West Willow, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

The Kendigs were among the earliest white settlers in Lancaster County. Martin Kendig was one of a possible twenty Swiss Mennonites who arrived on the ship Maria Hope in September 1710. With him were Hans Herr, Martin Mylin, Jacob Miller, Christian Herr, and Martin Oberholtzer. These men, including Kendig, while on the journey, signed a letter written from London to friends at New Amsterdam.

Martin Kendig in 1711 took out a patent for three tracts of land in the 10,000 acres granted by William Penn. (See map) Most of the present West Willow community is included in his western-most tract of 530 acres. While the patent was for 530 acres, the land actually included more as is shown by his assessment in 1718 and by the will wherein his four grandsons each got 160 acres. (Will Book B-1-697).

The Kendigs were relatively wealthy and influential, Martin being the only one who paid for his land by cash. The rest took out mortgages. He and Hans Herr were granted a blanket warrant for an additional 5,000 acres anywhere in the present Lancaster county. As a businessman and land agent, Martin Kendig returned to Germany about 1717 and brought back other families.

Two of the early Kendigs, Jacob and Henry, were thought to be Martin's brothers because he got land for them. Martin was married twice, first to an Elizabeth and then to a Barbara. It is thought Elizabeth was Elizabeth Herr, sister to Emmanuel Herr to whom Martin sold land. Barbara, the second wife, was supposedly the widow of Martin's brother, Henry. Henry died in 1725 and his Chester County will stated Barbery "renouncing in favor of my brother-in-law, Martin Kendig."

Some people think Martin Kendig had two sons, Martin, Jr., and Jacob, also called John. Some genealogies name children under Martin, Jr., while others place the same names under Martin, the son of Jacob. If Martin, the immigrant, had a son, Martin, Jr., he did not mention him in his will. This fact plus the fact that deeds show these children to belong to Martin, the son of John (Jacob), along with the further fact that no land was ever deeded to a Mar. tin, Jr., prove that Martin Kendig, the immigrant, had only one son, Jacob also called John.

Martin's will of 1748 (Will Book J-1-115, 116) names a wife, Barbara, his son, Jacob, and his four grandsons (sons of Jacob) namely: Martin, Abraham, John, and Isaac. These four grandsons were to inherit his 530 acre western tract of land. Only two houses are mentioned as being on this land, the house where he, Martin, lived and the house where his son, John (Jacob), lived.

It should be of particular interest to locate the house of Martin, the first West Willow land owner. His will of 1748 states, "I Martin Kindick of ye county of Lancaster and township of Conestoga .... To Martin Kendig, my grandson, I give and bequeath the said plantation whereon I now dwell."

As Martin, the grandson, was just a child at this time, he did not receive this plantation until the death of his father, John (Jacob), in 1775. John's will (Will Book B-1-697) describes the boundaries of this property which today would be the property facing Millwood Road and extending from Penn Grant Road to Kendig Road with a depth of 75 perches containing 1351/2 acres. It also included the tract of twenty-five acres on the south side of Penn Grant Road where his house is thought to have been located.

Another source indicating that this is the place is a paper in the Lancaster County Historical Society entitled "Genealogy of the Kendig Family so Far as Can be Learned at the Present Time Sep- tember 22, 1909," by Dr. Benjamin Kendig. He writes, "Forty years ago (1869) when Theodore Herr and Milton B. Eshelman entered the work of tracing the Herr and Kendig families . . . the original Kendig burying ground on the original Martin Kendig farm near West Willow said to have contained 15 or 20 headstones, they had access to. This burying ground was cut through when the Quarryville Railroad was built. The stones, many of them broken, were cast into the dump or bank ... The farm passed from the Kendigs to the Mylins and from them to Emanuel Harnish. Emanuel Harnish's sons live there now." The deed to the land of Emanuel Harnish bought from his father, Abraham Harnish, Sr., in 1859, (U-8-553) reads, "It being the same tract of land which Abraham Meilin and Elizabeth his wife on the 6th day of April 1833 sold to Abraham Harnish." This was only one portion of the farm. This property passed from Emanuel Harnish, Sr., to Emanuel, Jr., to his sister, Annie G. Harnish (a maiden lady), and then to his brother Jonas (a bachelor). After Jonas's death in 1933 it was bought by Ralph Kauffman and since 1964 has been owned by Kauffman's daughter, Nancy, and her husband, Henry Balmer. The farm is located on both sides of Penn Grant Road between Millwood Road and Route 272 South.

A neighbor, Miss Ella Sigman, who has lived near this farm for almost eighty years, recalls that when she was a young child, gravestones were indeed standing at the above described location near the railroad. Perhaps those stones not damaged by the railroad were salvaged and left standing. Miss Sigman recalls that some of the dates were very early and a few of the stones were of slate.

It would seem certain that there is enough evidence to determine that this farm is the original Martin Kendig homestead.

Next in importance to the location of Martin Kendig's home is the location of the hwne of his son, John (Jacob). Martin's will reads, "I give to my son, Jacob Kindig, all my lands, messuages and tenments to him where he now dwelleth on for his lifetime and after his deceased shall have his son, Abraham Kindig, the said land and tenments." (Will book J-1-115)

While no special boundaries are given in this will, the will of John (Jacob) leaving this -property to Abraham (as the grandfather requested) does define them. These boundaries place Abraham's property directly east of and adjacent to Martin's with a depth of eighty-eight perches. This tract also included the fifty-acre tract on the south side of Penn Grant Road adjacent to Martin's. Abraham was listed in Conestoga (Pequea) assessments of 1780, as already reported in the chapter on Early Pioneers. Abraham willed his portion to his four sons, one of whom was Tobias. Tobias bought some Of his brothers' share and in 1800 sold 148 acres to Michael Harnish, who willed it in 1805 to his son, Abraham Harnish, Sr. Part of this land is now the Elvin T. Harnish farm on West Willow Road and Route 272 South. It is thought that somewhere on this property was the hoirne of John (Jacob) Kendig, his wife, and four young sons.

Isaac, the third son of John (Jacob), received land partly in Conestoga (Pequea) and partly in Lampeter Townships. This farm, currently owned but not occupied by Benjamin B. Kendig, is located in Kendig Road and extends on both sides of Route 272 South. In addition to the impressive brick house, there are a very old former log house and a tenement house. Since the buildings, and most of the land are just over the township line, this property is listed in West Lampeter Township.

The Everts and Stewart Atlas of Lancaster County of 1875 shows a cemetery facing the present Kendig Road between the Stoner home (later MacAllister's and Presently owned by Mellinger's) and the Kendig farm. Kendig Road had not yet been constructed. The Graves and Steinbarger Atlas of Lancaster County of 1899 shows the road but no cemetery. Sometime between 1875 and 1899 the cemetery was plowed up for farmland. For many years Benjamin Kendig had saved one of the stones written in German, but it has since disappeared. Today, he has only one stone which carries the initials J.K.

The fourth portion of the western tract went to Christian Kendig, the infant grandson of John Jacob (and son of John, deceased) who received 1601/2 acres partly in Conestoga (Pequea) but mostly in Lampeter Township. This land lay directly east and adjacent to Abraham's land. Martin and Abraham (Christian's uncles) were made guardians over his property "to rent out in manner they think best to benefit grandson." (Will book B-1-697)

According to John Jacob's will, he had four-other children who did not share in this inheritance. Most likely they were not yet born at the time of their grandfather Martin's will and death. The father John Jacob left his son George the mill tract in Lampeter Township, which he purchased from Christ Schantz. He gave land in Manor Township to his son Henry. He also willed that the two daughters, Alice and Esther, receive 700 pounds each from the brothers. Esther Kendig was married to John Miller and Alice was married first to John Graff and later to Adam Kendig.

One of the interesting things to emerge from a reading of the wills and deeds of the Kendigs, was found in the will of Abraham, grandson of Martin, the immigrant. Father of eight children, he also had a Negro girl named "Betsy," whom he willed to his wife with other items "for and during her natural life provided she remain a widow and after death or marriage of my said wife then my said negro girl Betsy shall have the right to make a choice with which of my children she will live as a hired servant and not as a slave" (Will Book P-1-146).

Mary, wife of Abraham Kendig, in her will of 1815 (Will Book M-1-339) (proved 1819) makes further mention of Betsy. "I do give and bequeath unto my son-in-law, Michael Harnish, the sum of $107 for the purpose of being by him expended in such a manner as to him shall seem proper to and for the use, benefit and advantage of Betty Johns a woman of colour who now lives and resides with me and whom I have raised up and reared from the time of her infancy."

This amounted to two-thirds of the amount ($160) that Mrs. Mary Kendig bequeathed to Michael Harnish for the benefit of her daughter, Mary, "who in my opinion is incapable of managing her affairs."

Martin Harnish came to Lancaster County from Germany with other Mennonites about 1718 and purchased land prior to 1729, in which year he became a citizen of Pennsylvania and subject of King George II. He is listed in the Conestoga assessments as early as 1724. A license to "sell rum by the small" was granted "Martin Harnist" on May 5, 1730, at a cost of twenty shillings.

He and his wife, Magdalena, had seven children, but little is known of them except Jacob, the oldest. Jacob inherited 225 acres from his father, who died in 1744. Jacob owned 700 acres when he himself died and was known as a wealthy landowner and overseer of the poor. His farm on the New Danville Pike, not far from Conestoga Center, was likely the homestead of his father and has been in the family for eight generations, being presently owned by Reed Harnish Shaeffer. Near the brick house on the edge of the stream stands a small stone building built by one of these early men. It is said to have been the distillery. Many of Jacob's descendants are buried in the small family cemetery located on the farm near the brow of the hill.

Jacob and his sons, John, Michael, David, and Jacob, Jr., are all listed in early Conestoga (including what is now Pequea Township) assessments. It is certain that Michael and David owned land in what is now West Willow. David's family and that of his son, Michael G., is traced in Ellis and Evans." A great-great grandson of David named Abram S. Harnish lives presently on West Willow Road near the Willow Street Pike.

The family of Michael, however, is the subject of this history because one of his farms became the nucleus of three farms in West Willow, one of which is still in the Harnish family. Michael, grandson of the original settler, Martin Harnish, and brother of David, bought land from Tobias and Mary Kendig in 1800. (12-E-485) These "four tracts or parcels of land adjoining each other" contained 148 acres and 108 perches. (Will Book 1, p. 229).

By his will of 1805 Michael Harnish left farms to each of his sons (for certain sums named). The 148 acres just mentioned and the buildings thereon in West Willow he left to his son, Abraham, for 2,000 pounds. (Will Book 1, p. 229). These acres plus later additions became Abraham's plantation which, in time, extended from Kendig Road past West Willow Road, past Penn Grant Road, and almost to Baumgardner Road.

Abraham divided this plantation into three parts. In 1859 he sold the stone house on the south side of Penn Grant Road and 71 acres to his son Emanuel. (U-8-553). This farm and that of Abraham's own home place comprised land on both sides of Penn Grant Road and back toward Baumgardner. The land between West Willow Road and Penn Grant is flat, while the land between Penn Grant Road and Baumgardner is hilly. According to oral tradition, Abraham divided the land thusly so that neither farm would be all hilly or all flat. The cemetery on the hill just off Penn Grant Road is on the boundary of the farms. Abraham, Sr., and his wife, Elizabeth Huber, and some of their children including their son Emanuel and his wife Barbara Good, and some of their children, are buried there.

Emanuel's farm passed to Emanuel, Jr., to his sister, Annie G. Harnish (a maiden lady), and then to their brother Jonas, a bachelor. After his death in 1933 it was bought by Ralph Kauffman and since 1964 has been owned by Kauffman's daughter Nancy and husband Henry Balmer.

Abraham, Sr. sold the second part of his plantation containing over sixty-eight acres and buildings to his son, Abraham, Jr., in 1860 (H-8-290). Abraham, Jr., was married in 1852 to Barbara Good (same name but not same person who married his brother Emanuel). They built the brick house on the farm in 1861. This portion is all on the north side of West Willow Road. Abraham, Jr.'s son, Jacob G., bought it in 1894 and aftersorne lots were sold off, the remaining fifty-two acres were bought by Cecil Humbert in 1927. The new Route 272 South passed through the land taking seven acres and leaving a strip on the east side of the highway.

When he wrote his will in 1860 (Will Book Y-1-89), Abraham,Sr., left his third West Willow farm, the homestead, including his mansion place "which I now occupy" and 86 acres of the plantation to his eldest son, Rudolph. This stone house, still standing on the southwest corner of Route 272 South and West Willow Road, is occupied by Elvin T. Hamish. The land extends from West Willow Road across Penn Grant Road, and back toward Baumgardner Road, as already pointed out adjoining Balmer's farm. The construction of the new Route 272 South in 1971 took ten acres of this farm and left a narrow strip on the east side of the highway.

Rudolph was charged with taking care of his mother, who coninued to live in part of the homeplace. His charge included such details as furnishing "firewood hauled to her door." She died in 1866, two years after her husband. After Rudolph died, the adrninistrators, all brothers, sold the farm to brother John, who sold it in the same year to Abraham, Jr. In 1894 it was sold to his son, Samuel G., and upon his death in 1942 his son Clayton bought it. In 1964 Clayton's son Elvin purchased it.

The buildings on this farm have suffered at various times from the elements. A tornado in 1860 tore the roof and upper end off the stone house. This end was rebuilt with bricks. Three barns have been destroyed and rebuilt. The first one was struck by lightning and burned in 1918. It was rebuilt only to be destroyed by a tornado in 1930. In 1935 the rebuilt barn was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin.

Today the homestead is occupied and farmed by Elvin, his wife, the former Martha Newcomer, and their three children. Elvin, who was born on this place and lived there all his life, has a collection of four hundred perfect arrowheads, other imperfect ones, several tornahawks, and other Indian relics which he has personally picked up while tilling these fields. In addition to his seventy-acre farm, he rents seventy-three acres which includes the Cecil Humbert land formerly owned by Abraham, Jr., and son, Jacob G. The crops grown on these lands feed his dairy herd of sixty-two cows.

Martin, Elvin's son who helps farm, is the sixth generation Harnish to live in this house and is the ninth generation from the first Harnish settler in this area. It seems fitting that both the first and tne present Harnish should have the same name.

Other sons of Abraham, Sr., received farms in other townships. John received a farm in West Lampeter Township, and Levi, one in Hempfield Township. The father also stipulated in his will that the others should purchase a farm of comparable acreage and value for son Michael. Whether Michael ever got a farm is not certain, for he and Rudolph, both bachelors, lived on the homestead on West Willow Road until Michael's death in 1882 and Rudolph's in 1883. As each son paid for the farm left him, the money was shared equally by the six sons and two living daughters.

Of Abraham's children, four did not marry. One son, Emanuel, Sr., had eleven children, one of whom died young. Six of his children did not marry although they lived to be quite elderly. Jonas, who died in 1933 at age of seventy-one, was the last person to be buried in the family cemetery. Area residents recall that the lay of his funeral was so snowy and icy that his casket had to be carried up the hill on a sled.

The last name of everyone in the cemetery is Harnish

Many of the early homes were built of logs. Six houses presently on the West Willow Road are known to be the original log dwellings. Improvements including siding and additional rooms were usually added during the years, but underneath is the sturdy log structure.

The ownerships have been traced as far back as the deeds have been recorded. In some cases the house is older than the first date given, but there seems to be no way of telling how old it was when the first owner sold it. Economic conditions are portrayed some times by sheriff sales, when a man's property was sold to pay sur- prisingly small debts.

It is hoped that the information given will help to familiarize one with the names of people who were a part of West Willow history during a particular time or era.
Home of Jacob B. and Dorothy Kline

This is believed to be the oldest house yet standing in West Willow. Oral tradition says the early pioneer children came to school here. Until the Klines bought it in 1946 it retained its original size with four small rooms and an attic. One room was apparently used for smoking meat, and a huge fireplace took up most of the space. The Klines changed the attic by making a second floor with full dormer at back and the two small ones at front. They also removed the fireplace.

Of particular interest is the fact that it remained in the Dabler family from 1865 to 1946. The land was bought in three parts as indicated in the following deeds, in the possession of the family:
1831-Elizabeth Deitrich and Tobias Stehynan, administrators of Henry Deitrich sold to Jacob Goll on April 4, 1831.
1836--Jacob Goll and wife, Margarette, sold to Jacob Charles on March 2, 1836.
1865-Jacob Charles (deceased 1864) administrators, Andrew Mehaffy and John McCartney sold to Samuel Dabler (one and a half acre).
1865--Benjamin Snavely and Christian Snavely, executors of late Christian Snavely, sold on March 18, 1865, to Martin Herr.
1865-Martin Herr and wife Eliza (Ann Eliza) sold to Samuel Dabler (House and 20 perches of land).
1854-Jacob Yost and wife, Rachel, sold to Christian Snavely March 31, 1854, who (Snavely) ordered to be sold after death of his widow.
1867-Benjamin Snavely and Christian Snavely, executors, sold to Maria Snavely, March 30, 1867. 1867--Maria Snavely to Samuel Dabler (14 1/2 perches)
1946--These three parts (minus the one acre sold by Dabler in 1892 to the Pequea School District) were sold by the heirs of Maris Dabler (Samuel's son) to Jacob B. Kline, Jr., and Dorothy Kline.

The first story of this house is made of oak logs. The unusual thing about it is that the logs are erected perpendicular to the ground rather than vertical.
1802-Wendel Bowman and wife Ann to John Lang. (Deed of 1848).
1806-John and Jane Lang to Martin Mylin. (Deed of 1848).
1845-Martin Mylin's will proved; house received by Mary Dunlap. (Deed of 1848). (Martin Mylin's will, made in April 1839, gave his "house and 3/4 acre to Mary, wife of William Dunlap, a young woman whom we raised from infancy.")
1848-William and Mary Dunlap to Susana Spear (Spahr). (Deed of 1848).
1861-Susana Spear to Elizabeth Kreider, April 4. (Deed of 1848). Written on back of this deed.
1881-John Strohm, Jr., administrator for Elizabeth Kreider, deceased, to Benjamin Cochran at public sale (house described as a two-story frame).
1881-April 5-Benjamin Cochran and wife, Mary, to J. M. Fulton. (Deed number not given).
1887-John Fulton and wife Lizzie to Benjamin B.rackbill. (W-12- 384).
1908-March 21-Milton and Annie Sigman to Jacob Keesey, 120 perches. (B-19-91).
1917-Jacob Keesey, widower, to Adam Bigler and wife, Emma. Now 93 perches. (25 perches sold to Dr. A. E. Leaman). (W-22-257).
1930-Nov. 29-Adam and Emma Bigler to Adam Bigler, Jr. (H-30-526).
1930-Nov. 29-Adam Bigler, Jr., to Adam and Emma Bigler. (H-30-526).
1958-Heirs of Emma Bigler to John and Miriam Bigler. (F-46-526).

Since 1900, this house has been occupied by five successive generations: Anna and Martin Huber, their son, John H., his son, Lester (who never owned it but rather built next door, when he married), Lester's daughter, Jane Huber Martin, her husband and three children, Bill, Cathy and Tim.

The age of this log house is unknown. Deeds exist dating back to 1851 when Daniel Hoover, II, bought it and a carpenter shop from the executors of his deceased father, Daniel. The direct tax list of 1815 shows Daniel "Hoober" owning in addition to another property, "also 1 lot of I acre having thereon a carpenter shop." Daniel Hoover, Sr. (Hoober) may have built the house soon thereafter. It coincidentally has the same dimensions as the Huber house and store which is mentioned in the chapter on Merchants. The,three -spellings "Huber," "Hoober" and "Hoover" may seem to be confusing but they are variations of the same family name.

The Yeagley house is now being restored so that portions of three of the log walls will be exposed in the living room. When they removed the front porch in the Fall of 1974, the top log of the house was visible. The deeds from 1851 follow:
1851-Daniel Hoover (deceased) property containing story-and-half log house and carpenter shop, appraised by sheriff and twelve men and accepted by Daniel Hoover, second son of Daniel, Sr. (U-8-33).
1851-Release by Daniel Hoover, heirs. (E-8-352).
1852-Release by Benjamin Huber et al. to Daniel Huber. (H-7-133).
1852-Daniel Huber and wife, Elizabeth, to Abraham Harnish. (H-8-290).
1859-Release by Susanna Huber, widow of Daniel Huber, to Abraham Harnish.
1860-Abraham Harnish, Sr., to Abraham Harnish, Jr. (H-8-290).
1894-Abraham Harnish, Jr., to Jacob G. Harnish. (H-22-359).
1895-4acob G. Harnish to Mary Ressler, wife of Jacob Ressler.(Z-14-61).
1901-Mary Ressler to Benjamin F. Kreider. (N-16-47).
1937-Benjamin F. Kreider and Cecila to Benjamin Kreider and Cecila. (F-33-418).
1949---Cecila Kreider to James and Lillian Yeagley. (P-40-28).
1972-Lillian C. Yeagley to Kenard J. Yeagley. (H-62-562).

It is not known when the combination house and store was ,uilt by Jacob Charles, but he was a merchant as early as 1844 ince he was listed as such in Rupp's Lancaster County History. He was a justice of the peace in 1854 and ran the hotel at one tme. The first deed available was filed after the death of Charles Then the administrators sold the home.
Jacob Charles died in 1864 and was buried in Hess Cemetery, Baumgardner Road beside his first wife, Ann Eliza. His second wife, Martha, lived until 1901 and there was a dower on the property until then.

Not only was this house a former store, but it was used as a meeting place by members of the United Brethren in Christ Church, who met on alternate Sabbaths after Dr. Benjamin Prick bought it in 1883. Years later Eugene Shenk used part of it for his plumbing and roofing business. The John Lippolds, the present owners, have restored the inside with many antique fixtures and furnishings. Mr. Lippold is a well-known local historian.

The record of transfer of this property from 1865 to the present follows:
1865-Sold from Jacob Charles estate to Henry I. Byers "A two-story frame store and log dwelling house." (Book B-27-537).
1869-Henry 1. Byers to Christian W. Shaub. (B-10-164).
1875-Christian W. Shaub and wife to Samuel P. Gall.
1883-Sarnuel F. Gaul to Dr. Benjamen P. Frick. (B-12-4, 5). In 1884 Frick sold 1/4 acre of this land to trustees of United Brethren in Christ. Later it was sold to Dr. Leaman.
1888-Dr. Frick's administrators to Aldus C. Mylin (the house and 3/4 acre). (A-13-35).
1925-Executors of Aldus C. Mylin (after death of his wife. He had died in 1913.) to Eugene H. Shenk. (R-27-84). In 1925 Winona Lehman (widow of Dr. A. E. Leaman) sold the one-fourth acre adjoining also to Eugene Shenk.(S-27-42).
1959-May.me Shenk (wife of Eugene Shenk) both deceased, by her will to Robert W. Goss. (Will Book 1-48-17).
1966-Robert W. Goss sold to John W. Lippold.

The coming of the railroad brought new life and economic growth to the little village. It was built by the Philadelphia and Reading Co. as a standard gauge line between Lancaster and Quarryville. The official opening on May 11, 1875, was so popular that three trains were required to carry the crowd. The City Coronet Band accompanied the excursionists. Regular fare from Lancaster to Quarryville was fifty cents and round-trip excursion fare was sixty-five cents. Trains started in Lancaster from the Reading Station on North Prince Street, making stops at the following stations: King Street, Conestoga Furnace, Brentwood, Harnish, West Willow, Baumgardner, Pequea, Refton, New Providence, Cabeen, Hess, and Quarryville.

The running time from Prince Street to West Willow was twenty-six minutes; to Quarryville fifty-six minutes; a total distance of 15.2 miles. In 1892 there were three week-day trains and one Sun- day train. The Pennsylvania Railroad acquired the railroad some- time between 1895 and 1900, but the passenger service was declining. There was still passenger service to Quarryville in 1906, but the coming of the trolley to Strasburg in 1901 and to Quarryville in 1905 made passenger service by train unnecessary by 1907.

Trains continued to haul less freight the last few years, some- times going only once a week or whenever there was sufficient freight.

In June 1972 the storm "Agnes" destroyed the railroad bridge at Engleside (Lancaster) and much of the track. Train service had to be discontinued and the company has not deemed it advisable to repair and rebuild the track.

The aging West Willow Station House was bought about six years ago by E. Marvin Herr, who leased it to Na Churs Liquid Fertilizer Co., but because there was no longer freight service, the company recently moved. A group of citizens are interested in buying the line and making it into a tourist attraction. At the present time the government has put a ban on the selling of abandoned Penn Central Railroad property, but if and when that ban is lifted, trains may once again carry passengers-this time, city tourists wishing to view a peaceful, rural community.

The first ticket and freight agent at West Willow was A. W. Harnigh in 1875. He was followed by Mike B. Groff, 1884 .........; E. L. Zercher, 1896 ......... ; Milton Batten . ......... 1911; George Rupp, 1911-1916; and a Mr. Snellbaker, 1917-?.

West Willow was officially recognized by its present name in 1879 when a post office was established there and entered in Federal Records as the West Willow Post Office. Henry S. Herr, the first postmaster, built and owned the general store and post office on the northeast corner of West Willow Road and Millwood Road. Others who later bought the store and became Postmaster were Henry S. Herr, the first postmaster Elam Bachman, 1887-1895; Benjamin Fritz; Charles Nixdorf; Willis Shank, June 1923-1947.

In August 1947 the post office was moved to the store owned by Charles Noel located across the street on the southeast corner of West Willow Road and Millwood Road. His wife, Eleanor, has served as postmistress since that time.

For a period of time the mail arrived at Willow Street by trolley and later by bus. It was then carried on foot to West Willow. For forty years, 1914 to 1954, Mrs. Adam Bigler of West Willow pulled a small wagon carrying the mail back and forth between these two points.

In 1904 Jacob Brooks and his father, I. Harvey Brooks, founded the two rural routes of the West Willow Post Office. They first delivered the mail on horseback, later by buggy, and then by car. I. Harvey Brooks, a shoe repair man, would pick up and deliver shoes for repair on his mail route. The routes were closed in 1934 when the area was consolidated with the Willow Street Post Office routes.

Jacob Brooks retired as a mail carrier on December 31, 1934. Mr. Brooks was also a school teacher, beginning at the age of seventeen and teaching until 1904. He also served as Justice of the Peace for fifteen years in Pequea Township. His wife, Lela M. Rhineer Brooks, served as president of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Rural Mail Carriers Association for twelve terms.

West Willow is a third class post office and serves a population of 652. Other people in the area are served by the Willow Street Route 1 and Route 2 carriers.

Though West Willow has never grown to be a large commercial or industrial center, it has been home to a number of small enterprises from early times to the present. The first businesses and professions supplied the needs of the immediate community, but the advent of the railroad and then the automobile not only helped the villagers have a greater outlet for their wares but also made it convenient for them to commute to nearby communities for more and more of their needs. To show how this has occurred, the businesses and professions have been arranged by type (taverns, stores, etc.) from the earliest to the latest. Within each type, the occupations are also arranged chronologically.
Taverns and Hotels Snavely's Tavern

Christian Snavely was the pioneer tavern keeper. His tavern and hotel are still standing on Millwood Road directly across the road from the Pequea Elementary School and is now occupied by the Charles L. Dagen family. Originally it consisted of a small, one-story log building which had a trap door in the floor and a two-story log dwelling which had built-in benches on the long, front porch. The two oak log structures were separated by a narrow space. The two buildings were later joined and covered with pine siding with each piece being mortised.

Just when Snavely built the tavern is unknown. It has been conjectured that he built it around 1815 when he sold his house on West Willow Road. (See William N. Martin home.) Deeds show he sold it in 1850 (at which time he would have been sixty-six years old) to Benjamin Rowe (L-9-56) who then continued to operate the tavern. Rowe sold the property (no longer a tavern) in 1865 to Michael G. Harnish (L-9-56). It passed to his son A. W. Harnish (1-12-411) and to A.W.'s son Franklin D. (M-18-260). Charles L. Dagen, Sr. rented it in 1919 and purchased it in 1923 (B-26-278). He and his wife still occupy the first floor, with son Charles L. Dagen, Jr. (Nix) and family occupying the second floor.. For many years after the Dagen purchase, the ice house in the meadow and the separate bake house with large fireplace and oven remained.

West Willow Street Hotel

A new tavern was later opened in the center of the village at the intersection of the present Millwood Road and West Willow Roads. Jacob Charles operated a hotel here in 1852 followed by Benjamin Cochran and Benjamin Charles. Deeds to this parcel of land can be traced only as far as 1871 when Henry Heidelbaugh sold it to Mary and Benjamin Charles. In 1874 Benjamin Cochran sold additional land to them. Charles sold the "Tavern and land and lot known as West Willow Street Hotel" (R-10-585) in 1875 to John Martin, who had owned the Washington House Hotel in Willow street. Martin sold his Willow Street property and operated this West Willow property until 1878.

West Willow Hotel

In 1878 John Martin razed the West Willow Street Hotel and built on the same site a new brick hotel. Known as the West Willow Hotel, it bmame a favorite eating place for people from Lancaster who arrived on the Tally-Ho drawn by four horses. The speciality of the house was chicken and waffle suppers. Though John died in 1897, Catharine, his widow, kept the property until 1901 and then sold it to Frank M. Miller (1,-16413). In 1908 the hotel became the property of William Kinzer at a high sheriff's sale. Two years later Kinzer sold to Amos E. Erb (A-20-329). The owners did not always operate the business. Some of the operators were Rollan Houser, Edward Schultz, John Reidenour, Henry Erb, and David Snyder. When Amos Erb owned the hotel from 1910 to 1917, many horse sales were held on the property.

The building ceased to be used as a hotel in 1917 when it was acquired by the Golden Grain Castle, Knights of the Golden Eagle #440. In 1936 the Knights of the Golden Eagle sold the property to Jacob 0. and Lela M. Brooks, who converted the building into rental apartments. They sold to Charles R. Noel in 1946 with the provision "no hotel ever to be opened on described premises." (E-38-330). The Noels changed part of the building into a store.

Blacksmith Shops

Christian Snavely was also the pioneer blacksmith and is thought to have had his shop near his tavern. His son, Benjamin, carried on the business for more than forty years. Benjamin is listed in Rupp's History of Lancaster County and also in Early Blacksmiths of Lancaster County, as being in business in Conestoga Township (now Pequea) during 1855. The book also lists a David Schnevely in 1817, Martin Myley in 1810, and Martin Mylin in 1818. The latter two may possibly be the same person since a Martin Mylin owned the present John G. Bigler home from 1806 to 1845 and an 1889 deed lists a blacksmith shop among the buildings on the property.

Merchants
Henry Huber

Henry Huber was the pioneer merchant in the eastern part of the village on the present West Willow Road. The Direct Tax List of Lancaster County, 1815 shows that Henry "Hoober" owned "one dwelling house of wood in Willow Street [now West Willow] of 2 stories 27 x 22 and one small storehouse of wood attached to the house and 1 stable of wood." Ellis and Evans believed this site was owned by Martin Mylin in 1884. This property was next to the present John Eshbach place, but there are no buildings presently on that land.

Other early storekeepers were Peter Zercher, a Dr. Green, and Jacob Charles.
Jacob Charles

While in the mercantile business, Jacob Charles built a large log house and store combined on the south side of the present West Willow Road nearer the center of the village than was Huber's. Its history is traced under the Home of John W. Lippold in chapter on Early Homes.
A. W. Harnish

About 1878 A. W. Harnish built a large house near the railroad station. He used the north end of the house for a store. Later this was used by Andrew Mehaffy, Jr., as a cigar and confectionery store. Before his marriage, the young Dr. A. E. Leaman, physician and County Prothonotary, had an office in the building. At one time Amaziah Sigman ran an oyster bar in the basement, a favorite stopping place for travelers between Lancaster and Baltimore.

From 1899 until the death of the widow, Barbara, in March 1951, it was the home of the Jacob Mellinger family.

In October of 1951 the big ten-room house was bought by Charles Dagen and moved onto a new concrete foundation and basement located across the road from the Pequea Township School next to the home occupied by Mr. Dagen, who converted it into apartments.
Henry S. Herr

In 1877 Henry S. Herr built the large brick building called "the Herr Block," facing west on the northeast corner of the present Millwood Road and West Willow Road. When West Willow received its post office in 1879, it was located in the building with Mr. Herr as the first postmaster. In 1883 he opened a general store in the same building. Henry's father, Joseph, was a storekeeper before him. Other owners and storekeepers of this general store who also served as postmaster were Elam Bachman, Benjamin Fritz, Charles Nixdorf, and Willis Shank.
Willis M. Shank

From 1923 until 1947 Mr. Shank operated a general store offering "Pleezing Products" and the post office in the Herr Block. In addition to his career as a merchant, Shank was also an elementary school teacher for forty years and an insurance salesman for twenty-five years. The Herr Block is now occupied by three families: Mr. and Mrs. Willis M. Shank, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Smith (Shank's daughter, Dorothy), and Mr. and Mrs. Augustin Miller (Shank's daughter, Clara Louise).
Charles R. Noel

On December 2, 1946 Charles and Eleanor Noel purchased the apartment house of Jacob and Lela Brooks (the former West Willow Hotel) (E-38-330), and made part of it into a grocery store. Mrs. Noel while serving as postmistress since 1947 has also continued to run the store since the death of her husband in 1965. She lives in one apartment of the building while her daughter and son-in-law Benjamin Lefever and family live in the other.

Coal and Lumber Yard

Andrew Mehaffy established a coal and lumber yard in 1875 at the corner of Millwood Road and Long Lane. In 1878 he sold the business to William G. and Benjamin Mellinger, operating as W. G. Mellinger and Brother. In 1880 they bought a second coal and lumber business from Mehaffy at Baumgardner (See Baumgardner Chapter). William's son Benjamin succeeded his father at the Millwood Road location, and his son, Elvin, currently owns it.

Harness Shop

Christian Miley established a harness business in the "Herr Block" in 1883. Little is known about the business.

Bakery
E. L. Zercher founded a bakery in a building located next to the present Noel's Grocery in 1885 and ran the business for five years. He sold the business to Harry Sheets, who operated it for about a year. After having been closed for about five years, H. S. Lynes and 0. F. Bruner from Cones-toga opened it in 1896 and operated it for a year. Lynes operated it alone for five years, after which he sold it to John R. Smith and William Tweed. A Mr. Good replaced Tweed and operated it with Smith for five'years. Smith then operated it alone until his death. Sometime during Smith's ownership, he relocated the bakery on Millwood Road, facing west, near the corner of Penn Grant Road.

Kenard M. (Mike) Yeagley purchased the bakery in 1916 and operated it until 1939. He offered door-to-door delivery service, first using a horse and wagon and later four trucks. About 1946 Edward Yeagley, son of Kenard, came back from the armed services to operate the business. About 1949 the building was sold to Ted Rowers, who rented it to the Herr's Potato Chip Company. In September 1951 it was destroyed by fire.

Contractor and Builder
Abraham G. Breneman married Susan Stetler, a daughter of Benjamin Stetler. In 1891 Breneman built the house now occupied by Ray Wade on the east side of Millwood Road not far from Sprecher Road. He farmed seven acres acquired from his father-in-law, who lived on the former Andrew Mehaffy place-now Raymond Mylin. A carpenter all his life, Breneman of the barns and houses in the area; on the Willow Street especially the area once called Conestoga Terrace, as well as in village of Lyndon. He was eighty-one when he died in 1936.

Nut Nursery

John Rush, who lived on the northeast corner of Penn Grant and Millwood Roads, operated a nut nursery at that place from 1896 to 1921. The nursery extended as far as the railroad track. An early member of the Northeast Nut Growers Association, he grafted many trees, mostly walnut. Mr. Rush died in Lancaster in 1925.

Farm Machinery and Warehouse Mellinger Warehouse

The builder and date of the three story brick warehouse on the west side of Millwood Road just south of West Willow Road are not known, but some people think it was built by a tobacco syndicate or cooperative. The bottom floor was used to strip and store tobacco, and a number of men in this area dealt with tobacco companies in New York and Philadelphia. The 1868 Lancaster County Directory lists A.W. Harnish as a tobacconist. The Directory of 1890 under the heading "Tobacco Dealers" lists Dohan and Fait, A.W. Harnish, Benjamin Radcliff, C.F. Stoner and E.L. Zercher. In 1896 only the names of A.W. Harnish and A.B. Shank are given from West Willow although W.G. Mellinger and Bro. are listed for lumber and leaf tobacco.
Around 1889 Jacob G. Mellinger (son of William G.) sold farm implements on the second floor. A plstform outside allowed the machinery to be put there. The third floor was used as a Sunday School and other services in 1906-7. The knights of the Golden Eagle also met there until they purchased the old hotel in 1917.

Landis Herr Implement Company

This building, often referred to as Jake Mellinger's warehouse, was purchased in 1929 by Landis B. Herr, who specialized in farm machines, sprayers, oil, and twine. In 1930 a tornado took off the roof and part of the third floor.
After the Mellinger house( previously described) was moved in 1951, Mr Herr built on its location an annex to the warehouse. The annex was used as a repair shop and display center for farm machinery and tractors. In 1969 Mr. Herr sold the building to Edward T. Holland, who now owns the business, Control Flow, there.

Millwood Road in front of. this property is higher than the ground level of the building. It was reported that wagons carrying ore were so heavy they sank into the road; therefore loads of stone had to be continually hauled here to reinforce the road and caused it to be higher than the adjoining property.

E. Marvin Herr, Equipment, Inc.

In 1962, E. Marvin Herr established the business known as the E. Marvin Herr Equipment, Inc., to deal in automated poultry and livestock equipment including feeders, collectors, ventilators, brooders, cages, feed and grain bins, grain dryers, etc. Now doing business with individuals and companies in six states, the company hires up to fifteen people in all phases of its operation. Mr. Herr hopes to build a new office and warehouse. building on an industrial site on his farm.

Confectionery Stores

From time to time various people had a small candy store in their homes. About 1900 Abe Shaub had a candy and cigar store in his home, now owned by the John Biglers. Around 1914 the Fullers had a small store in their home, now owned by James Bleecher.

lce Company

John H. Huber began delivering coal and ice in 1903 in a horse and wagon. Later he used a Model T Ford and still later, a 1934 Willys truck, which he used until 1947. He bought the lce at Engleside and delivered it to homes and businesses in the West Willow area. An interesting account book of Mr. Huber's reveals that in 1903 he charged thirty cents to deliver one hundred pounds of ice. lce picks bearing his advertising are still found in some homes in West Willow.

Butchers

Little is known about this business except that Benjamin Shank, Albert Werner, M. B. Groff, and John Huber were active in it in the early 1900's.

Junk Yard

Jacob Keesey operated a junk yard in West Willow around 1912 behind the present John Bigler home.

Farmers' Association
The West Willow Farmers' Association, Inc., chartered by the state on April 14, 1914, still operates from its original building on the south side of Sprecher Road near the railroad tracks just above Millwood Road. At the first meeting on May 1, 1914 the following directors were present:Emlyn B. Mylin, Jacob Brenneman, Jay Bachman, Clayton Mylin, Phares Doner, Carl Brackbill, John B. Kendig, Joseph Harnish, John C. Mylin, Christian Mylin, John Brenneman, Amos Herr, Harry Gochnauer, Martin Mylin, Christian Harnish, M. J. Brackbill, Henry Harnish, Daniel Forry, E. J. Herr, David Gerlack, and John F. Weaver.

The minutes of April 1917 show a resolution to increase the manager's salary to $18.00 per week and the assistant manager's to $12.00. In 1925 the manager was receiving $28.00 per week. A railroad siding was put in to bring coal and other supplies to the building. In addition to buying corn from the farmers and grinding it into feed and cornmeal, the association sold all kinds of supplies including buckets, brooms, men's overalls, shoes, rubbers, harnesses, buggy whips, ropes, wire fences, wire screens, and seeds of all kinds.

The association has had for many years the Ralston Purina franchise, which keeps the trucks busy between the mill and the farmers. It still dries, grinds, and stores field corn and mixed grain and continues to sell farm supplies.

E. Thomas Bowman is present manager. Other directors are J. Lloyd Harnish, Clyde K. Mylin, Titus K. Burkholder, John Burkholder, and A. Franklin Myers.

Stone and Block Mason

The Christian H. Brooks family lived from 1919 to 1945 in the house now owned by Maris McCullough on the east side of Millwood Road near the southeast intersection of Penn Grant Road. Brooks was a constable for Pequea Township from 1907 to 1915, and a stone mason in business for himself for fifty years. At the peak of his business fifty-five stonemasons worked for him. Examples of his work may be found in various parts of the county, the most impressive possibly being the Conestoga Memorial Park, where he personally supervised all the block work. Other examples of his work include the Eisenlohr home on the Masonic grounds at Elizabethtown; a number of stone houses in the Willow Street area, and the 1925 addition to the West Willow United Brethren in Christ Church. The blocks for the latter project were handmade by local men. He died in 1970 at the age of 91, leaving ten living children.

Plumbing, Heating, and Roofing

Beginning in 1925 from his home on the West Willow Road (now the Lippold house), Eugene H. Shenk carried on his business for more than twenty-five years. His specialities were installing and repairing tin roofing, spouting, and heating and -plumbing systems. James Bleecher, whom Shenk employed as a helper, is still a plumber and lives on West Willow Road across from the firehouse.

Corn Drying

In 1925 Benjamin Buckwalter purchased the house and property of Martin Eshelman on Millwood Road between Sprecher and Kendig Roads. Henry S. Herr had been the original owner and builder. Buckwalter planted thirteen acres of the farm in sweet corn and equipped the barn for drying corn, which was done from about the first of September until early October. Contractng with different farmers to buy corn by the acre, he furnished the seed corn and told the farmers when to plant and when to harvest. His truck hauled the corn from farm to dryer, but some farmers preferred to haul their own by horse and wagon. After the corn was dried, most of it was packed in wooden buckets and barrels to be sold to local institutions such as the county home, the children's home, hospitals, and jails. The remainder was packed in fifteen-ounce bags and sold to Ament Brothers, a grocery distributing company for retail sale in area grocery stores. On at least one occasion the corn harvest was so plentiful that dried corn was sold to institutions for five cents a pound. This business continued until 1948.

Chicken and Poultry

From 1935 to 1957 Edward Reese operated a chicken and poultry business on the present John Eshbach property. He bought chickens from farmers and sold them to local dressers, to a com- my in Philadelphia, and to Swift's in Chambersburg.

Ed Reese employed Shortar Linter, Amos Conrad, Carl Shenk, Elmer Bowers, and Christian Kreider.

E. Marvin Herr, in addition to several other enterprises, presently operates an egg business comprising fifty thousand laying hens on his 450 acre farms.

Housing Developers

E. M. Herr, Developers, sells lots and constructs houses. He is anning an industrial site on part of the farm he owns between Sprecher and Penn Grant Roads.

Automotive Body Shop
In 1969 Robert Good and Warren Sourbeer from Conestoga bought the former Yeagley house and bam on the east side of Millwood Road near Penn Grant Road. This bam was used by the Yeagly Bakery for horses and trucks. Sometime before Good and Sourbeer opened Bob and Warren's Body Shop, Ted Bowers used the building to store machinery. The present owners do automotive body work, spray painting, and repairs.

Beauty Salon

In 1972 Mrs. Gary (Louise) Stevens opened a beauty salon in the new addition to their home on Millwood Road between Sprecher and West Willow Roads.

Control Flow Systems

Daffin Corporation leased the former Landis Herr Implement building known as the Mellinger Warehouse from Landis Herr in December 1962. The offices were occupied by Daffin Industrial Products Division's sales and engineering staff. The company produced Rollerbed ice cream hardening systems, and Fluidizer Systems-pneumatic handling systems for dry, free-flowing materials such as flour, sugar, chemical powders and compounds, etc. Daffin's Feedmobile Service Department occupied the shop area and a portion of the office. At peak, between thirty and thirty-five persons were employed.

In early summer of 1966, Daffin Corporation vacated the property, consolidating its operations in one location farther north on Millwood Road, in the plant now occupied by Farenwald.

From 1966 to 1969, the building was occupied for part of the ime by Pennsylvania Power and Light Company as a marshalling trea and was vacant part of the time.

Edward T. Holland, former General Manager of Daffin Corporation's Lancaster operation, formed a new company, Control Flow Systems, Inc., with Ted Holland as President. Control Flow Systems, Inc., purchased the property from Landis Herr in September 1969 and has occupied the buildings from that time to the present.

Funeral Director

During the years 1892-1903 West Willow had an undertaker in the person of Samuel R. Hackman. He lived in the house on West Willow Road now owned and occupied by Russel Wallick. Mr. Hackman made the rough boxes of pine and the coffins of walnut wood at the building back of the house. He lined the coffins and varnished the outside. His wife made shrouds.

Since the corpses were kept at the the funeral, the undertaker took the body. If the person did not die at home, Mr. Hackman went for the body and took it to the home. Although he had gone to Philadelphia to learn embalming, his father before him had used ice. Mr. Hackman had a man who helped with the funerals. He had a hearse and a closed wagon to take chairs. Ezra Huber was one of his drivers.

Mrs. Amos King, who was Samuel Hackman's daughter Ruth, now 80 years old, has the funeral record books of her father's reporting the deaths, the amount of money received, and other information. It was not a money making job as a few examples from the record book show. In 1892 the charge for an infant child was two to six dollars. A plain walnut coffin for an adult was $18, and a walnut coffin and shroud $23. By 1896 regular coffins sold for $30 to $55. By 1897 embalming was used most frequently and caskets were more common than coffins. Prices for the complete services went up to around $80 although they were less in most cases.

One of the most important funerals in 1897 was for John (Jack) Martin, the hotel owner who died of a stroke at sixty-nine years of age. The charge for the "black casket with handles, shroud, em- balming, washing and laying out" was $85. The charge for hiring the hearse to take him to the Willow Street Reformed Church for service and to Greenwood Cemetery in Lancaster was $10.

The family wanted Mr. Hackman to wear a tall silk hat. Although his wife thought it not appropriate since he conducted so many Mennonite "plain" services, Mr. Hackman bought the hat and wore it often.

Mr. Hackman, who carried on a carpenter's trade simultaneously with his undertaking business, gave up the undertaking business in 1903 and returned to full time carpenter work.

Physician

Dedicated physcian, faithful public servant, and ardent sportsman, Dr. A. E. Leaman was born August 21, 1863, in Lampeter.

After finishing local schools and graduating from Millersville State Normal School, he taught in the public schools of Lancaster County for several years. He then enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania Medical School in Philadelphia and upon graduation began medical practice in West Willow.

In 1898 he married Winona Shank, a member of an early Lancaster County family which had its home in Millersville. The newlyweds began their married life in West Willow in the home and office located on north side of West Willow Road now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Ira L. Herr.

Dr. Leaman was a traditional country doctor answering calls day or night, often driving over muddied or snow-covered country roads to answer emergency or routine calls. Indicative of medical service charged of that period, his account books showed his charge for delivering a baby and three subsequent calls was ten dollars. He had a reputation of never refusing to respond to a call, despite weather conditions, time of day or night, or distance involved.

During the severe influenza epidemic of 1918 Dr. Leaman reached his greatest local renown by his dedicated service and therapeutic skills. In that period a family member recalls he had over three hundred patients and lost only two. One was an elderly lady already in advance stages of pneumonia, and the other, an infant who was in the same stage when the doctor was called.

Despite his day and night service to the sick and ailing of the area, he found time to serve the people in public positions. These included prothonotary of Lancaster County, membership on the Pequea Township Board of Supervisors, and membership on the Pequea Township School Board. He was also a member of the Lancaster Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

A member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, he died on December 20, 1923, and is buried in the Willow Street Mennonite Cemetery, where also lies his wife (born Oct. 25, 1863, died Feb. 16, 1960). Dr. and Mrs. Leaman were the parents of two children, John Edgar Leaman, who died in 1958, and Kathryn Leaman Sullivan, wife of James A. Sullivan of Novato, California.

Artists

Wilson V. Chambers was born 1893 in Philadelphia. He attended Central High School and briefly the School of Industrial Art. Though influenced greatly by his friend N. C. Wyeth, he is a self-taught artist and illustrator of books and magazines of such Curtis Publications as the Saturday Evening Post, The Ladies Home Journal, and many more national publications. He is now retired and painting at home--doing landscapes, seascapes, etc.

To rectify a breakdown in health in 1942, he purchased the 92 acre farm from Dr. Gardner Atlee Sayers, which is located on Millwood Road near Baumgardner intersection. He farmed this alone during the war and for some years after. He then quit farming to paint and has exhibited in Lancaster, Philadelphia, New York, Toronto, and other cities. In the first all Lancaster competitive exhibit he won first prize in oil painting for his spruce trees in the moonlight, which was purchased by Armstrong Co. and now hangs in the office of the company president. The company has since purchased several other works.

In the second year's competition, Chambers won second prize in the water color division. Some of his works have been bought by Hamilton Watch Company and by Lancaster's National Central Bank. In addition to paintings, he has done a large mural for Meadow Hills Dining House on the New Danville Pike and two murals for York National Central Bank.

Dorothy K. Chambers, wife of Wilson, is a native of Lancaster. A graduate of Moore Institute, Philadelphia, she came under the influence of Elliot Dangerfield and Leopold Seiffert, which may account for the fine color sense in her paintings. Like her husband, she also has exhibited in Philadelphia, New York, and Lancaster.

The farm is now being worked by the grandsons Thomas, Steven, Daniel, and Michael, supervised by their father, Wilson, Jr., and mother, Joanne.

It is thought that the first school in West Willow was located in the house now owned and occupied by the Jacob luine family situated directly east and adjacent to the property of the West Willow Fire Company

This was replaced by the Mt. Parnassus School located on the northeast corner of Penn Grant and Millwood Road, then called Hiedlebaugh's Corners. John Sener and wife Elizabeth sold this land containing fifty-nine perches (one fourth acre) to the directors of the Pequea Township School District "for the purpose of common school" on March 11, 1862. (D-14-278) Ellis and Evans report that "the highest elevation in Pequea Township is probably Mt. Parnassus. Today this spot is commonly called Bortzfield's hill, the home of Jean and the late Walter Bortzfield being there. The school was not at the top of the hill but rather at the bottom. Whether the hill or the school was named first is not known, but it certainly shows the intellectual as well as the geographical knowledge of those early settlers because Parnassus is the name of a mountain in central Greece associated with poetic inspiration and hence of learning. In 1883 the male teachers of the one room schools in the district were being paid forty dollars and forty cents per month, while the female teachers received forty-five dollars.

In September 1892 the school directors sold the Mt. Parnassus school and land to John G. Rush (D-14-279) and purchased an acre of ground from Catherine Dabler and her sons (F-14-20) for the purpose of building a new school. The land faced West Willow Road and lay between the West Willow Hotel and Catherine Dabler's home (now Kline's). The people as a whole were opposed to the new building and showed their disapproval by defeating the School Directors as they came up for re-election. The directors were Amos M. Landis, Aaron B. Shank, Jacob B. Herr, Jacob K. Harnish, Jacob McAllister and Samuel M. Mylin.

The new school was named Columbus School. Those who taught Columbus School all grades in this building were William Halbach from Hagerstown, Md., Jacob Snavely, Ella Kegerise, Meta Zercher, Sadie Kendig, Warren Drum, H. H. Rhinier, Claude Miller, Lloyd Rhinier, Daniel Rhinier, M. C. Eshelman, Ruth Falck, Miss Messner, Miss Albright, Ella Harrington, Kenneth Stehman, Mrs. Shertz, Mrs. Mary Dull, Mrs. Evelyn Landis, and Albert Mellinger.

In 1952 Pequea Township schools were consolidated, and a new building was constructed on Millwood Road facing east between Penn Grant Road and West Willow Road. Land was purchased for the building and grounds from the farms of Eli K. Herr and E. Marvin Herr. Open house was held for the $205,000 one-story, brick building on January 3, 1953. The building designed to accommodate 235 pupils consisted of six classrooms, office, kitchen, cafeteria and all-purpose room, nurse's room, supply and boiler room and lavatories. The teachers came from the one-room schools in the township, namely New Danville, Harmony Hall, Stevens, Mount Hope, Mount Washington, and Columbus. The teachers were Mrs. Margaret H. Burkins, Mrs. Evelyn R. Landis, Mrs. Emma L. Hess, Mrs. Ruth M. Frey, Willis M. Shank, and Daniel Rhinier, who also served as principal. Florence M. Keefer was added as school nurse.

Because of crowded conditions in the new school in 1954, the sixth and seventh grades met in the West Willow Firehall (formerly the Columbus School) with Willis Shank teaching 55 children for one year.

Additional land was purchased to enlarge the building and grounds. Two rooms were added in 1956 and two other ones in 1960. In 1963 a whole new wing was added to the south, including steps, entrance, all-purpose room and cafeteria, kitchen, and faculty room. The plant now contains ten acres of land, and a building containing thirteen classrooms, library, nurses' suite, kitchen, cafeteria, faculty room, office, storage rooms, and lavatories. It has a capacity for 419 students from kindergarten through fifth grade. In 1974 the salary for a teacher with a bachelor's degree and no experience was $7,750. The members of the Pequea Township Authority at the time of the building program in 1952 were Harry

Breneman, Wesley Benedict, Charles Warfel, Martin B. Mylin, Paul Hess, and William Arnold.

Since the school is now under the jurisdiction of the Penn Manor school board, the last Pequea Harnish, Samuel M. Harnish, Arthur S. Myers, Jacob Lefever and William B. Arnold.

A Picture of shows Pequea Elementary School Staff 1973-74 shows:
Top row: Elizabeth B. Andrews, 3rd gr.; Mary M. Sensenich, 3rd gr.; William Wood, principal; Sue Taggart, 2nd gr.; Anne Saylor, 2nd gr. Second row: Suzanne Herr, 5th gr.; Jere Hoin, Sth gr.; Mar- guarite Reardon, 1st gr.; Jean Dudyak, 4th gr. Third row: Jean McCullough, playground; Pat Stringfellow, 1st gr.; Janet Noel, cafeteria cashier; Grace Zimmerman, kindergarten; Ethel Funk, custodian's helper; Natalie Blazek, 5th gr.; Carolyn Boussum, music. Bottom row: Sheryl Kurtzman, student teacher; Eileen Gilbert, cafeteria monitor; Ann Boose, cook; Amos Conrad, custodian; Ida Eshbach, cafeteria; Marilyn Zeigler and Jan Hughes, both student teachers. (Jeanette Burger, 4th gr., absent when picture was taken.)

The history of the United Brethren in Christ in this locality ,goes back to 1860 when a class was organized in Willow Street. The members did not erect a house of worship but met instead in the home of Dr. Benjamin M. Frick. He was a steward, and John C. Smoker was the Class Leader. Dr. Frick had built a large, brick, three-story house, the top floor of which was twelve feet high with a vaulted ceiling. This floor was used for band concerts, public meetings, and worship services. The house still stands at 261 Willow Street Pike and has been occupied by John and Myrtle Pyfer since 1944.

Little has been recorded of those early years and the Willow Street group is listed as having been on numerous circuits.

On March 27, 1883, Dr. Benjamin M. Frick bought two adjacent lots on the present West Willow Road in West Willow. On the one lot stood a two-story frame and log building which had been built many years before by Jacob Charles for his home and mercantile business. Dr. Frick evidently purchased this as a meeting place for the United Brethren in Christ who met there on alternate sabbaths.

On November 1, 1884, Dr. Frick sold the vacant lot to "Hiram Witmer of Manor Township, John G. Smoker of Providence Township, and Benjamin Snavely of Pequea Township, Trustees of the United Brethren Society of Willow Street . . . for the sum of two hundred and forty-nine dollars . . . in trust for the use of the United Brethren in Christ Society or Church for divine services." (Deed Book P-12-521). The lot had a frontage of 53 feet and 3 inches and a depth of 220.1 feet, making approximately one-half acre. A church was never erected on it. This land and the "long house" (once owned by Jacob,Charles) were bought in 1966 by Mr. and Mrs. John Lippold from Eugene Shenk, who had his plumbing and tinsmith business there. A great many inquiries from "old timers" about the lot, now landscaped with small boxwood trees, prompted a research c)f court house records and the transactions are recorded.

What happened to this group after 1884 is not recorded. We know that Dr. Frick died in 1887. We also know that the United Brethren in Christ built a church in Refton in 1887. The people of West Willow were apparently attending other churches, many at Boehm's Methodist about a mile south of Willow Street. A church was not built at West Willow until 1907. In the few years preceding that date, it was almost certain that if a church were built in West Willow it would most certainly be a Methodist church.

Mr. Fred B. Groff, a youth at the time of this organization, recalled in an interview that West Willow was looked upon as "Boehm's Mission."

Sunday School was held on the third floor of Jacob Mellinger's warehouse in what was known as the Hall of the Knights of the Golden Eagle. A Sunday School Record Book gives the secretary's report of the organization of the West Willow Sunday School as follows: