Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles From the Past
York County Pennsylvania
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA
August 28 1805
York, August 22
FIRE!
On the night of Saturday last, about 1 o'clock, the inhabitants of this town, were by a cry of fire called to a scene of devistation, which proved to be in the barn of John Hay, Esq. This together with several of the adjoining buildings were so instantantenously inveloped in flames, that every exertion on the part of the inhabitants to preserve them, proved ineffectual. By this dreadful calamity, the barn of John Hay, Esq., in which the fire originated, together with its valuable contents, consisting of between 6 or 800 bushels of grain, a house the property of Dr. John Rouse, occupied by John Glessner as a tavern, a brick building belonging to James Smythe, Esq., and another dwelling house the property of Mr. Shmuck with several other buildings - fell a prey to the devouring element. The distresses of this night deprived two families of their residence, together with a considerable part of their property.
The spirited exertion of the citizens and a calm atmosphere, prevented the conflagration from being much greater, as the buildings were compactly situated.
This repeated instance in this borough of fire originating in a barn, has excited suspicion, that there are again evil minded persons among us, and in consequence the Burgesses have offered one hundred dollars reward for detecting the incendiary.
The Sprig of Liberty, Gettysburg, PA
October 16 1806
The wife of Mr. Roberts of Dover, was lately delivered of three beautiful and perfect boys, each weighing 7 pounds, who with their prolific mother are all in perfect health. -- Hampshire Gazette.
Man Found Dead From Intoxication
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA, June 14 1809
York, June 8
Last Sunday afternoon the dead body of a man was found on the commons near town. About half an hour previous to his being found dead, he was seen walking through town, considerably intoxicated, and a bottle with whisky in it, was found by his side. From appearance he was about 50 years of age - his name is unknown.
York Western Turnpike Road
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA, April 17, 1811
By an act of the Legislature, passed the 21st day of March, 1811, entitled "An act to authorize the Governor to incorporate a company for making an artificial road, from the courthouse in the borough of York, and ending at the extremity of five miles, at or near Wolff's tavern, on the old road, in a direction to Gettysburg: That Jonathan Jessop, Frederick Eichelberger, Peter Hoke, Henry Wolff, Daniel Spangler, Jacob Smyler, John Weyer, William Nes and Philip Frederick, are appointed to received subscription for the stock of said company.
Public Notice is hereby given that books will be opened, agreeably to the provisions of said act, at the house of George Hay, innkeeper, on Monday the 6th; at the house of John Eichelberger, innkeeper, on Tuesday the 7th; at the house of Widom Fisher, innkeeper, on Wednesday the 8th, in the borough of York; - at the house of Adam Haller, in Bott's Town, on Thursday the 2th; at the house of Michael Smyser, innkeeper, on the 10th; and at the house of Peter Wolff, innkeeper, West Manchester, on the 11th day of May next, and will be kept open from 10 until 4 o'clock, on each day aforesaid, for the purposes of receiving subscriptions for the stock of said company, from all persons of lawful age, to subscribe in their names or names of any other person, who shall duly authorize the same.
Five Dollars to be paid on each share at the time of subscribing.
Attendance will be given by two or more of the commissioners.
York, March 26.
Benjamin Hearth Resigns Office
The Centinel, Gettysburg, PA, November 27 1811
Benjamin Hearth, Esq. has resigned his office of Sheriff of York county and the Governor has appointed Michael Gardner, Esq to fill the office till the next election.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
July 28, 1819
York, PA, July 22
Robbery - The store of Peter Dinkle, of this borough (York) was robbed on Tuesday night last of about 420 dollars - three hundred in bank notes and one hundred and twenty dollars in specie. One of the notes is a $100 note on the US Bank. The thief ascended to the balcony, entered through the window, descended the stairs, broke open the middle door leading to the store - he took the drawers from the counter and carried them up to the balcony, where he helped himself to the contents as above stated.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
August 11, 1819
On Monday last, a citizen of York county, on his way to this place, was taken ill a few miles below town, in the consequence of drinking too freely of cold water, and died that night - Republican
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
August 11, 1819
York, Aug. 3
Much agitation has been excited in this place for the last few days, by the sudden disappearance of a man named Charles Heggens, an Irishman by birth, and we understand a weaver by profession. The circumstances of his having had a considerable sum of money with him; his mysterious and sudden disapearance, and the finding on the banks of the creek a quantity of clothing and some of the little implements of his trade, lead to the suspicion that he has been murdered. Active search has been made for his body, but as yet it has not been found.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
September 8, 1819
The publication of the York Recorder has been discontinued. This has been one of the oldest establishments in the state. The first paper was issued on the 7th January, 1789, by James and John Edie and Wilcox. In these hard times, when banks and men following the best business are daily failing around us, it cannot excite our special wonder, that those following the worst, newspaper printing, should also be under the necessity of stopping payment. - York Gaz.
The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA
November 10, 1819
A very singular casualty happened in the neighborhood of Wrightsville on Saturday last. Mr. Christopher Noel, was engaged in hauling logs, and after the spring-pole was tied, the rope broke by which is was fastened and recoiling with great force, struck him in the nape of the neck and killed him on the spot. York Gaz.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 27 1820
York Pa., Dec. 19
On Thursday morning last, about half past 5 o'clock the steam mill of Phineas
Davis and William Gwens situated near the Methodist meeting house in this
borough, was discovered on fire and together with a quantity of clover seed
entirely consumed. The machinery and the application of steam power to it
was on a new plan, the invention of Mr. Davis one of the owners. The loss
estimated at about 1200 dollars - Gaz.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 26 1822
York, Pa., June 18
Thunderstorm
Last Tuesday about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, this place was visited with a heavy shower of rain, accompanied with very severe thunder and lightning. There was a copious effusion of electric fluid, and many objects came in contact with it, yet the damage done is not very extensive, the destructive fluid having been discharged chiefly in the woods and fields. In a space of woods, of about 30 acres, three miles east of this place, between 15 and 20 trees have been splintered. The damage done of which we hear, and which is most essential, was near this place, where a house of P. J. King was struck. The explosion fell upon the chimney, from whence it branched off in three directions, one branch descending the chimney, and the other tow in opposite directions along the rafters, passing down to the wall, breaking through the wall, the house was filled with such a mass of the fluid, that it shattered the ceiling, and in escaping out, splintered the doors and broke every window in the house, carrying away the sashes in some of them.
Mr. Stough, who occupies the house, was sitting under the door, where one of the branches of lightning came down, and split the door case, and threw it against his feet, yet, he was not affected otherwise, than being slightly stunned. Nor did the rest of his family, who were near him, feel the effects any more than himself.
Some hemp on the garret was on fire, but the flame was extinguished before it did much damage.
In Windsor township, a new house of Mr. Wanbaugh, was struck by the lightning, some of the logs and the windows were shattered to pieces. Some yarn in the house was burnt, and the fluid passing through an almanac hanging in the house, left a hole in it as if a musket ball had been shot through it.
In Springgarden township, a mare of Mr. Abraham Heistand, and a cow of Mr. Fitzsimmons were killed. It is supposed the same body of fluid killed both these animals, although they were more than half a mile distant from each other. The ground of this supposition is, that from the place where the mare was struck the fluid passed on about 90 yards and struck a walnut tree, and thence proceeded to the cow, which being at a spot, placing the three objects in a straight line from each other. - Gazette.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
July 17 1822 Page 4
York Pa, July 9
Lightning - On Sunday afternoon last, about 4 o'clock, a barn belonging to the heirs of the late Jacob Hoke, about 4 miles west of York, was struck by lightning, and consumed. It contained near 20 thousand sheaves of grain, the last of which had been gathered into it but the preceding day. These occurrences happening often recently, will probably direct the attention of people to lightning rods - at least induce the trial whether they can avert the artillery of heaven and protect their property from destruction. - Gaz.
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 20 1822 Page 1
York, Pa., Nov. 12
Melancholy Accident
On Monday the 4th inst. George Daron, Jr. and Jacob Fink, in Dover, York county, were blowing rocks in a well. Having loaded the rock and put fire to it, it would not go off - they went down and adjusted the priming. Mr. Daron had ascended but a few steps on the ladder, when it exploded, and injured him so severly that his life was despaired of, but he is now in a fair way of recovering. Mr. Fink who threw himself in the bottom of the well escaped unhurt, except being pretty severly stunned so as to deprive him of hearing for a time. - Gazette.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 5 1823 Page 3
York Pa, Jan 21
Fire - On Sunday the 26th ult, the mill with between 5 and 600 bushels of grain, belonging to Benedict meads, of Hopewell township, York county, was consumed by fire. - Gazette.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) January 29 1823 Page 3
York, Pa., Jan. 21
On Friday night last, the mail stage from Philadelphia between York and Wrightsville was fired at between 10 and 11 o'clock at night - nobody was hit nor hurt by it. It is difficult to say what could have been the object of an attack on the stage returning from Philadelphia - if it was to rob the mail, the robbers could certainly not promise to themselves a great reward fro their villainy than those obtained who broke into a printing office at New York for the purpose of plunder, whree they found nothing by old news and other papers, of no use but to the owner - Gazette.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) February 12 1823 Page 2
Mistake Corrected.
At article from the York Gazette has been going the rounds of the papers for a couple of weeks past - which mentions the stage having been shot at, by some malicious person, between this and Wrightsville. The report is entirely without foundation. The truth of the matter is, that as the stage was passing Mrs. Bahn's, about five miles from town, some person about the house discharged a gun at an owl which had perched on some object behind the house. But the shot was not in the direction of the stage - and if it had been there could have been no great occasion of alarm to the stage passengers, as the charge of the gun must have passed through Mrs. Bahn's dwelling house before it could have reached them. - York Recorder.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 4 1823 Page 3
Frederick, May 28
Extract of a letter to the Editor of the Examiner, dated
Uniontown, May 21
"This village and neighborhood was visited last night by a severe storm of hail, wind and violent rain; accompanied with incessant end vivid lightnings. Many of our fields of rye are totally destroyed; great injury done to gardens and fruit trees. The plumbs, cherries and apricots, which had escaped the frost, have, in 1 hour, been beaten off and destroyed. Almost every house in the village has had glass broken. One house has had upwards of 60 panes of glass broken by the hail and upwards of 560 panes have been broken by the storm in this little village. The hail-stones were generally as large as hickory nuts, and of various shapes, and so numerous, that this morning, after sun-rise, they might be collected in handsfull, although the weather has continued remarkably sultry.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 5 1824
York, Pa., April 27
Fire
On Monday night, of last week, the Grist Mill of Mr. Frederick Gram, of Fairview
township, in this county, was destroyed by fire. The flames, bursting out
about midnight, gave the first alarm, but it was then too late to do anything
with effect, and the building, with all its contents, consisting of more
than three thousand bushels of grain, fell a prey to the destroying element.
It is not known in what manner the fire originated. - Recorder.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 23 1824
On Saturday evening last, the large and valuable barn of John Herr, in Hellam township, on the road from York to Wrightsville, about one mile from the latter place, was destroyed by fire. It is said to have been the work of an incendiary.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 8, 1824
York, Aug. 31
On Sunday last several families in number about 20 persons, took their departure from the borough of York, for Philadelphia, there to embark for the land which is governed by President Boyer. - Gaz.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 15, 1824
Translated from the German York Gazette, of Sept. 10
Supposed Murder
Last Monday four persons were put into the prison of York county, charged with having committed a murder. The circumstances of the case are so far as we have heard, as follows: About the end of March or the beginning of April last, a certain George Brown, a drover from Westmoreland county, who had sold a drove of cattle in York, Lancaster, Chester and Philadelphia counties, is supposed, on his return, to have arrived at a house in the vicinity of this place, which sustained none of the best of characters. After he had gone into the house, one of the women brought a quart of whiskey, and after they had intoxicated him therewith, they robbed him of the sum of 800 or 900 dollars. Soon afterwards disagreements occurred amongst the women of the house, perhaps about the division of the plunder, and one of them was driven off. This one frequently stated, that Jacob Seitz, and the other woman, had murdered the man. But as this accusation was made by a person of bad character, there was no credit attached to it, and no search made, The matter, therefore, remained quiet for about 6 months, until the friends of Brown, here received several letters from his family, enquiring where he delayed so long. Whereupon an examination took place, and the accused were arrested. The female who had been driven out of the house was examined as a witness, and her statements under oath, confirms the charge which she had frequently made. She says that Jacob Seitz and his wife murdered Brown; she having left the room in which they done it, when they attacked him, and went into an antechamber or the kitchen, where she heard the cried of Brown; and that Seitz, soon afterwards came down the steps, carrying Brown on his shoulders, but where he took him she cannot tell.
The house and neighborhood have been searched, but nothing of the body has been found. Further search will probably be made. It would probably be imprudent to depend upon the evidence of the person who has accused Seitz and others; were it not supported by the fact, that Brown has been missing from his family since the time specified. Under all the circumstances many entertain doubts respecting the matter.
$50 REWARD
Is offered by the subscriber, to the person or persons, who shall find the corpse of George Brown, who, as is believed, was murdered in this neighborhood. Should Georg Brown be yet alive, he or his friends are requested to inform the subscriber of the fact, so that htose who are imprisoned on his account may be liberated, and the anxiety of our citizens, respecting the unhappy fate which it is feared has befallen him, may be removed. Editors of papers are respectfully requested to insert the above.
George Lauks
Springgarden township, York county, Penn. Sept. 10, 1824
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 17, 1824
York, Pa. Nov. 9
The persons who were confined in the jail of York county, on suspicion of having murdered George Brown, of Westmoreland, were on Wednesday last discharged by proclamation, the court deciding that there was not sufficient evidence of their criminality to put them on their trial.
It had been rumored that Brown had been heard from, but this in unfounded, and if he is living, it is at some place unknown to his family. - Gazette.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 22, 1824
York, Pa., Sept 14
Most Distressing Accident
Yesterday morning being the anniversary of the battle of North Point, the Volunteer Artillery assembled, bfore the day, to announce it with their field-piece. The company contemplated going to Baltimore on the arrival of La Fayette, were trying to go through the firing expeditiously, discharging the piece four times in a minutes. Being discharges ten times in rapid succession, the piece became heated to such a degree, that the person who was stationed to confine the air by closing the touch hole was forced to take his thumb off. An explosion was the consequence, by which Francis L. Koons and G. P. Ziegler, who were in the act of ramming down the cartridge, were severely wounded. The fingers of the left hand of Mr. Koons were all blown away, except the thumb, and the other hand was so much injured that the little finger had to be amputated. The right hand of Mr. Ziegler has been carried off, and the arm above the wrist was so dreadfully lacerated, that it was found necessary to amputate the arm between the wrist and elbow. On his other hand the fingers were also much torn and the thumb entirely carried away. The cannon was stationed on George street bridge, and some of their fingers were found in the lower end of George street, about 100 yards from the Bridge.
They were both most promising and respectable young men, who had just verged into manhood, and no occurrence in our recollection, has called forth more universal regret than this deplorable accident, which has deprived them of those limbs which are indispensable to the proper discharge of the duties of life, and cut them off from the cheering prospect which they had before them, of occupying a place in this world with comfort to themselves and advantage to their fellow citizens. -- Gaz.
500 Hundred Pound Bell Made For German Lutheran Church
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
November 24, 1824
York, Pa., Nov. 16
On Saturday last a Bell, weighing about 500 lbs was cast at the Foundry of Davis, Webb and Gartner, for the German Lutheran Church in this place. This is the first time an article of this kind was cast here, and notwithstanding the difficulty of execution, the attempt has proved completely successful. The bell has a tone, clear, full and well defined and as a casting, is a handsome specimen; thus fully maintaining, in every particular, the character which the Foundry has obtained for the beauty and excellence of its productions. - Rec.
William Nes's House Damaged by Fire
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) October 20 1824
York, Pa., Oct. 12
Fire
Yesterday about 1 o'clock P.M. a fire was discovered in the house of William Nes, Esq., at the S.W. corner of Main and Water Streets. The house, kitchen and stabling were materially injured. It is not known how it originated. - Recorder
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