a mile west of town,
on the old fair grounds, along the
Bedford and Cnambersburg
tumpine, was known as Camp
McAllen, in honor, of Brigadier
General It. W. MoAlJen of Fan
nettsburg, who was in command
of the camp; the other, a short
distance east of town, near the
pike, was named Camp Shfer for
v. v
MILTON M. HORTON.
Hon. Eh Slifer then Secretary of
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
In April and May, 1861, two
old time military organizations of
Fulton county, the' Washington
Blaes, of Licking Creek town
ship, headquarters at Harrison'
ville and the Fulton Riflemen of
"Wells Valley, headquarters at
New Grenada were in Camp Mc
Allen and in August and Septem
ber of same year the Fulton
Riflemen were in Camp Slifer. I
was one of the Riflemen. On my
return to the old Camps, after so
many years, I fouad Camp Slifer
as it was in 1861, except that a
dense growth of high coarse
grass ccvers the site of it
Fences, buildings, all the imme
diate surroundings, appear as
they were then; but the passing
of forty-nine years has wrought
great change in Camp McAllen
and its surroundings. Thebuild
.ings in which we were quartered,
and the stables, fences, are all
gone and the race course which
was our drill and parade ground
is now occupied by a school house
with play ground attached and a
dwelling house with garden and
necessary out buildings.
The dense thicket of pines, near
the camp in which the rebs were
hidden on night of alarm (?) is no
longer there. I write' this de
scription of the old camps, as
they are now, for the information
of the old boys yet living who
served in them.
The old fellows of the Fulton
Rifleman will be pleased to learn
that I called on Mrs. Mary A.
Eberl'y in Cnambersburg, and of
the condition in which I found
her. Camp Shfer was located
very near her home and the
uiflemen were the recipients of
numberless acts of kinduess 'at
her hands. Of course Mrs. Eb
erly did not recognize me; but
When I intoduced myself, she
told me that she remembered me,
and then she began to inquire
about the boys by name.. This
dear old lady is now ninety-three
Years old and very strong, vigor
ous and healthy lor one of her
great age. Iler mental faculties
are unimpaired in the least, but
her wonderfully retentive mem
ory of persons and events, of
nearly fifty years ago, at her age,
w very remarkable
After my interview with Mrs.
Eberly and after looking over the
old oamps,' I started for home,
uy mind busy with the memories
f the long ago. It then occurred
me that perhaps something
toat I could write for the News
about the old time military com
panies of Fulton county, their
company drills, their annual bat-
callion drills, reviews and inspec
tions, their response to the Pre-
sidest s call for 75,000 men in
April 1851, together with some of
the events in which they had part
during those excitiDg momentous
never-to-be-forgotten days follow
ing the fall of Fort Sumter, and
something of the record they
made during the great struggle
there begun, might be interest
ing to the old comrades of '57 to
65 and perhaps to those of the
present generation, therefore, I
send you this.
In 1880, I went to the Adjutant
General's office in llarrisburg to
find the date of organization of
Washington Blues and Fnlton
Riflemen and that of some other
companies organized far back as
1820 to 1840. I v. as informed that
there were no records of military
on file in the department, of date
prior to 1862. The reason as
signed for this was, that at the
time of the rebel invasion of Peun
sylvama, all records were boxed
and barrelledand sent up intoMew
York for safety; that they were
afterward brought back, stored
in the Capitol building, but never
filed in place. In 1S95, I went
again in quest of records with
Bme result. The boxes and
barrels containing records were
till in cellar and attic of the
building. Everybody knows what
became of those records when
the Capitol building was burned
in 1897. With no better success
went to the office of Dr. Egle,
secretary of the Historical So
ciety of Pennsylvania. Therefore,
I shall have to depend on my old
diary and my memory, and that
of two others for what 1 shall
write I am indebted, for informa
tion, to the late Dr. H. S. Wish
art of Johnstown, Captain of the
Fulton Riflemen and Mr. M. C.
Greenland, of Wells Valley, 1st
Sergeantof theWashingtonBlues.
The old boys will not be slow to
correct me, I hope, in case I am
mistaken in anything I write
about our old military organiza'
tions.
Of the, military of Fulton coun
ty prior to 1852, 1 know but little
not more than as a boy of from
15 to 17 years of - age 1 learned
from old men in Wells Valley.
At one time, 1840, perhaps,
there were at least three military
organizations in the County( part
of Bedford county then) one at
Warfordsburg with which the
late Major Abner and Colonel
Amos Stigers were prominently
identified; one in Wells Valley, of
which the late John B. Alexander
Esq , was Captain, the only sur
vivor of that company being Mr
George Fessler, of Wells Tannery
now 89 years old. and one at Ear
risonville, tha Washington Blues
and, in 1852, the only one in the
county, a distinction it had held
for years. Th late General J a
cob Mum ma, of near Harrison
ville, and Major Rowland Austin,
of Saluvia, were prominent in the
affairs of this company.
It is more than probable th it
each had been Captain long be
fore 1852. At that time Major
Austin was Brigade Inspector.
He was succeeded in that office
by David D. Mellott in 1855. In
1858, James C. Austin was elect
ed Captain of the Blues, and at
once, began, with characteristic
energy, to improve the drill, dis
cipline and general morale of the
company. This resulted in the
addition of the names of a large
number of recruits to the com
pany muster-roll, an entire change
of uniform and a thorough reor
canization of the company in
1859.
When J. C. Austin was captain
Dr. Stitzel was 1st Lieutenant,
H. D, Betz, 2nd Lieutenant and
J. B. Uaster 1st Sergeant Lieut.
Stitzel resigned and 2nd Lieut
Betz became 1st Lieut, and was
succeeded by D. L. Michaels as
2nd Lieut s
In 1860, probably, Capt Austin
was elected Brigade Inspector
with rank of Major being sue
ceeded as Captain by 1 Sergeant
The Traction Engine Case.
On petition of Samuel F. Stouf-
fer, contractor building the State
Road in Bethel township, a tem
porary injunction was granted
by the Court at the recent Octo
ber term, restraining one William
Stetler, a lumberman, from us
ing a traction engine of uuusual
weight and size' to haul loaded
wagons over the public roads of
Bethel township. For the pur
pose of hearing evidence in this
case, and adjourned session of
court was held Tuesday and Wed
nesday until noon This brought
lawyers from Cnambersburg and
large number of citizens of
Bethel township interested in the
outcome of the case.
The question of the right of
traction engines on the public
roads is one that has been the
subject of more or less agitation
for several years; and while tem-
poraly injunctions have in some
other counties have had the effect
taking the traction engine off
the road, Mr. Stetler felt like
lighting; this to a finish, and at
least making a test case.
On Tuesday morning a petition
of the supervisors of Bethel to 'n
ship was presented to Court ask
ihg that they might be allowed
to join Mr. Stouffer as plaintiffs
against Mr. Stetler. This, the
Court allowed, but exceptions
were filed by the defendant's
counsel.
The evidence showed that the
engine in question weighed some
fifteen tons, that the loads drawn
averaged about six tons, and that
the engine was damaging the
new road. State Highway Com
missioner Hunter was present
and testified that it is impossible
to construct a highway that would
stand up against such usage.
After the hearing of the evi
dence the Court adjourned until
such time as the Stenographer
should have the not3s typewritten
and placed in the hands.of the at
torneys interested when the case
will be argued and a decision
given.
RECORD OF DEATHS.
Persons Well Known to Many of Our
Readers, Who Have Answered
Final Summons.
ALL SEASONS ARE THINE, 0 DEATH.
Local Institute.
The second local institute of
Tod township, held at Scott's
School, last Friday evening was
called to order by the teacher,
Miss Mary Ott, who appointed.
Blanche O. Peck, president, and
Blanche Brant, secretary. A
number of very good recitations
were rendered by the school.
Teachers present were: Blanche
O. Peck, Mary Ott, John Kelso,
Blanche Brant, Mabel O. Fore,
Prof. Thomas,' D. K. Chesnut, A.
E. Deshong, Harry Deshong,
Maude Deshong, Maude Strait,
Robert Cromer, and John Wood
cock. Mabel O. Fore, secretary.
The second local institute in
Thompson township for this sea
son, was held at Ditch Run last
Friday evening. It was called to
order by the teacher, Mac Pitt
man who appointed Robert Alex
ander, president. The questions
were ably discussed by the
teachers present. The teachers
present " from Thompson were:
AnnaComerer, Mac Pittman.and
H. B. Hill. Robert Alexander of
Bethel was present and gave
some interesting talks, Anna
Comerer, secretary.
J. C. Mellott and wife, and
mother, Mrs Marian Mellott, all
ot Belfast township, spent a few
hours in town yesterday.
J. B. Gaste'r and M. C. Green
land became 1st Sergeant
When the call to arms came in
1861, the Washington Blues was
a fije company indeed. Its mus
ter roll was longer perhaps than
that of any other company in the
state of Pennsylvania, q point of
drill and discipline it was unex
celled, unless maybe by some
crack city company, andforphys
ical matte up it was up to the
highestdegreeofefflcieucy. Near
ly every man responded to that
call. Silas D. Anderson became
2nd Lieutenant at that time.
(To b CoaUauoO.)
Baud.
Mrs. Margaret Resetta Bard,
daughter of Hanry Deshong, and
wife of John Bard, residing near
Emmaville, died at her home
on Friday of last week. Funeral
on Sunday, interment in the cem
etery at the Sideling Hill Baptist
church.
Mention has previously been
made in the News of the terrible
scourge of typhoid fever in lien
ry Deshong's famny and of the
death of Mrs. Deshong some
two week's ago. Like a dutiful
daughter, when her father's fam
ily were in 'such great distress,
Mrs. Bard went to help take care
of them and took the fever her
self. As soon as she found that
she had fever, at her urgent re
quest, she was removed to her
own home, but she gradually
grew worse until death came.
Rosa was 29 years old last May
and was married to John Bard, a
son of Michael Bard, of Belfast
township, about eight years ago.
Besides her husband, she is sur
vived by two children one about
sixyears old, and the other, about
five months old.
Mr. and Mrs. Bard were Indus
trious young people and were get
ting along well, and this sudden
taking off of Mr. Bard's life part
ner is a crushing blew.
Gkubu.
The name Grubb is hot a fami
liar one in this county, but the
name Barney is, and when it is
learned that Mrs. James Grubb,
who was Miss Carrie Barney, a
daughter of the Rev. John H.
Barney, died at her home in
Clearville, Bedford county, of
typhoid fever, on the 7th of this
month, it will create a pang of
sorrow in the hearts of her num
erous friends in this county.
She was born in West Virginia
on the 4th of September, 1875,
and became the wife of James
Grubb on the 11th of August
1896. This union was blessed
with two children, Mabel aged
about twelve, and Donald, four
an a half years.
She is survived, besides her
husband and children, her father,
one brother, Prof. John W. Bar
ney, of Defiance; one sister, Miss
Louise and one half brother, J.
S. Barney, both of Clearville.
The funeral took place on Sun
day morning, October 9th, in the
Union church, of Clearville, and
interment was made in the cem
etery at the church where the
service was held.
Death is always .sad, but es
pecially so when it removes from
the home, the Sunday school aDd
the church one so full of promise
and usefulness.
Ml-XK.
Chester Russel, youngest child
of W. G. and Jennie Meek, was
bora June 29, 1909, and died at
Kearney, October 11, 1910, aged
1 year, 3 months and 12 days.
Chester was a bright, attractive
child, and won the admiration of
all who knew him; and until a few
weeks previous to his death was
a healthy, robust boy; but when
Btrickeu with a gastric affection
he quickly succumbed, despite
the fact that every effort was put
torth to save his life. He lay in
a white casket, robed in pure
white, and a profusion of white
flowers all -tit emblems of the
pure life that had just gone out
Funeral services were couducted
by Rev. Ray, after which all that
was mortal of little Chester was
tenderly laid to rest in Hopewell
cemetery,
Family Reunion.
Last Sunday was a red letter
day in the h-me of Mr. and Mrs.
Jonas Mellott, of Belfast town
township. Wholly' unexpected
to them, uearly all their children
and grand-children made it suit
to be together in the old home,
and only parents who have been
spared to a good old age, and
have a numerous family scattered
abroad from the home nest, know
the joy that fills the heart when
the children all come home again.
On this occasion forty-two per
sons were present, of which
twenty -one were grand children,
and one great-grand-child, name;
Jy, Mr and Mrs. (Harriet) N. II.
Peck and two orphan children
that live in their home; Rev. W.
T. Sines and wife (Alice), and
their two little sons, Jonas and
William, of Oakland, Md.;Ex
Connty Treasurer George B.
Mellott and wife, and five of their
children: Webster D., Samantha
B , Winnie Davis, Verda Finette,
and Blanche Irene Mazie, their
eldest daughter was in Pbiladel
phia; W. 11. Mellott and wife, and
four children: Tenie, Dovie, Ches
ter, and George Ray; J. P. McKee
and wife (Rebecca), and daughter
Florence; Anderson Mellott and
wife, and children Rosa, Wayne,
and Pearl; Isaiah Mellott and
wife, and children Marie, Gwen
dolyn, Bretherd, and Freeda;
Ross Mellott and wife and their
son George Ermel (a great-grandson);
and Libbie Funk, and granddaughter.
About two q'clock, a su mptuous
dinner was served, after which
the family were assembled and
Rev. Sines returned thanks to
the Author of all Good, for the
numerous blessings bestowed.
The aged father who has been
blind for many years then gave
the patriarchal blessing in the
form of wholesome advice and
admonition. The formal exer
cises were closed by all loiningin
the singing When Shall We Meet
Again. ,
About Former Fulton Countians.
The editor received a letter
Monday from Mrs. C. O. Sipes,
better known to some of the boys
aud girls of this county a score
of years ago as Miss Minnie
Comerer, a successful teacher.
She now lives in Iowa, and the
Fulton CocNTy News keeps
her in touch with her former
friends and acquaintances in the
county of her nativity. Besides
containing the cash to renew her
subscription another year it con
tained the following which though
not written for publication, we
take the liberty of using, for
when we hear a good thing of any
one we believe in passing it along.
Mrs. Sipes Bays: "It was my
great pleasure to spend a few
days recently in the home of Rev.
and Mrs. John S. Decker, of
Kirkville, Iowa, both former Ful
ton county people. I staid in
their home over Sabbath and
heard two as good sermons by
Mr. Decker as it has been my
privilege to hoar in a long tim e.
Mrs. Decker was Miss Nela Zim
merman, of Thompson township.
1 also bad the pleasure of meet
ing Mrs. Decker's sister, Miss
Jennie, who was there while 1
was. The church people show
that they love and appreciate Mr.
and Mrs. Decker, for they have
given them a substantial raise in
salary. They deserve It, for they
are earnest, untiring workers.
I mention this because I know
you are always glad to bear of
the success of any of your former
pupils."
' Mrs. Sipes says further that
they have ideal weather in Iowa
this fall, but it has now turned
colder and they are getting some
rain. The late fall has helped
vegetation and they are enjoying
lots of new beans and corn.
FAKE SCHEME EXPOSED
ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW
Mr. and Mrs. Austin Lynch
and their little daughter Helen,
of Belfast township, drove up to
their uncle Jonathan Peck's at
Knobsville Tuesday, where they
pent a few hours and returned
home in the evening,"
Would Destroy San Jose Scale by In
serting a Capsule of Poison
Under the Bark.
There is a fake scheme being
worked in various parts of Penn
sylvania, which Professor 11. A.
Surface, State Zoologist, has ex
posed and is warning persons
against. He has received many
letters on this subject, the follow
ing of which is typical, coming
from a correspondent in College
A man came into this section,
stating he was authorized by the
State to treat trees affected by
San Jose scale, by inserting a
poison filled capsule under the
bark of the tree. This poison
was to be carried by the sap to
all, parts of the tree, and so kill
the scale.
"Is this treatment effective in
killing the scale without injuring
thu trees? I shall be very grate
ful for information oa this sub
ject." In reply to this Professor Sur
face said:
"His statements are false and
his method is wrong. Several
times unscrupulous persons have
tried to gain the confidence and
obtain money of the people of
this State, by the statement that
they aae employed by this office
or Department. All such im
postors should be arrested lor
false pretense, and such other
charges as can be brought
against them, and such imposi
tion can then be checked, even if
they cannot wholly be stopped.
This office authorizes no per
sons to treat or destroy trees, ex
cepting our regularly appointed
inspectors, who carry certificates
of appointment, stamped with
the seal of the Department of
Agriculture and properly signed.
Also, we do no work in treating
trees, excepting that which is
done as public demonstration
work, inviting the public in to
see how it is done, as a useful
public lesson in the community.
More than this, we do no other
treatment of trees than the prun
ing and spraying, being assured
that the best possible means of
controlling the San Jose scale and
certain other pests is by the use
of the spray pump.
"No poison can be put into the
system of the tree by injecting it
under the bark in such manner
that it will be taken up through
the sap. You will find the safest,
cheapest and most effective
means of treating the San Jose
scale to be thoroughly spraying
with strong boiled lime-sulfur
wash, applied at any time while
the trees are dormant. If they
are much infested you should
make two applications, one just
after th leaves drop, and anoth
er when the buds are swelling in
the spring."
Snapshots at Their Comings and Goings
Here for a Vacation, or Away
for a Restful Outing.
NAMES OF VISITORS AND VISITED
Mr. and Mrs. 1. D. Thompson,
of Philadelphia, are spending this
week with friends and relatives
in McConnellsburg. Mr. Thomp
son holds a State appointment in
the Health Department in Philadelphia.
Change in Game Law Dates Probable.
Dr. Joseph Kalbfus, secretary
of the State Game Commission,
gives it as his opinion, that the
present season for quail, wild
turkeys, squirrels and pheasants,
"fomes too early; game is not
good until cold weather sets in
and we are having almost sum
merheatas the season opens. "
Dr. Kalbfus believes that the
early fall weather will thus ce
ment the sentiment and end in
the agreement to change the
game laws to permit of the sea
son beicg made later in the year.
This has been agitated for some
time and suggestions are made
that November 'be made the
month instead of October. The
next Legislature will very likely
do this.
. Mr. aqd Mrs. Geo. W. Sipes
and their grand-daughter Miss
Esther, and Mr, Roland Sharp
and his daughter, Miss Blanche,
spent Tuesday in town.
Mr. F. C. Bare and family, ot
Fort Littleton, are spending tnis
week visiting in the borne of Mrs.
Hare's )prents, Hon. and Mrs.L.
P. Kirk in Bethel township.
Miss Gertrude Hone and Mrs.
L. W. Seylar of this placs visited
friends in llagerstown last Sat
urday.
Cashier M. W. Nace spent Sat
urday night and Sunday with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. B.
Nace in Chambersburg.
Mr. and Mrs. George A. Harris
of this place spent Sunday with
Mr. Harris' sister, Mrs. S. D.
Stevens in Chambersburg.
Ex-Treasurer Geo. B. Mellott
and family, spent last Sunday
with Mr. Mellott's parents at
their home in Belfast township.
Miss Edith McEldowney who
had beeu employed at Wilsou
College, Chambersburg, returned
to her home near Gem, last Friday.
Mrs. Mertie Uarr, who had
been visiting her brothers How
ard and John Shimer at McKees
Rocks, Pa., returned home last
Saturday.
Thompson W. Peck and Walter
A. Peck, of Needmore, came to
town last Thursday and got tho
pulpit for the new church at
Laurel Ridge.
Ex-Prothonotary Jas. B. Waltz,
of Thompson township, spent a
day or two last week, a guest of
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Uarr, in
Tod township.
Walter Rotz employed in tho
Forbes Granite Works Chambers
burg, spent the time over Sunday
vith his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
David Rotz in Tod township.
Miss Margaret Daniels and her
niece Miss Zoe Mellott spent last
Saturday night in the home of
Mr. and Mrs. William Bauui
gardner on east Market street.
Hon. and Mrs. HarryA.Thomp
son, of Tyrone, Pa., are spending
a few days visiting in the home
of the formei 's mother, Mrs. M.'
D. Thompson, on East Water
Street.
Geo. W. Sipes, wife and son
Glenn and daughter Vera, and
James Campbell and Herbert
Kerlin, were guests of Jacob
Sharp, in Tod township, last
Sunday.
Dr. J. S. Swartzwelder and
family, of Mercersburg, spent
Saturday and Sunday calling on
their old neighbors at Needmore.
They made the trip in the Doc
tor's Ford touring car.
Mrs, Annie Teeter, her son
William, and her aunt, Miss An
nie Shimer all of Chambers
burg, spent several days last
week among their McConnells
burg relatives and friends.
Frank C. Bare and wife, of Ft.
Littleton, spent a few hours in
town last Friday. They came to
town in Frank's Ford touring
car, and on account of the wretch
ed condition of the Cove road be
tween McConnellsburgandKnobs
ville, they returned home by way
of Harrisonville.
Mrs. Philip G. Diehl and Miss
Elsie Clevonger, of Friends Cove,
Bedford county, have been visit
ing among their relatives and
friends in this couoty during the
past ten davs. They were'guests
of Mr. and Mrs. Abner Lake in
the Cove last Friday, and in the
afternoon, Mrs. Diehl, MissClev
enger, and Mrs. Lake spent a few
hours in town, and called at the
News office. '
Mr. L P, Gordon, or as most
of his old schoolmates and chums
about Fort Littleton would re
member him as Porter, now a
prominent business man located,
at West Newtoq, Pa.', and his
brother Harry, a bustling livery
man at Coal port, Pa,, are spend
ing this week among their many
relatives and friends in this couu
ty. The boys are making good
in their respective places, and It
was with much pleasure that we
had a call from them ' Monday
afternoon,