Conestoga Township

Conestoga Township

of Lancaster County ~CONTENTS~

Conestoga Twp., Ellis and Evans
Conestoga Twp., Klein

Extracted and excerpted from History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of the Pioneers and Prominent Men.ed. Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, Philadelphia, Everts & Peck,1883

Conestoga Township
written by Peter Hiller

Geographical and Descriptive,- This township was formed as early as 1712, and originally embraced a territory much greater in extent than at the present time. In 1853 Pequea township was formed from the eastern part of it, at which time the boundaries were materially changed. As now defined, it boundaries are Manor township on the northwest, Lancaster township on the north, Pequea township on the east, Martic township on the south, and the Susquehanna River on the west. It contains about nineteen thousand six hundred acres of land, surface rolling, and the soil of excellent fertility and well cultivated, containing some of the best farms to be found in Lancaster County. The population in 1880 was two thousand Five hundred and fifty.

Conestoga Center, near the centre of the township, Rockhill is the northwest, Slackwater in the north, Safe Harbor in the west, and Colemanville in on the southeast, are the chief centers of population.
It contains at present six hotels, seven stores, three cigar manufactories, five post-offices, two grist-mills, one paper-mill, one rolling-mill, one furnace, seven churches, ten schools, and one tannery. There were, in 1883 six hundred and thirteen taxables. Value of real and personal property is a little over one million, five hundred thousand dollars.

MALE RESIDENTS OF CONESTOGA IN 1776 BETWEEN THE AGES 16 AND 50
Abraham Hess Henrich Martin Abraham Kendig Henrich Gougnauer Adam Goughnauer Henrich Shank Abraham Goughnauer Jacob Hoffman Abraham Line Henrich Zicher Alexander Worick Henrich Hoffman Adam Kendrick Henrich Miller Abraham Miller Henry Blashger Andreas Teall Henry Miller Andreas Teall, Jr Henry Hagy Adam Hage Herrman Lick Adam Brenneman Henry Steyman Abraham Huber Henry Sailer Abraham Groff Henry Shank Andress Sud Henry Good Andreas Mens Henry Laudenschlager Benjamin Eshellman Henry Fornell Bertrick Bork Henry Bayer Christian Eyman Henry Huber Christian Goughnauer Henry Line Christian Hess Henry Feldberger Christian Line Isaac Brenneman Christian Good Isaac Borkholder Christian Henry Isaac Brenneman Christian Shank John Hess Christian Borkholder John Kaler Christian Breneman John Kendicoh Christian Newcomer John Beam Christian Farrer John Goughnauer Christian Huber John Hol Cornelius Jacob Joseph Kaler Conrod Lyck Jacob Goughnauer Daniel Jendes Joseph Goughnauer Daniel Musser Jacob Line David Eshelman Jacob Kreider David Hess Jacob Hernish Daniel Breneman John Steyman Daniel Keepsot John Crumel David Brenneman Jacob Miller Damken Quickle John Miller Frederick Fag Jacob Miller Frederick Mayer Jacob Bear Frederick Hoffman Jacob Philipps Frederick Shoff John Bear Frederick Palmer Jacob Sohower Frederick Radvona John Stoffer George Meckmeken John Mosser George Beck John Weth George Wagner Jacob Mannert George Fitzen John Hard George Radfond Jacob Miller Henry Shieb John Mekmeken Henrich Ross Jacob Fissel Henrich Duderich John Echelman

John Stoner Martin Thomas Shons Jacob Metzger Michael Kreider Jacob Shof Melchor Brenneman Jacob Landmesser Nathaniel Badesh John Heasled Nicolaus Angst John Worfield Nicolaus Shaffer John Logen Philip Swartz John Good Philip Dudrich Jacob Hess Philip Brenner Jacob Rechenbocher Peter Smith John Shane Peter Good Jacob Heiny Peter Klein John Nighdig Peter Steyman John Nighdig, Jr Peter Rummel John Weiand Philip Gotz John Baughman Philip Orter Joseph Leman Peter Huber John Stettler Peter Otman Jacob Brenneman Reinhard Wiber John Borkholder Robert Galling Jacob Sonebele Rudy Miller John Slighter Ratshar Mekferren Jacob Radfond Rudy Grebil John Roh Samuel Hess Jacob Smith Samuel Makdanel Jacob Bayer Samuel Moore John Morssi Simon Jendes John Huber Solomon Folk John Albert Samuel Hunder Jacob Nisly Samuel Hess John Horster Samuel Line John Borsch Shim Schaa Ludwig Urban Thomas Hillyard Leonhard Albright Tobias Goughnauer Leonhard Shik Thomas Meklingen Michael Reiner Thomas Silven Michael Hernish Ulrich Newcomer Martin Kohns Wilhelm Smith Michael Mayer Wilhelm Folk Martin Bear Wilhelm Mekmollen Melchor Hockman Wilhelm Brien Matthias Miller William Folk Michael Shank.

Conestoga's Claim to the First Seat of Justice. It was in Conestoga township that the first court of General Quarter Sessions of the peace was held, at the house of John Postlethwait, for the county of Lancaster, the 5th day of August in the third year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, the second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

The Postlethwait's Property was the same now owned by George J. Fehl. John Postlethwait and Mary, his wife, owned five tracts of land at this place, on which he loaned, from the trustees of the loan office (Charles Norris, Thomas Leech, Mahlon Kirkbride, Francis Yarnell, and John Wright) on the 15th day of October, 1742, a certain sum of money, payable in installments, and gave a "blanket" mortgage on these five tracts, about five hundred and fifty acres. Being unable to meet his payments by virtue of an act of Assembly in such cases made and provided, the loan commissioners sold the properties in June, 1756, for five hundred and two pounds.

The property was bought by Joseph Pugh with the approbation of the loan commissioners, who instructed him to convey the several properties to such parties as the children of John Postlethwait's might direct and to whom they undoubtedly had made sales previously, although the act of Assembly required the mortgage to be foreclosed. It is evident, from the manner in which this unpleasant duty was performed, that Mr. Postlethwait was held in the highest esteem by them.

Other Old Properties- On the 5th day of June, 1727, a tract of land was surveyed and granted to Benedict Eshleman (six hundred acres). This tract is now owned by Christian E. Miller, Christian Harnish, George A. Tripple and others. On the one owned by Mr. Miller, Eshleman built a house in 1759, on the one owned by Mr. Harnish he built in 1764, and later he built on the one owned by Mr. Tripple. All of these houses are occupied at present, and from their appearance look as though several generations more might pass away before they are necessarily worn out.

Pioneer Dwellings.- The oldest dwelling-houses in the township are Christian E. Miller's, built by Benedict Eshleman in 1759; Christian Harnish's built by Benedict Eshleman in 1764; Jacob Bausman's built by Henry Stehman in 1767.

Taxables in Conestoga in 1780
Leonard Albright (weaver), 140 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value at Ł600
John Beecher, 77 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł2000
Martin Bare, 180 acres, 6 horses, 8 cows, total value Ł10,000
Isaac Brenneman, 150 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł3500
Daniel Brenneman, 100 acres, 4 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł4,000
Christian Burkholder, 110 acres, 3 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł2000
Isaac Burkholder, 70 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, total value Ł1950
Jacob Becht, 40 acres, 1 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł800
Melchoir Brenneman, Jr., total value Ł4,000
George Buk, 1 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł500
John Bare's estate, 100 acres, total value Ł4,000
John Bauman, total value Ł1200
Simon Brand, total value Ł290
Isaac Brenneman's estate, 100 acres, total value Ł2250
Matthias Brown, 1 cow, total value Ł250
Isaac Brenneman's estate 100 acres, total value Ł2250
Matthias Brown, 1 cow, total value Ł250
Jacob Bier
Melchoir Brenneman, 100 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł6,000
John Crommel, 40 acres, 1 cow, total value Ł450 (land now part of the village of Conestoga Centre)
Robert Collins
John Eshleman, 100 acres, 3 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł6000
Henry Dirr, 1 cow, total value Ł250
David Eshleman 180 acres, 4 horses, 10 cows, total value, Ł9200
Benedict Eshleman, 360 acres, 4 horses, 10 cows, total value Ł11000
(Land now owned by C. E. Miller, C. Harnish, G. A. Tripple , and others)
Ulrich Friel, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł800
William Folch, total value Ł2000
William Folch, Jr., total value Ł150
Andrew Fehl, 100 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł2600. (Now George J. Fehl's land, originally John Postlethwait's)
Jacob Feit, 2 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł3600
John Gochenour, 50 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value, Ł1600
Adam Gaul, 90 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł1800
Abraham Hess, 70 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł1600
Samuel Hess, 344 acres, 3 horses, 5 cows, total value Ł8800
David Hess, 200 acres, 2 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł4000 (Land now owned by John Hess and Jacob Thomas)
Jacob Hess, 25 acres, 3 cows, total value Ł1450
Jacob Huffman, 100 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł1200
Jacob Heiney, 50 acres, 1 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł400. (land now a part of Henry Warfel's farm)
John Hesslet, 150 acres, 2 houses, 3 cows, total value Ł5200
Anthony Haberkam, 1 horse, 3 cows, total value Ł300
Michael Henry 2 cows, total value Ł120
John Horst, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł400
John Heble, 1 cow, total value Ł230
Henry Heinolt, 1 cow, total value Ł236
Christian Hess, 2 houses 3 cows, total value Ł600
Adam Kendig, 150 acres, 4 horses, 4 cows, total value Ł8200
John Kendig, 125 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value 6600. (Land now in and around Conestoga Centre)
John Keller, 50 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł500
Daniel Keeports, 98 acres, 4 houses, 4 cows, total value Ł3000
Michael Kreider, 175 acres, 3 horses, 4 cows, total value Ł4500
Jacob Kreider, 130 acres, 4 horses, 5 cows, total value Ł2600
Peter Kline, 100 acres, 1 horse, 4 cows, total value Ł1000. (Land now owned by David Hess and others.)
Christian Keaggy, 250 acres, 4 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł5600
George Kendig, 90 acres, total value Ł2600
Anthony Klerie, 1 cow, total value Ł225
Cornelius Kuhn
Jacob Lutman (mason) 1 cow, total value Ł225
Henry Loudensliger, 2 cows, total value Ł100
Christian Line, 100 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, total value Ł1600
Henry Line, 100 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, total value Ł1600
Samuel Myers (distiller) 220 acres, 2 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł8800 (Land now owned by Rudolph, his son, and John A. Meyers, of Pequea)
Abraham Miller, 100 acres, 3 horses, 4 cows, total value Ł3200 (Land now owned by Christian E. Miller)
John Miller, 100 acres, near Rockhill, total value Ł1200
Jacob Menart, 170 acres, 5 horses, 15 cows, total value, Ł9000 (Land now owned by Valentine Warfel, and occupied by Henry Thomas).
John Musser, 150 acres, 2 horses, 7 cows, total value Ł2400 (Land now part of Conestoga Centre, and now owned by Martin Musser and E. Pehlman).
Catharine May, 60 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł400
Rudy Miller, 50 acres, 2 horses, 5 cows, total value Ł1600 (Land now owned by David Miller.)
Frederick Myer, 2 cows, total value Ł250
Henry Miller, 130 acres, Ł1250
Jacob Mayer, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł600
Henry Miller, Jr., 100 acres, 1 cow, total value Ł250
George Mundorf, total value Ł1600
John Miller, Jr., 1 cow total value Ł120
Jacob May, 2 cows, total value Ł120
George Miller, 1 cow, total value Ł120
Michael Myer, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł480
John Neidig, 100 acres, 4 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł4500
Ulrich Newcomer, 1 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł250
Rodger Offaron, 2 horses, 2 cos, total value Ł360
Stophel Ord, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł360
John Philips, 3 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł200
Charles Purpur, 1 horse, total value Ł120
Henry Resh, 150 acres, 4 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł4400
Jacob Rathfong, 1 horse, 1 cow, total value Ł250
Frederick Rathfong, 100 acres, 2 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł3200
George Rathfong (gunsmith), 185 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł1200
Peter Rummel, 77 acres, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł800
John Resh, 3 cows, total value Ł250
Peter Resh's estate, 90 acres, total value Ł2800
Jacob Reichenbach, 29 acres, total value Ł1400
Tobias Stehman, 360 acres, 1 horse, 3 cows, total value Ł1400 (Land now belonging to Henry Stehman and H. D. Stehman)
Henry Steman, 225 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł7000 (Land now owned by Jacob Bausman)
John Stehman, 140 acres, 1 horse, total value Ł2600 (Land now owned by H. H. Miller, formerly one of J. Postlethwait's farm.)
Michael Shenk, 165 acres, 2 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł6000 (Now owned byJohn Hess, William S. Haskell, and others)
John Shenk, 130 acres, 2 horses, 1 cow, total value Ł5000
Peter Smith, 100 acres, 2horses, 4 cows, total value Ł2400
Catharine Steiner, 100 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł4000
Frederick Shoff, 125 acres, 3 horses, 4 cows, total value Ł5000 (Now owned by George Shoff)
Jacob Shoff, 1 horse, 1 cow, total value Ł200
Philip Swartz, 175 acres, 2 horses, 4 cows, total value Ł1600.
Dewalt Smith's estate, 40 acres, total value Ł200
Jacob Smith, total value Ł600
John Stetler, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł400
Peter Swenk, 1 horse, 2 cows, total value Ł250
John Stauffer, 100 acres, total value Ł800
Andrew Taner
Ludwig Urban 300 acres, 4 horses, 6 cows, total value Ł4800 (Now owned by F. K. Hookey and Jacob Pickel)
John Wade, 2 horses, 2 cows, total value Ł250
George Warfel, 160 acres, 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł5000. (Now owned by William Rice and George W. Warfel)
Peter Warfel (son of George), 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł300
John Warfel (son of George), 2 horses, 3 cows, total value Ł300
John Yinger, total value Ł 225
Henry Zercher, 35 acres, 1 horse, 3 cows, total value Ł1800
Mary Zigler, 80 acres, total value Ł1600

Freeman for the same year: Jacob Lines, Samuel Lines, Leonard Shirk, Abraham Gochenour, Tobias Gochenour, Christian Gochenour, Philip Baker, Adam Gochenour, Joshua Kehler, Richard Burg, Henry Bletcher, Henry Hackman, Christian Huber, Abraham Huber, John Huber, George Ganter, Christian Newcomer, Christian Forrer, Christian Eyeman, Simon Yenter, Henry Shenk, Michael Hess, George Web, Abraham Stetler.

The amount of tax levied for Conestoga township for this year was Ł20, 404,15s. The fines for the same year were Ł950

Early Innkeepers-In 1804 John Kendig¹ kept a hotel on the road from Lancaster to Burkholder's Ferry. This hotel was in Conestoga Centre, the property now owned and occupied by Dr. J. L. Mowrey as a residence and office. Peter Kline kept a hotel on the road from Lancaster to Martic Forge. This was also in Conestoga Centre, the building standing on or near the site of the present hotel.

1805 Henry Sneider, on Lancaster and Baltimore road, now known as "Willow Street, " Pequea township. Wendle Bowman kept hotel at Safe Harbor; Peter Kline, on Lancaster and Martic Forge Road (same as above). Jacob Menart kept tavern on road from Columbia to Martic Forge. This was the building afterwards known as the "Mansion House" at Safe Harbor. It was destroyed by fire a few years since, and never rebuilt. Conrad Karer kept a tavern at Susquehanna River, afterwards known as "Shenk's Ferry".

1806 John Mundorf's hotel was situated on Mundorf's Island, now John P. Wise, of Lancaster.

1807 Jacob Menart kept tavern on the road from Lancaster to Safe Harbor. This was at what is now known as Slackwater. Tobias Kendig kept on the road from Lancaster to Martic Forge (Conestoga Centre). Jacob Menart kept on the road from Columbia to Martic Forge, the Mansion House, Safe Harbor.

1808 Ziba Webb kept on the road from Columbia to Martic forge (same as above).

1809 Ziba Webb the mouth of Conestoga. This hotel was kept in one end of a large building that stood at the mouth of the Conestoga Creek, and occupied as a warehouse, from which family flour was shipped down the Susquehanna River. John Kendrick Jr., on road to Moore's Fishery. This was afterwards called "Shenk's Ferry," at which place there is at this time a hotel.

¹Kendig kept this tavern during the years 1805-9

Township officers, 1743-1840. No record of the township officers is in existence prior to the year 1743.

1743 David Jones, John Postlethwait, overseers of the poor.
1744 Adam and Stephen Brenneman, overseers of the poor.
1744-55 No records.
1755 Samuel Myer, Jacob Harnish, overseers of the poor.
1756 Joseph Stone, Abraham Kegy, overseers of the poor.
1757 Martin Kendrick, Abraham Blazler, overseers of the poor.
1758 David Jones, Tobias Stoneman, overseers of the poor.
1759 Abraham Beam, Adam Good, overseers of the poor.
1760 Samuel Hess, John Byers, overseers of the poor.
1761 Abraham Miller, John Miller, overseers of the poor.
1762 George Seiglar, Christian Brenneman, overseers of the poor.
1763 Melchoir Brenneman, Isaac Brenneman, overseers of the poor.
1764 Benedict Eshleman, Christian Forrer, overseers of the poor.
1765 No Record.
1766 Frederick Rathvon, Frederick Shopp, overseers of the poor.
1767 Ulrich Miller, Jacob Gochenauer, overseers of the poor.
1768 Henry Lesh, George Warfel, overseers of the poor.
1769 Jacob Menart, Jacob Cryttas, overseers of the poor.
1770 Michael Overstake, Michael Kreider, overseers of the poor.
1771 Abraham Newcomer, Peter Good, overseers of the poor; Samuel Hess, Samuel Myers, auditors.
1772 Adam Brenneman, Philip May, overseers of the poor; Abraham Newcomer, Samuel Myers, John Rahter, auditors.
1773 Frederick Rathvon, Abraham Kendig, overseers of the poor; Samuel Myers, John Rahter, auditors.
1774 Philip Swartz, Jacob Stones, overseers of the poor; John Rahter, Abraham Newcomer, auditors.
1775 Adam Kendig, Jacob Metzgar, overseers of the poor; Benedict Eshleman, Adam Gall, auditors.
1776 Philip Swartz, Jacob Stoner, overseers of the poor; John Rahter, Abraham Newcomer, auditors.
1777 The same officers served this year that served last.
1778 Andrew Fehl, Jacob Smith, overseers of the poor.
1779 Abraham Hess, William Falck, overseers of the poor; Frederick Rathvon and George Rathvon, auditors.
1780 Benjamin Eshleman, Daniel Brenneman, overseers of the poor; Abraham Newcomer.
1781 John Barr, Jacob Gochenauer, overseers of the poor; Abraham Newcomer, Martin Bare, auditors.
1782 Henry Deitrich, Ludwig Urban, overseers of the poor; Abraham Newcomer, Jacob Metzgar, Samuel Myers, auditors.
1783 No Records.
1784 John Beam, Jacob Fogel, overseers of the poor; George Rathvong, auditor (the only one named.
1785 John Beam, Jacob Harnish, overseers of the poor; Abraham Newcomer, Samuel Myers, auditors.
1786 No Records.
1787 Christian Forrer, John Bachman, overseers of the poor; George Rathvong, John Bear, Samuel Hess, auditors.
1788 _____ Ehrman, Tobias Johnson, overseers of the poor; Samuel Myers, Jacob Metzgar, auditors.
1789 John Bachman, Richard B. Armon, overseers of the poor; Jacob Metzgar, Samuel myers, auditors.
1790 Jacob Brenneman, Abraham Huber, overseers of the poor; Jacob Metzgar, Jacob Barr, auditors.
1791 Jacob Beam, Melchoir Hackman, overseers of the poor; Samuel myers, John Bear, auditors.
1792 No Records.
1793 Christian Gochenour, Jacob Deitrich, overseers of the poor; Henry Deitrich, Christian Shenk, auditors.
1794 Jacob Bear, Jacob Stoner, overseers of the poor; Samuel Myers, Michael Myers, auditors.
1795 No records.
1796 No records.
1797 Henry Gochenour, Michael Harnish, overseers of the poor; John Bachman, Henry Deitrich auditors.
1798 Jacob Myers, John Thomas, overseers of the poor; John Bachman, Henry Deitrich, auditors.
1799 No overseers of the poor named; Christian Hess, Abraham Huber, auditors.
1800 Michael Hess, Jacob Haverstick, overseers of the poor; Daniel Seabrooks, Jacob Myers, auditors.
1801-4 No records.
1805 Lewis Urban, John Burkholder, supervisors.
1806 Jacob Barr, Abraham Warfel, supervisors; Henry Resh, Daniel Sterneman, John Barr, auditors.
1807 Henry Deitrich, Lewis Urban, Jr. supervisors; Henry Resh, Daniel Sterneman, John Barr, auditors.
1808 Michael Hess, Christian Shenk, supervisors; John Good, Henry Resh, George Urban, auditors.
1809 John Brenneman, Jacob Warfel, supervisors; John Bachman Jr., Jacob Shenk, Henry Resh, auditors.
1810 Michael Kreider, George Stones, supervisors; Jacob Barr, Samuel Myers, John Bachman, Jacob Smith auditors.
1811 Jacob Warfel, John Beam, supervisors; George Yentzer, John Good, John Bachman, auditors.
1812 George Urban, Henry Resh, supervisors; John Good, Lewis Urban, Jacob Ripley, John Bachman, Jr., auditors.
1813 John Bachman Sr., Adam Warfel, supervisors; Christian Kendig, John Bachman Jr., Lewis Urban, Jacob Bachman, auditors; John Good, town clerk
1814 Jacob Haverstick, Adam Warfel, supervisors; Christian Kendig, Lewis Urban, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1815 Christian Hess, _____ Eyman, supervisors; Christian Kendig, Herr Joseph, Lewis Urban, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1816 Jacob Good, Abraham Gochenour, supervisors; John Good, Adam Warfel, auditors.
1817 Jacob Shenk, John Landis, supervisors; John Bachman, Christian Thomas, Adam Warfel, auditors.
1818 John Mehaffey, supervisor; William McMillan, John Bachman, Christian Thomas, auditors.
1819 Christian Hess, supervisor; John Good, John Bachman, Adam Warfel, Christian Thomas, auditors.
1820 Christian Hess, Michael Haverstick, supervisors; John Good, George Haverstick, Adam Warfel, Christian Thomas Auditors.
1821 John Hess, Jacob Heidlebaugh, supervisors; John Good, Jacob Ripley, John Bachman, auditors; George Yentzer, town clerk.
1822 Adam Thomas, John Hess, supervisors; Jacob Shenk, Benjamin Bear,Jacob Ripley, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1823 Jacob Burkholder, Jacob Warfel, supervisors; John Good, Michael Haverstick, Jacob Ripley, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1824 Jacob Ripley, Tobias Stehman, supervisors; John Good, George Haverstick, Adam Warfel, Christian Miller, auditors; John Warfel, town clerk.
1825 Jacob Menart, Michael Kreider, supervisors; George Haverstick, Adam Kendig, Christian Miller, auditors; George Yentzer, town clerk.
1826 George Kreider, Jacob Menart, supervisors; Adam Kendig, Benjamin Musser, Christian Miller, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1828 Henry Charles, George Kreider, supervisors; Jacob Shenk, Jr., Jacob Fehl, Jr., John Good, Tobias Stehman, auditors.
1827 Daniel Hess, John Forrey, supervisors; Jacob Shenk Jr., Jacob Fehl Jr., John Good, Tobias Stehman, auditors; John Good, town clerk.
1828 Henry Charles, George Kreider, supervisors; Jacob Shenk Jr., Jacob Fehl Jr., John Good, Tobias Stehman, auditors.
1829 Adam Kendig, Christian Herr, supervisors; Jacob Shenk Jr., John Mecartney, Hugh Mehaffey, Henry Hess, auditors; George Yentzer, town clerk.
1830 Jacob Hess, Jacob Frantz, supervisors; Henry Hess, John Mccartney, Benjamin Charles, Jacob Fehl Jr, auditors; George Yentzer, town clerk.
1831 Joseph Good, Jacob Frantz, supervisors; Christian Herr, Benjamin Musser, Jacob Shenk, Christian Zecher, auditors; Adam Duke, town clerk.
1832 Joseph Good, David Hess, supervisors; John Bachman, Jacob Frantz, Benjamin Good, auditors; Adam Duke, town clerk.
1833 Joseph Good, Jacob Good, supervisors; John Bachman, Jacob Frantz, Benjamin Good, auditors.
1834 Joseph Good, Jacob Good, supervisors; John Bachman, Christian Miller, John Mecartney, Jacob Fehl Jr., auditors.
1835 Conrad Sourbeer, John Johns, supervisors; David Book, Benjamin Musser, Christian Miller, auditors; Benjamin Urban, town clerk.
1836 Christian Shenk, John Huber, supervisors; David Book, Christian Miller, Henry Hess, auditors; Benjamin Urban, town clerk.
1837 Conrad Sourbeer, Christian Herr, supervisors; Christian Miller, Henry Hess, Benjamin Charles, auditors.
1838 John Byers, Martin Good, supervisors; Henry Hess, Samuel Mehaffey, Jacob Warfel, auditors.
1839 Abraham Charles, John Byers, supervisors; Samuel Mehaffey, Jacob Warfel, auditors.
1840 John Lechy, Adam Warfel, supervisors; Samuel Mehaffey, John Brenneman, auditors.

                
                                               Justices of the Peace

                               
                Samuel Mehaffy, April 14, 1840                   Benjamin Urban, May 3, 1861
                John McCartney, April 14, 1840                   Jacob Fehl, April 12, 1864
                John Kendig, April 13, 1841                      Benjamin Urban, 1866
                Daniel Fulton, April  12, 1842                   Jacob Fehl, April 1869
                John Martin, April 15, 1845                      Benjamin Urban, April 1871
                Daniel Fulton, April 12, 1847                    John Martin, April, 1874
                Hugh Mehaffy, April 10, 1849                     B. S. McLane, April 1875
                Daniel Fulton, April 15, 1852                    Benjamin Urban, April, 1876
                Hugh Mehaffy, April 11, 1854                     B. S. McLane, April, 1880
                Jacob Fehl, April 1854                           A. G. Hudson , April, 1881
                Hugh Mehaffy, April 18, 1859                     Peter C. Hiller¹, April 13, 1883
                Jacob Fehl, April 19, 1859


                                                 ¹Appointed

County officers Elected from Conestoga. Michael Shenk, county commissioner in 1804; Jacob McAllister, county commissioner in 1832; John Warfel, member of the State Legislature in 1842; Hugh Mehaffey, register of wills in 1836-1839; Jacob G. Peters, member of the State Legislature in 1868; Dr. J. C. Gatchell, member of the State Legislature in 1871; John W. Urban, clerk of quarter Sessions in 1872-1874; Amos Groff, coroner in 1875-1877; John P. Good, recorder of deeds in 1880-82.

                    
                                Freeholders of Conestoga Township in 1840

                                       
                 Aston, John                          Eshleman, Benjamin
                 Burkholder,Jacob                     Eshleman, David
                 Beam, John                           Eshleman, John K.
                 Barr, Benjamin                       Eby, Christian
                 Book, David                          Fehl, Jacob
                 Bair, David                          Fisher, John
                 Brenneman, Jacob                     Frantz, John
                 Buckwalter, John                     Good, Jacob Sr.
                 Brenneman, John                      Good, John
                 Buckwalter, David                    Good, Benjamin
                 Barr, Christian                      Good, Christian
                 Barr, Emanuel                        Good, John Jr.
                 Bachman, John Sr.                    Good Joseph
                 Brooks, Samuel                       Good, Jacob
                 Beck, Josiah                         Gardner, John
                 Barninger, Daniel                    Graver, John
                 Bostick, Jacob                       Groff, Jacob
                 Byers, Jacob                         Gall, Henry H.
                 Barr, Jacob                          Gall, Martin
                 Brubaker, David                      Gross, Michael
                 Bates, John                          Goutner , George
                 Brenneman, Abrm.                     Graybill, Jacob
                 Coleman, Edward                      Goodman, Jacob
                 Caldwell, James A.                   Harman, Philip
                 Charles, Henry                       Hess, Christian
                 Charles, John                        Harnish, David
                 Charles, Jacob                       Harnish, Michael
                 Conrad, Daniel                       Harnish, David
                 Charles, Daniel                      Harnish, Jacob
                 Costloe, John                        Haverstick, Abraham
                 Charles, Samuel                      Harnish, Abraham
                 Crummel, Christian, Sr.              Hess, Christian
                 Christ Daniel                        Heidlebaugh, Henry
                 Caldwell, Edward                     Hess, Henry
                 Crossen, Samuel                      Hess, Jacob
                 Deitrich, Tobias                     Hess, Abraham
                 Doebler, George                      Hess, Rudolph
                 Duke, Thomas                         Hess, Daniel
                 Derridinger, John                    Heiney, John
                 Erb, Rudolph                         Hershock, John
                 Hable, Conrad                        Miller, Joseph
                 Herr, Martin                         Mundorf, Isaac
                 Herman, John                         Miller, Christian
                 Haverstick, David                    Miller, John
                 Herr, John                           Myer, Samuel
                 Hess, Michael                        Mehaffey, Hugh, Esq.
                 Hersh, Jacob                         Musser, John
                 Hoover, Daniel                       Musser, Samuel
                 Huber, John                          Musser, Jacob
                 Hess, David                          Manart, Jacob Sr.
                 Harnish, John                        Miller, Frederick
                 Hackman, Henry                       Miller, Martin
                 Hess, Samuel                         Miller, Christian
                 Hess, Edward                         Pennypacker, James
                 Harnish, Rudolph                     Russel, Samuel
                 Harnish, Benjamin                    Russel, Michael
                 Henry, Michael                       Ream, Frederick
                 Hillers, John                        Retz Daniel
                 Herr, Christian B.                   Rankin, Samuel
                 Hackman, Jacob                       Rohrer, Henry
                 Herr, Christian                      Rohrer, Christian
                 Henry, John                          Rohrer, Abner
                 Henry, Christian                     Sterneman, Daniel
                 Hershey Christian                    Sterneman, Christian
                 Hess, Abraham                        Stehman, Tobias B.
                 Harnish, Martin                      Stehman, Tobias, Sr.
                 Hess, Daniel                         Shenk, Henry
                 Henry, George                        Shenk, John
                 Herr, Henry                          Shenk, Jacob
                 Jones, John                          Stouter, Jacob
                 Kendig, Christian                    Shenk, Joseph
                 Kreider, George                      Shenk, Abraham
                 Kreider, Christian                   Shenk, Benjamin
                 Kreider, Jacob                       Shoff, Frederick
                 Kendig, Adam                         Stettler, Abraham
                 Kline, George                        Snavely, Christian
                 Kline, Peter                         Stoner, Jacob, Sr.
                 Keeports, John                       Snavely, Abraham
                 Kling, George                        Stettler, Emmanuel
                 Kling, Michael                       Shaub, John
                 Kreider, Michael Sr.                 Sourbeer, Conrad
                 Kendig, George                       Shenk, Christian
                 Kreider, John                        Thomas, Adam
                 Kneissley, Valentine                 Urban, George
                 Kienbortz, John                      Urban, John
                 Landis, John Esq.                    Warfel, Jacob
                 Lipp, Christopher                    Warfel, John
                 Lines, Christian                     Warfel, Jacob, Sr.
                 Lines, Abraham                       Warfel, Daniel
                 Lines, John                          Warfel, Christian
                 Myers, David                         Warfel, George
                 McCartney, John                      Warfel, George
                 Mehaffey, John                       Waller, Rubertus
                 Mylin, John                          Wright, James
                 Mylin, Christian                     Warfel, Abraham
                 Martin, David                        Yentzer, Jacob
                 Miller, Peter Jr.                    Yorden, Daniel
                 Mylin, Abraham                       Yeider, John
                 McAllister, Jacob Esq.               Yeider, Emanuel
                 Mackey, Samuel                       Yordy, Christian
                 Musser, Benjamin                     Zercher, Andrew

Conestoga Centre was originally laid out in 1805, by John Kendig, and consisted of a part of thirty four acres, late the property of Martin Kendig, which John Reitzel, Sheriff, sold to Henry Brenneman in 1805. The original plan of the village was, however, never followed. The village is about a mile and a fourth in length, stretched along a ridge of considerable elevation; contains about ninety houses, and upwards of five hundred inhabitants. It has one post-office, three stores, two cigar manufactories, one saloon, one hotel, two blacksmith-shops, two cabinet-makers' shops, one cooper shop, four churches, three schools, and one shoe store.

Safe Harbor was laid out and built at the time of the erection of the iron-works at that place, though quite a number of houses had been put up there prior to that time. During the continuance of the operation of the iron-works it was the principal centre of population, but at present the greater part of the houses are unoccupied. It contains one furnace, one rolling-mill, one foundry, two stores, one drug-store, one school-house, one church, two hotels, and a postoffice.

Colemanville was built to accommodate the persons employed in the iron-works there erected.

Slackwater.-The greater portion of the houses in this village are owned by John A. Schober, owner of the paper-mills, and are occupied principally the the employees of the mill.

Rockhill is a small-post town situated on the Conestoga River, about midway between Slackwater and Safe Harbor, containing a grist-mill, hotel, blacksmith-shop , about twenty dwelling houses, and a post-office.

Schools-The common school system was adopted by Conestoga township in the year 1836, which had at that time 561 taxables.

In 1837 it had 9 school houses, 9 teachers, and 567 pupils. The tax levied for the same year was $800, the State appropriation was $1124.35; total receipts for 1837, $1960.52; expenditures $1777; expended for buildings, $575.

The tenth school house was built in 1865. This is a two-story brick building. The lower room was owned by the township, and the upper story by a stock company. In 1876 it was burned down, and the school directors purchased the stock company's interest and built a school-house with two rooms, but furnishing and using only the lower for school purposes. All the school houses are of brick or stone, and are valued at an average of $1200 each.

In 1877, or forty years after the adoption of the common school system, the township had 10 schoolhouses, 10 teachers, and 503 pupils. The tax levied was $3989.64; State appropriation, $420.44; total receipts, 5059.64; expenditures $4322.87; expanded for buildings, $600.

For 1882 the tax levied was $3611.75; State appropriation, $435.46; total receipts $5138.77. Expenditures, teachers' wages, $2416; building, $1224.40; total expenditures $4408.01. Cash on hand, $730.76. The present directors are Amos Warfel, H. H. Kurtz , Andrew Good, Adam Good, Jacob Harnish, and Samuel Crossen.

Safe Harbor Independent School District.--This district comprises the property owned by the Safe harbor Iron Company. It was part of Conestoga township until about 1854, when application was made to have it a separate school district.

It has two schools, but at present only one house, the other (a brick) being destroyed by a storm a few years since.

In 1882 the schools were held on the second floor of Odd-Fellows Hall, eighty pupils being in attendance.

The tax assessed for 1882 was $350; State appropriation $22; total receipts, $372; expenditures, $5.00. Present directors are W. W. Bones, president; George T. Rose, secretary; Theodore F. Patterson, treasurer; Christian B. Henry, George A. Tripple, Alonzo G. Hudson.

The teachers of Conestoga Township who were educated and began the work at home were;

Joseph R. Urban, retired.
Casper Hiller, now a fruit-grower.
Calvin B. Kendig, now of Buffalo, N. Y.
Adam Kendig, lately a German Reformed minister, now deceased
John M. Kendig, now a minister of the Reformed Church in Ohio.
John J. Zercher, deceased.
Michael Benedict.
Christian R. Sterneman, now a dentist in Iowa.
W. W. Woods, now of York County.
Samuel L. Fehl , George J. Fehl, now farming.
Ann Costolo, deceased.
Henrietta Costolo, now the wife of John W. Gardner.
James E. Hess, deceased.
Benjamin K. Maynard, now of lancaster.
B. F. W. Urban, druggist and physician, Lancaster, Pa.
Sallie A. Hess, not teaching at present.
Mary E. Lenhardt, now teaching in Manor township.
Peter C. Hiller, now teaching in Conestoga and a justice of the peace.
George E. Lawrence, now teaching in Conestoga.
Samuel B. Good, now teaching in Conestoga.
Samuel S. Mehaffey, deceased.
Sebastion Rohrer, now a house carpenter.
Jacob O. Rohrer, now teaching in Pequea township.
Martin L. Kendig, now a cigar-maker.
William K. Sourbeer, deceased.
Frederick Sourbeer, now a minister of the Reformed Church in York, York Co., Pa.
H. H. Rhineer, now teaching in Conestoga.
Charles H. Fralich, now teaching in Manor township.

Old Mennonite Church-The first building belonging to this denomination in Conestoga township was a small log house, built on the site of the present one about the year 1760, under the supervision of Benedict Eshleman. Among the original members were Joseph Miller, Daniel Hess, Anna Hess, John Reider, Barbara Derridinger, and Jacob Good. In 1828 the log building had to give way to a larger one which was built of stone during the summer of this year. In 1882 the old building was remodeled and made considerably larger. Its present seating capacity is about three hundred and fifty persons.
There are at present connected with the church fifty members, the value of church property being about three thousand five hundred dollars. The following ministers have served the church in the order named: John Shenk, Daniel Sterneman, Samuel Myers, Henry Shenk, John Huber, Joseph Burkholder, Martin Miller, John Harnish, and Abraham Herr, who are the present ministers.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1839, and in the following year a neat frame building was put up. The original members were Simon Richardson, John Wanner, Washington Cooper, Harriet Sweeny, Nancy Richardson, Susan Wanner, and Sarah Harley.

In 1875 the old house was torn down and a new frame building, with a seating capacity of one hundred and seventy-five persons, was put up under the supervision of Mrs. Harriet J. Sweeny. The cornerstone was laid in the summer, and it was dedicated in the fall of 1875.

The following ministers have officiated in the order in which they are named, each having served two years; Jacob P. Hamar, Abner Bishop, Henry H. Blackson, Isaac Gathaway, _____ Johnston, Jacob Anderson, _____ Harris, James Payton, Henderson Davis, _____ Norris, A. A. Robinson, _____ Campbell, J. R. Davis, and L.. L. Hamilton, who is the present minister.

The German Reformed Church, Conestoga Centre, was reorganized on Whitsunday, 1842. The original organization took place a number of years prior to this time. The earliest knowledge attainable is from a deed dated July 1, 1820, for a tract of land containing twenty perches, deeded to them and the Lutheran congregation at Conestoga on a warrant of Aug. 30, 1791, and surveyed on the 12th of October, 1791. At the time of the reorganization Rev. C. F. Hoffman, a student of Rev. G. W. Glessner, was the regular minister for seven years. In 1844 they built a brick church on the same ground on which stood the Lutheran Church (a frame building over one hundred years old), in which they have worshiped since. Rev. E. D. Reinecke, the next minister, served four years; Joel L. Reber, three years; C. W. Hoffmier, two years; J. F. Eckert, twelve years; S. D. Steckel, one year; A. B. Shenkle, nine years; J. P. Moore, six years. The church has a capacity for seating two hundred and fifty persons. The church was remodeled in 1881, under the supervision of J. R. Yentzer. The present value of the church property is two thousand five hundred dollars; the present number of members, forty-five. Connected with the church there is a Sunday-school with an average of fifty pupils.

The Evangelical Association- This association or, as it is known in some localities, "The Albrights" built their first church in Conestoga township, on the road leading from Conestoga Centre to Safe Harbor, in the year 1846, at which time the church was organized. The building was frame, and was used as a place of worship until the year 1873, when they built a new house of brick at a cost of about two thousand dollars. The first trustees were Jacob McAllister, Jacob Hackman, and Benjamin Kneissley. The following are the names of the ministers; Rev. Fred. Danner, Hull, Cole, Shulty, Francis Lare, James Lare, Jacob Addamey, Samuel Hambright, Moses Dissinger, C. Becker, M. Henry, Joseph Specht, Widner, S. Harper, W. Black, Shoemaker, A. Stirk, Samuel J. Homberger, Jesse Lawrence, A. De Long, Markley, Knerr, Jacob Zern, Cautner, and F. A. Hess, the present minister. Benjamin Kneisley is a local preacher in this church, and has been such for a number of years. The number of baptisms have been seventy. There are at present fifty members. The present trustees are Peter Snavely, Benjamin Kneissley, John Lynes, Benjamin Warfel, and Amos McAlister.

Colemanville Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1849 by members of the church at Mount Nebo, Martic township. The original members were Morris Clark, James A. Ewing, George McCombs, Benjamin Stoner, Daniel Keller, and a number of others. These same persons constituted the first board of trustees, and also the building committee. The building, a neat brick, was finished early in the fall of 1849, and was dedicated at that time by Rev. J. Sanderson, who was the preacher in charge at that time and for two succeeding years. The first class-leader was Morris Clark. The land upon which the church was built was donated by Mrs. Coleman. The following are the other pastors who had charge; Revs. Joseph Cook, two years; H. B. Mauger, three years; _____ Edwards, two years; J. N. Magee, two years; ____ Cumins, two years; W. L. Gray, two years; H. H. Bodine, two years; N. W. Bennum, two years; George L. Sheaffer, two years; James Gregg, two years; S. Horwell, two years; W. W. McMichel, two years; F. Illman, two years; F. M. Collins, two years; T. Montgomery, two years; R. C. Wood, the present pastor. During the first year the church was built there were thirty members; at present the membership numbers forty-four. The church property is valued at fifteen hundred dollars.

The Roman Catholic Church at Safe Harbor was organized as part of St. Mary's Church of Lancaster City, about the year 1853. The following year (1854) the puddlers of the Safe Harbor Iron-Works built a neat, substantial stone church. The first clergyman was Rev. John Balf. The house was built under the supervision of the Right Rev. Father Keenan. The other ministers were Revs. O'Brien, J. C. Hickey, and McMonagan.
During the continuance of the operation of the iron-works regular state meetings were held, that is, up to the summer of 1865, after that only at long intervals until the fall of 1880, from then to the fall of 1882 meetings were held every four weeks. There are, at present, residing at Safe Harbor less than a dozen members, and no meetings have been held for nearly a year.

Conestoga Centre Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in August, 1856. An informal meeting was held in the house of Dr. B. S. Kendig early in August, at which time the matter of organizing a church here was spoken of, and a meeting for the purpose of organizing was called for August 13th, at which the following board of trustees were elected; Rev. William Major, Christian B. Herr, James Bones, John Perkins , Joseph R. Urban, Frederick M. Brady, Daniel Rhineer, and John Campbell; Rev. William Major, president; Joseph R. Urban, secretary; and F. M. Brady, treasurer. At the same time the following building committee was appointed; Rev. William Major, A. M. Warfel, Frances B. Groff, John H. Lorimer, and Dr. B. S. Kendig. Shortly after this the building was begun, and in the fall the corner-stone was laid. Rev. Mr. Major conducting the services. The following spring (1857) the church was dedicated to the service of God by Revs. Curtis F. Turner and William Major. The original members were Joseph R. Urban, Elizabeth Urban, Abraham M. Warfel, Elizabeth Warfel, Henry B. Shenk, Matilda Shenk, Frances B. Groff, John H. Lorimer, F. M. Brady, Esther Mehaffey, Daniel Rhineer, Hugh Mehaffey, Esq., Dr. B. S. Kendig, Susan Kendig, John Jones, Susan Jones, Christian Hupper, Mary Hupper, Henry Flinchbaugh, C. K. Henry, John Henry, and Leah Brady. Their first meetings were held in the dwelling-house of Joseph R. Urban.

Following is a list of the pastors of the church and the length of time each served: William Major, two years, assisted by T. J. Martin, three months; C. Walters, one year, assisted by _____ Formosa, one year; H. B. Mauger, two years, assisted by A. Fisher, two years; William B. Gregg, two years, assisted by George B. Shaffer, two years; William M. Dalrymple, two years; John Watson, two years; John Kessler, three years; David Shenk, two years; H. B. Mauger, two years; F. M. Collins, one year; J. G. Hare, two years; F. M. Brady, two years; J. W. Harkins, three years; A. J. Amthor, the present pastor.

There are at present forty members. The church property is valued at two thousand five hundred dollars.

Connected with the church there is a Sunday-school, with an average of sixty pupils, under the present superintendency of B. F. Hookey.

Burial Grounds-In giving these the oldest dates as recorded upon the gravestones can only be given. Nearly all of them were set apart for his purpose many years before, but we have no means at our command of ascertaining the length of time they have been established.

On Valentine Warfel's farm, near Safe Harbor, the older grave marked is that of F. Menart, 1774.

On George J. Fehl's farm, near Slackwater, are stones marked Andreas Fehl, died in 1783; Andreas Fehl, Jr. died 1795; the latest burial, Catharine Lenhardt, Sept. 28, 1880. This lot contains about fifty burials.

The German Reformed Cemetery, connected with the church in Conestoga Centre, contains the following marked stones: Andreas Martin and Peter Kline, 1784; Jacob Metzgar, July 8, 1790. This ground contains about six hundred bodies.

On Christian E. Miller's farm burying-ground, on road from Conestoga Centre to Shenk's Ferry, first marked burial was made in 1797, name illegible. Contains about twenty.

On Jacob Bausman's farm, near Colemanville, the oldest marked grave is that of Barbara Stehman, Jan. 17, 1793; Henry Steman, April 16, 1793, aged forty four years; Peter Warfel, March 27, 1802; Peter Warfel, Jr., Feb. 6, 1803; GeorgeWarfel, Sept. 14, 1804. Latest burial Adam Warfel, October, 1859. Contains about one hundred and fifty bodies.

On Samuel Harnish's farm graveyard at Shenk's Ferry. This ground contains no stones to mark the graves, except the members of the Shenk family who have died lately.

On Elizabeth Kendig's farm, on the road from Conestoga Centre to Slackwater, the oldest marked grave is that of Henry Hackman, who died in 1776, aged fifty-one years; the cemetery contains about seventy-five graves.

On Jacob Stehman's farm, on the road from Conestoga Centre to Slackwater. This burial-ground was established in 1806 by the Stehman family. John Stehman being the first person buried there in that year; Elizabeth Keller, who died in 1880, being the last.

The Colemanville Methodist Episcopal Church burial-ground was established in 1849.

The Colored or African Methodist Episcopal Church burying-ground was established in 1846; first burial was Nancy Richardson, who died at that time. In it are about fifty burials.

The Evangelical Association's burying-ground was first established in 1846 at their church near Safe Harbor, but at the time of the building of their new church all the bodies were removed to these grounds.

The Methodist Episcopal Burying-ground was established at the time of building the church in 1856, and now contains upwards of one hundred and fifty graves.

On Benjamin Good's (now Frank Warfel's) farm near Colemanville; this ground contains about twenty burials.

On the Abraham Buckwalter (deceased) farm, near Conestoga Centre; contains about fifty burials.

The Catholic burying-ground connected with the church at Safe Harbor contains about fifty.

On John Hess' farm, on the road from Conestoga Centre to Marticville , a graveyard was established in 1841, and contains twenty graves.

On Jacob Harnish's farm, on the road from Conestoga Centre to Lancaster, a graveyard was established about the year 1790, and contains about fifty graves.

Conestoga Lodge, No, 334, I.O.O.F., was instituted as Safe Harbor in 1848, and had a successful existence until the breaking out of the great civil war, when the greater part of its members enlisted. After the close of the war its prospects brightened, and it is at this period in a flourishing condition. Its charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania on the 20th day of October, A. D. 1848. The charter members were Benjamin Middleton, James H. Collins, Alexander H. Carpenter, Adna S. Gillet, and Jacob K. Habecker.

The position of Noble Grand has been filled by Rev. George A. Tripple, Urias Warfel, William W. Bones, William W. Tripple, Samuel Crossen, L. D. Douglass, B. F. Hookey, Rev. Ephraim Potts, Samuel Z. Tripple, S. M. Wright, Joseph B. Wright, J. J. Watson, Thomas C. WRight, John Clark, Jacob B. Urban, and others, some of which we have been unable to learn.

The membership at present is sixty. The meetings are held every Saturday evening in the Odd-Fellows' Hall at Safe Harbor. The room is finely furnished, at a cost of about one thousand dollars. The building is now the property of the Safe Harbor Iron Company.

Present officers; Thomas C. Wright, N. B. ; Daniel R. Shenk, V. G.; W. W. bones, Sec; Urias Warfel, Treas.

Kishacaquillas Tribe, I. O. R. M., No. 65, was instituted at Conestoga Centre in November, 1865, and had a successful existence until the year 1877, when it dwindled almost out of existence, but has since revived, and is at present increasing rapidly in membership.

In February, 1876, the building in which the lodge met was burned, which entailed a loss of several hundred dollars upon the lodge, which was the cause of its crippled condition. In 1877 they built a frame building, twenty-six by thirty-six feet, two stories, at a cost of two thousand one hundred dollars, and at present their meeting-room is tastefully furnished, at an additional cost of eight hundred dollars.

The original number of members were fifteen. The charter members were Dr. Peter S. Clinger, Jacob Henry, Benjamin F.Hookey, John J. Watson, Jacob B. Urban, Rev. Ephraim Potts, John Clark, B. Frank Watson, Dr. J. C. Gatchell, John T. Henry and John M. Kendig.

First officers: John J. Watson, Sachem; John R. Witmer, S. Sag; B. Frank Watson, J. Sag.; Jacob B. Urban, H. of Wamp.; Rev. E. Potts, C. of Rec.; J. M. Kendig, Prophet.

Charles M. Howell Lodge, No., 496, F. and A. M., was instituted Aug. 17, 1871, with the following charter members: Thomas J. Davis, of No. 43; William J. Fordney, of No. 43; Charles J. Rhoads, of No. 43; William W. Bones, of No. 43; and David F. Young, W. W. Tripple, Urias Warfel, and John J. Tripple, of No. 156. The first officers were T. J. Davis, W. M.; William J. Fordney , S. W.;' C. J. Rhoads, J.W.; W. W. Bones, Sec.; and David Davis, Treas. The lodge had in July, 1883, forty members, but the aggregate membership has been about fifty. Its meetings are held in Odd-Fellows Hall at Safe Harbor, which has accommodations for two hundred persons, on the Friday evening on or before full moon. The present officers are W. W. Bones, W. M; E. T. Kauffman, S. W.; Theodore F. Seiple, J. W.; W. W. Tripple, Sec.; David O. Herr, Treas.; Dr. E. B. Herr, Chaplain.

Myers Tannery was started in operation in October, 1812, owned by Samuel Myers, and operated by Socrates Myers, afterwards operated by Samuel Myers & Son (Rudolph) to 1839, then by Rudolph Myers from 1839 to 1876, and by Abraham Myers (Rudolph's son) from 1876 to the present time. He tans from eight hundred to one thousand hides and from five hundred to six hundred calf-skins per annum. He uses horse-power for grinding the bark.

Pequea Iron Company was first organized under the name of the Pequea Magnetic Iron Mining Company, on the 23d of January, 1881, for the purpose of concentration magnetic iron ore, being the first corporation attempting to concentrate magnetic ore in the United States. The first officers were John J. Zeigler, president; William Hart Carr, secretary; and John F. Kelly, treasurer. Present officers are John J. Zeigler, president; Samuel Wilson, secretary; and F. F. Bernadon, treasurer, all of Philadelphia. The company owns large and extensive magnetic mines of a low grade, running from sixteen to fifty per cent., , which is concentrated up to seventy per cent. grade, making it fit for all uses of a high grade magnetic ore.

The main building is thirty-five feet by one hundred and fifty feet, with an L thirty-five feet by fifty feet, containing a Fontaine & Abbot engine of eighty horse power, three Foster Crushers, with a capacity of one hundred and fifty tons per day of twenty-four hours, and three concentrating tables. There is connected with the mines a steam-pump capable of throwing 14,800 gallons per hour, and a reservoir with a capacity of 135,000 gallons. Mr. Charles Douglass is the superintendent.

The Safe Harbor Iron-Works, - These works consist of a blast-furnace, foundry, and rolling-mill.They were built in 1846 by David Reeves, Samuel J. Reeves, Dr. Pancoast, and Charles and George Abbott, all of Philadelphia. The building of these works was brought about by the discovery of vast amounts of iron ore in the immediate vicinity. The principal product was railroad iron, great quantities of which were used by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company when the railroad came into possession of the present company. These works continued running steadily from the completion of their building until 1865, when the dam across the Susquehanna River, which connected the Conestoga Canal with the Tide-Water Canal, was destroyed, thus cutting off the means of transportation. They remained inactive until the fall of 1879. The works finally came into possession of David and Samuel J. Reeves, whose heirs are the present owners. The works were all built under the supervision of Mr. John Griffen, the present general superintendent of the Phoenix Iron Company, and it was here that Mr. Griffin first made his wrought-iron, many of which were used during the late civil war by the Union army.

In the fall of 1879 the mill was again put in operation for the purpose of manufacturing puddle iron for the use of Phoenix Iron Company at Phoenixville, and also for working the Du Pay direct process. During the winter of 1879 and 1880 the company built a branch railroad one mile in length for the purpose of connecting their works with the Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad, which runs along the Susquehanna River. The blast-furnace has not been in operation since 1865.

The following gentlemen have been the superintendents in the order named: John Griffen, Wyatt W. Miller, Samuel M. Wright, Isaac Reeves, and Theodore F. Patterson, the latter gentleman being there at present. The product of the mills under his management in the year 1882 was ten thousand net tons of puddle iron.

The Slackwater Paper-Mills-These mills are owned and operated by John A. Shober, of Lancaster. They are located in the north end of the township, on the Conestoga River, from which it receives its supply of water. The mill is used for the manufacture of book and news paper from rags, under the management of the proprietor. Up to the spring of 1866 part of the buildings were used as a grist mill, at which time it was purchased by Emanuel Shober, father of the present owner, and converted into a paper-mill; extensive extensions were made to accommodate the business, and in November of the same year the mill was put in operation. The buildings are in the form of a hollow square, the open face towards the public road leading from Slackwater to Millersville. The front building is three stories high. Upon entering the building we come into the finishing-room, where the paper is made ready for shipment, to the left of which are two twenty horse-power steam boilers, used for generating the steam used for drying the paper and cooking the rags and paper stock, heating the buildings, etc; passing from this room we next enter the paper-making machine-room, which is one hundred and forty feet long by thirty feet wide, wherein is a sixty-six-inch Fourdrinier paper machine, having a capacity of five tons of paper per day of twenty-four hours, and is driven by a twenty-three-inch Leffell turbine water wheel; turning to the left, we next enter the pulping-room, which is forty by eighty feet, in which are four beating-rag engines and one Jordan pulping-engine, which are used to reduce the half-stuff into pulp preparatory to going on to the paper-machine; then turning again to the left, we enter the rag-boiling room, in which are one large rotary rag-boiler, twenty feet long and six feet in diameter, in which the rags are boiled in alkali under a pressure of sixty pounds, with a capacity of boiling five tons of in twenty-four hours, and also iron vats used in boiling, sizing, etc. The second floor front is used for millwright and machine-shops, rag-sorting, rag-cutting, dusting, etc. The third floor front is used for storing rags and all kinds of paper stock. Passing from the pulping-room to the right, we enter a room wherein are three washing-engines, used in washing the rags and reducing them to half-stuff preparatory to using them on the pulping-engines, to the right of which is another rotary boiler, twenty feet long and five feet in diameter, used in boiling stock, also several large iron tanks used for dissolving chloride of lime (bleaching salts) for the purpose of bleaching the rags and other stock used in the manufacture of paper. The second floor of this part of the building is used for storing and assorting. From this part of the building we next enter a room parallel to the face of the main building, one hundred and twenty feet long and thirty feet wide, which is intended for a machine-room, in which another sixty-six inch Fourdrinier paper-machine will be placed during the year. The whole machinery of the mill is driven by five Leffell turbine water-wheels. There are forty persons employed by Mr. Shober. the product during last year (1882) was four tons of paper per day, and will for this year (1883) be six tons per day. All the stock used in this mill in the manufacture of paper is gathered in Lancaster and adjoining counties.

Cigar Manufactories The leading cigar manufacturer of Conestoga township is J. R. Yentzer, who resides in Conestoga Centre. The business was first started by Mr. Yentzer's father in 1830, and by him carried on until 1962, when J. R. began and still continues. Mr. Yentzer employs an average of fifteen persons, and makes upwards of one million cigars annually, which he sells at wholesale and retail. He ships many of his cigars to nearly all the Western and Middle States.
Maris Good began in May, 1882, with one hand and increased during the year to five. There was manufactured at his factory during the year over two hundred and fifty thousand cigars. At present he is manufacturing over fifty thousand per month, and has in his employ at present (July, 1883) 12 persons.

Some of the Prominent Families of Conestoga.-The Miller family originally came from Zurich, Switzerland. The earliest one of the family of which we were able to learn was Jacob Miller. He received a patent for a tract of land in Conestoga township, containing one hundred acres and the usual allowance, from Thomas and Richard Penn. bearing date April 1, 1748.

Jacob had a son named Abraham, to whom he willed the farm, who devised the same to his son John. John, having no sons, devised the farm to his nephew, Amos Miller. At present the farm is owned by David H., the second son of Amos.

Amos Miller was one of the school directors of the township from 1850 to 1854. He died in 1864, leaving the following children: Henry H., married to Barbara Warfel, residing on one of the Postelthwait farm (the one upon which the children of J. Postlethwaite are buried); David H., unmarried, residing on the old homestead; Fanny, married to John Becker, of Lancaster township; and John, unmarried.

Andrew Fehl came from Wutemberg in September, 1749, and first settled in Manor township. He moved into Conestoga township in 1764, and purchased the property that still remains in the Fehl family. He had two sons, Jacob and Andrew. Jacob became the next owner of the farm, and after him his son Jacob, who was the father of Jacob Fehl, Esq., who was a justice of the peace for Conestoga township for over thirty years. This same property is now in possession of George J. Fehl, one of Jacob, Esq.'s sons, his other sons, Samuel L. and Albert, residing close by the old homestead. It was on this farm that the first Court of General Quarter Sessions was held while owned by John Postlethwait, and has now been in the Fehl family over one hundred and twenty years.

The Warfel family came originally from one of the German States. There were three brothers; two of them settled in Conestoga township, one in the northern and the other in the southern part.

Peter Warfel lived on the farm belonging at present to William Rice, his son Adam, next owning the same. Adam had several children, of whom John became a member of the Legislature in 1842, prior to which time he held several prominent positions in his native township. He died in 1865, leaving a widow and five sons and three daughters. The sons of one daughter are yet living.

Amos is in Conestoga township. He was one of the auditors of the township for three years, and is at present serving his second term of three years as a school director. Jacob, residing in Millersville. John M., now residing on a farm originally granted by Thomas and Richard Penn to Michael Quackel in 1761, and by him to Rudy Miller in 1763, and by him to Andreas Fehl in 1764, and by him to Jacob Miller in 1772, and by him devised unto his eight children, and in Orphans' Court, held at Lancaster, it was decreed that John Miller have and hold the same, etc. in 1782, and in the same year sold by him to Henry Lighty, and by him to Daniel Sterneman in 1792. He has held the offices of inspector and judge of elections for three successive years.

In addition to this family, there are other Warfels in the township, prominent among whom are Christian Warfel, who has been school director and auditor a number of years; George W., also a school director; Henry, a very extensive tobacco-raiser and general farmer; George B., farmer; and Valentine, a retired farmer. The Warfel family is not only one of the oldest in the township, but is among its wealthiest and most respected inhabitants.

Casper Hiller was born in Manor township in 1817, and removed to Conestoga township in 1828, since which time he has resided in the latter township. In 1837, one year after the adoption of the common-school system by the township, he began teaching school, and continued until 1849. In the latter year he began a small nursery, growing fruit, shade, and ornamental trees for the accommodation of those wanting them in the immediate neighborhood, and a few years after began growing fruit for profit. In the fall of 1869 he took into partnership with him his son , Peter C., and is yet engaged in the same business on a small scale in connection with a small farm of about thirty-five acres. He was elected a school-director in 1852, and re-elected to fill the position until the year 1865. He was a delegate to the Lancaster County conventions for nominations of county officers for many years, but since the adoption of the Crawford County system of nominating officers, has retired from politics. His children are Peter C., John, Emma, and Clara. Peter C. began teaching in 1866, and has been engaged in teaching ever since, with the exception of three years, and is at present one of the justices of the peace for the township; John, a house carpenter, now employed at the Pequea Iron Company's mine. Both live in Conestoga Centre. Emma and Clara, both married, are residing in Martic township.

Casper Hiller has been prominently connected with the State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania and the Lancaster County Agricultural and Horticultural Society for many years and has produced and read many valuable papers on fruit-growing and farm products before these organizations. He has also been a surveyor and conveyancer for the last forty years.

Martin Kendig emigrated from Berne, Switzerland. He had two sons, Martin and Jacob. Martin had three sons and two daughters. John, one of his sons married Fanny Witmer, and lived in Conestoga township, keeping hotel in Conestoga Centre as early as 1804, on what was then known as the road from Lancaster to Burkholder's Ferry. They had three sons and one daughter, -John Martin, Daniel, and Martha. John married Elizabeth Kline, and from her had three sons and three daughters. After Elizabeth's death he married Esther Sangree, from whom he had one son and two daughters, - Benjamin S., Sarah, and Catherine. Benjamin S. became a practicing physician in 1844, and continued practicing medicine until 1878. In 1863 he began purchasing and packing tobacco, packing that year about two hundred cases, employing a capital of about five thousand dollars, and increasing the business to such an extent that in 1869 he had to build a warehouse twenty-eight by thirty-four feet, and he is at present using it and three large ones in Lancaster, packing this year (1883) four thousand five hundred cases, and employing a capital of two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, employing during the season from sixty to seventy hands. The doctor's father died when he was six years of age, and left him without any pecuniary assistance. All his success in life he owes to his determination in early life to succeed. His children are D. G. (associated with him in packing tobacco, the name of the firm being Kendig & Son), C. Walter, William, Clara, and Esther.

Dr. P. S. Clinger came from Upper Oxford township, Chester Co., in the year 1843. He graduated from Washington University, at Baltimore, Md., in the spring of 1843, and came here and began the practice of medicine in March of the same year. He was prominent in politics of the township and county, being a delegate from Conestoga many years until the adoption of the Crawford County system, since which he seldom takes any active part. He was examining surgeon for the Ninth Congressional District for nine years, serving a part of the time under Lincoln's and the remainder of the time under Grant's administrations. The doctor has had a lucrative practice, and owns one of the finest residences in Conestoga Centre.

Dr. Jacob L. Mowery was born in Strasburg township in June, 1855. At the age of twenty-one years he began the study of medicine in the office of Dr. I. H. Mayer, of Willow Street, and graduated at the Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, in March, 1878, and began the practice in April, at which time he came into this township. In May, 1881, he married Mr. John Steigleman's daughter, of Manor township. The doctor then purchased the property used as a hotel for seventy-nine or eighty years in Conestoga Centre, and moved into it in June, 1881, remodeling it and making therefrom a handsome residence.

Military. The following-named persons served as soldiers from Conestoga township in the great civil conflict:

                          
                 Capt. George H. Hess                       William W. Aument
                 Capt. William G. Wasson                    Jacob J. Brady
                 1st Lieut. Calvin  BKendig                 John A. Diel
                 1st Lieut. Wm. A. Trapnell                 Mifflin A. Campbell
                 2d Lieut. David Warfel                     Martin Daily
                 2d Lieut. Amos M. Sourbeer                 Amos Funk
                 Elias Funk                                 Abraham M. Gall
                 John R. Courtney                           Benjamin E. Hess
                 Frank Sourbeer                             Jeremiah E. Hess
                 Jacob Shaub                                Zachariah E. Hess
                 John F. Dabler                             Daniel Hess
                 William Klineyoung                         Aaron Henry
                 James Boyle                                William Houseal
                 Miller Brady                               David S. Herr
                 Mark Beatty                                Benjamin Harmon
                 Aaron Fralich                              William Hickey
                 John Hill                                  John Little
                 Amos Hoak                                  John May
                 John Hebble                                Henry May
                 Jacob Hiller                               Joseph G. Rankin
                 Isaac Musser                               Martin W. Ressel
                 John McFarland                             William H. Lyons
                 John Sourbeer                              Noah Wade
                 Henry Shoff                                Hiram Daily
                 Franklin Smith                             Charles Davis
                 Charles D. Tripple                         Franklin Sourbeer
                 John W. Urban                              Benjamin F. Daily
                 B. F. W. Urban                             Samuel Lee
                 Frederick Virling                          David Lee
                 Urie Wilson                                Benjamin Fralich
                 Rohrer Phrame                              Joseph Urban
                 John McLaughlin                            Amos S. Urban
                 Jacob Stouter                              William Harley
                 F. M. Sourbeer                             Wesley Evans
                 Frank E. Jones                             Joseph Martin
                 George H. Daveler                          Martin Gossel
                 Jacob Crummel                              Christian Koll
                 John P. Good                               John Sawyer
                 Benjamin Kneissley                         Simon McCue
                 Ephraim Potts                              Amos Daveler
                 Amos Chambers                              Samuel H. Hess
                 Gustavus A. Kendig                         Henry Hall
                 Christ A. Lines                            John Caldwell
                 Benjamin K. Maynard                        Frank Henry

The following is a list of men who went into the field on the invasion of Pennsylvania:

                          
                 Captain Calvin  B. Kendig                       Albert Hull
                 1st Lieut. Casper Hiller                        Jacob Henry
                 2d Lieut. Ephraim Potts                         John Heron
                 Michael Benedict                                Jacob Hess
                 John J. Watson                                  Valentine Kneissley
                 Jacob R. Yentzer                                Samuel S. Mehaffey
                 Eli W. Shenk                                    Obed. Musser
                 Benjamin Hess                                   Amos Musser
                 John M. Kendig                                  John Miller
                 Amaziah W. Erb                                  Benjamin Markley
                 Henry Hall                                      Amos Eckman
                 Christian Benedict                              James McPherson
                 Frank Carrigan                                  John Rohrer
                 Benjamin F. Hookey                              Jacob Ream
                 Benjamin Bortzfield                             Michael Rathvon
                 P. Martin Bruner                                John M. Shenk
                 William  Chambers                               Philip Sourbeer
                 Daniel Eckman                                   David Tressler
                 John Finen                                      Aaron G. Warfel
                 Samuel Gall, Sr.                                Christian Yentzer
                 William Guiles, Jr.                             John Zell
                 Daniel Hess                                     John J. Zercher

CONESTOGA TOWNSHIP
Extracted and Excerpted from the excellent 4 volume History of Lancaster County," Dr. Frederick Klein, 1924.

Conestoga township originally embraced all that part of Chester county which now is Lancaster county. The township of Conestoga, or as it was originally named Conestogoe, was erected in 1718, to have jurisdiction over all the territory in Chester county lying west of the Octorara creek, and ex- tending northward and including the Welsh settlements along the eastern branch of the Conestoga. The first assessment was made in l718, and the list will be found in the Conestoga Manor or Manor Township chapter. In 1720 the township of West Conestoga was formed, to embrace all the territory west of Pequea creek. In 1722 West Conestoga township became Donegal township, the Scotch-Irish settlers in that region bringing about the change of name. With the erection of West Conestoga township in 1720, the remainder of the original Conestoga became East Conestoga township, but with the change of West Conestoga to Donegal in 1722, East Conestoga seems to have reverted to the original name, Conestoga township. The township of Pequea was formed in 1721. Its boundaries were not clearly defined and the territory was not any that is within the limits of the present township of that name; its jurisdiction included the settlements along Pequea creek and its branches, now in Salisbury township.

Erection of Lancaster County-Conestoga was a very large township, and by 1729 had become comparatively thickly settled, though no villages had actually been laid out. Still along the highway some taverns had been estab- lished, and they, with the mills, became to some extent centers of population; they certainly were centers of business as well as social intercourse. One inn, that kept by John Postlethwaite, at a point on Conestoga creek, near what is now Rockhill, in Conestoga township, was destined to come importantly into Lancaster county history. It actually for a while was the county seat, as has been stated elsewhere. The Act of May 10, 1729, "for Erecting the Upper Parts of the Province of Pennsylvania, lying towards Susquehanna, Conestogoe, Dunnegal, etc., into a county," authorized John Wright, Samuel Blunston, Tobias Hendricks, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Edwards, Caleb Pearce, Thomas Reid, and Samuel Jones, who were appointed magistrates, to carry through the organization of the county. These men forthwith proceeded to call a public meeting of the most prominent inhabitants, the venue of meeting being "the tavern of John Postlethwaite, near Conestoga creek, in Conestoga township." They accordingly gathered at that tavern on June 9 "to agree upon the names of townships and define their respective boundaries." The magistrates met again at the same place on August 5, 1729, and then approved the boundaries as set at the public meeting of June gth. Under the new organization, the township of Conestoga was given boundaries as follows: "* * * beginning at the mouth of Pequea, thence up Sasquehanah, thence to said mouth of Conestogoe creek, then up the said creek to the mouth of Mill creek, then by a direct line to Pequea at the mouth of Beaver creek, thence down Pequea to the place of beginning." The erecting act of May 10, 1729, authorized Caleb Pierce, John Wright, Thomas Edwards and James Mitchell, or any three of them, "to purchase a piece of land, to be approved by the Governor, in trust and for the use of the said county, and thereon to erect and build, or cause to be erected and built, a Court House and Prison, sufficient to accommodate the public service of the said county." Perhaps it would be better to permit the remainder of this all-important opening story of Lancaster county to be told in the words of responsible members of the Lancaster County Historical Society, who gathered on October 8, 1915, at the house of Mr. George Fehl, who now owns the original Postlethwaite property, for the purpose of marking, for posterity, the site of the first courts of justice in Lancaster county. The occasion, in its several phases, is reported in print of the Lancaster County Historical Society, its volume XIX, No. 8, being devoted to the subject. The marker is a boulder of limestone rock, weighing about seven tons, blasted from the quarry of A. S. Dombach, at Rock Hill, about half a mile distant from Postlethwaite's. D. F. Magee, Esq., presented the boulder and tablet, which was accepted by Mr.Harry Fehl. After the unveiling, there were some interesting exercises in the orchard of Mr. Fehl, some valuable historical papers being read. Judge Charles I. Landis read a paper entitled "Postlethwaite's and our First Courts;"Mr. A. S. Benedict spoke on the "German-Swiss Influence in Lower Conestoga Valley;" Mr. A. K. Hostetter read a paper on "English and Scotch-Irish Pioneers of Old Conestoga and their Descendants;" H. Frank Eshleman, Esq., addressed the meeting on "Old Conestoga Neighbors, 1715-1729;" and Mr. C. E. Postlethwaite gave valuable family history, "The Postlethwaite Family after 1750."The inscription upon the tablet reads:
On August 5, 1729, at or near this spot on the land of John Postiethwaite, His Majesty King George the Second's Justices met for the first time in Lancaster County and held the several courts of justice. The magistrates present were John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Read and Samuel James. John Wright presided. The Courts were held at Postlethwaite's for August and November terms, 1729, and February, May, and August terms, 1730. This stone and tablet have been erected by the Lancaster County Historical Society on October 8, 1915.

Judge Landis, in his paper, pointed out that "while it is said in Rupp's 'History of Lancaster County' that a temporary court house of logs was erected at Postlethwaite's, it would appear more likely that the tavern was so changed as to make it convenient for the purpose of holding the courts, and this conclusion has I think been generally adopted. I find in the minute book of the Commissioners of Lancaster county, under date of February 4, 1729, the following entry: 'Ordered that John Postlethwaite be allowed the sum of L11 19s. 10d. being for his attendance and provisions on the Commissioners appointed by Governor and Council for the running the division line between the County of Chester and County aforesaid, L11 19s. 10d. And likewise the sum of L7 to be paid him out of the next assessment, being the full allowance for building a Court House for the county service until such time as another shall be built by the Commissioners appointed for that use, L7.' The sum thus appropriated would appear to be inadequate even in that day to cover the cost of a building suitable for this purpose." Regarding John Postlethwaite, Judge Landis said: John Postlethwaite was an Englishman. He settled in Chester County sometime between 1709 and 1713. It is said that he was the son of George Postlethwaite, of Millom, Cumberland County, England. He kept an "ordinary"; near the Conestoga on the Great Road, which led from Philadelphia through the Gap to the Indian town in the Manor. In 1718 Conestoga Township was laid off * * * Postlethwaite must have come to Conestoga after that date, because his name does not appear in the list of taxables of that township for the year 1718. His name, however, does appear in the lists for the years 1724, 1725 and '1726. In August, 1727, his name appears in the list of licenses granted by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Chester County, and on June 20, 1728, he gave his bond, with Andrew Cornish and Michael Michaelson in the sum of L20 each. Our records show that he was licensed by the Court of Quarter Sessions of Lancaster County from 1729 to 1736, inclusive. * * * That he was an intelligent and influential settler is evident, because he was chosen as the first Treasurer of the County, and in 1746 he was one of the Justices. The newly appointed rnagistrates, when a meeting was called to determine the names and boundaries of the townships, met at Postlethwaite's, and their report, which was presented to the Justices at that same place, on August 5, 1729, was confirmed. Postlethwaite was, in 1739, an Indian trader, as he received a license for that year. He was one of the Commissioners that ran the preliminary line between Maryland and Pennsylvania in May, 1739, and he was one of the Overseers of the Poor in 1843. He was a member of the Grand jury of the County in 1733, 1737, and 1746. He was also a member of St. James' Episcopal Church, at Lancaster, and was one of its first wardens. He must have died sometime between 1748 and 1750, for it is recited in a deed from Benjamin Price, goldsmith, and Susanna his wife, to Joseph Pugh, dated April 16, 1752, that a certain tripartite indenture had been made on the seventh day of December, 1750, between William Postlethwaite, eldest son and heir-in-law of John Postlethwaite, deceased; John Miller and Benjamin Price; and also that John Postiethwaite, in and by his last will and testament, bearing date the 22nd day of February, 1748-49, gave and devised, inter alia, to his son, William Postlethwaite, a tract of land on the Conestoga Creek, contain ing 120 acres. I have not been able to learn where he was buried. There is an old graveyard on the original tract not far from the Postiethwaite house, but all the tombstones have long since disappeared, and there is no means now of proving whether or- not his remains lie buried there. Seeing the importance of obtaining the County Seat, he invited the magistrates and some of the prominent settlers to meet at his "ordinary," to consider the subject, and he there provided the temporary quarters in which to hold the Courts. His tavern was widely known in that day, and as it was very near the centre of population of the county, it was regarded by many, on that account, as being the most eligible location for the Seat of Justice. Other places were also urged. Among these was Wright's Ferry. * * * There was also a place called Gibson's Tavern which was advocated, and which ultimately succeeded in carrying off the prize. This place was where the town of Lancaster was soon after laid out.

The Court met for the first time in the county on the first Tuesday- in August (August 5, 1729. George II was then king, for George I died in 1727. * * * No. 1 docket of the Court of Common Pleas opens as follows: "At a Court of Common Pleas held at John Postlethwaite's In Conestogoe the first Tuesday in August in the Third year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George King of Great Britain France & Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. 1729." The Justices who sat were John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, Andrew Cornish, Thomas Read and Samuel Jones. John Wright presided. * * * The Court sat at Postlethwaite's during August and November terms, 1729, and February, May and August terms, 1730.

It is said that an Indian Wigwam first occupied the site where the Postiethwait Tavern was built. In the minutes of the Commissioners of Property, dated August 4, 1715 (o.s.), an entry appears. "Warrants were signed at several times to Robert Hodgson and James Hendricks" for "2 warrants for 3,500 acres at Conestoga at L10 per ct." In Patent Book S, volume 6, page 225, in the office of the Secretary of Internal Affairs at Harrisburg, it is recited that there was surveyed and laid out to James Hendricks by virtue of a warrant dated December 17, 1714 (O. S.), a tract of land on the east side of the Conestoga Creek, containing 1100 acres. This survey was never returned to the office. In the Patent Book it appears that James Hendricks, by deed dated January 22, 1727, sold to John Postlethwaite and Tobias Hendricks 300 acres, and that shortly afterwards John Postlethwaite and Tobias Hendricks divided this land, of which division John Postlethwaite, in two tracts, received 170 acres. There is a deed upon the records of this county, dated November 13, 1738, from Tobias Hendricks to John Postlethwaite, wherein, in consideration of $200, Hendricks conveyed to Postlethwaite 130 acres "at the beginning of the elm tree by Conestoga, at a corner of the said John Postlethwaite's land." It seems that this is the tract of land upon which the Ordinary and Court House were located, and it may be that, while the sale took place at an earlier period, the deed was not then executed and delivered. * * * The name of Postlethwaite's wife was Mary. * * * They had six children, viz.: William, John, Susanna, wife of Benjamin Price, Samuel, Edmund and Richard. It is said that he bequeathed his estate to his children, but if he did, the will was not recorded in the office of our Register of Wills. * * * He owned five tracts of land in Conestoga Township, aggregating about 500 acres. By virtue of the Act of February 6, 1730-31. * * * He borrowed, on October 15, 1742, from the Trustees of the General Loan Office of Pennsylvania, on this land, the sum of L247, and he gave a mortgage upon the property to secure the payment of the money thus obtained. When the debt became due, the payments were not met according to the stipulations of the mortgage, and the Loan Commissioners thereupon, after his death, foreclosed the mortgage and sold the land to Joseph Pugh.

Joseph Pugh was stepfather of the Postlethwaite children, having married the widow of John Postlethwaite a few years after the death of the latter. The Postlethwaite children by right of inheritance had an interest in the land, and they either transferred their right to'their stepfather, or confirmed sales he made. Thus, on October 28, 1761, three of the children gave a release and quit-claim deed to Tobias Stehman for 197 acres of land of the original holding of their father, and on the same date a like release and quit-claim deed was made to Joseph Pugh for 168 acres of land which Pugh had sold to Bear. All the proceedings in regard to the sale of the land were amicable between Joseph Pugh and the Postlethwaite children. Pugh was the officially appointed guardian of two of the children. Pugh was sheriff of Lancaster county from 1755 to 1757, but in the sixties he moved to Frederick county, Virginia.
Further tracing the ownership of the Postiethwaite land, judge Landis writes:

On April 26, 1762, Tobias Stehman deeded 73 acres, and on April 2, 1771, he deeded 22 acres and 102 perches, both included in his purchases from Pugh to Postlethwaite's, to Andrew (Feal) Fehl. On August 8, 1792, Andrew Fehl and wife made a deed for the 73 acres tract to Jacob Fehl, this son. On December 24, 1805, the same tract, * * * was sold by William White, High Sheriff of Lancaster County, as the property of Jacob Fehl, to John Good. John Good and wife signed a transfer for this same land on the back of the last mentioned deed to Daniel Good, but though this transfer was recorded it was never delivered, and therefore Daniel Good and his wife and John Good and his wife subsequently, on March 24, 1838, granted and conveyed the same tract to Jacob Fehl, the son of the Jacob Fehl above-mentioned. The latter in turn, with his wife, on April 1, 1876, conveyed this land to his son, George J. Fehl, who is its present possessor, and in whose ownership it has been now for almost forty years. As all of you know you are now standing up on that land.

How it happened that the courts were removed to the townstead of Lancaster in 1730 was explained in detail by Judge Landis, and is told in another chapter of this compilation. So far as Conestoga township is concerned directly, its particlar connection with the courts of the county ceased when court was convened in Postlethwaite's for the last time in August, 1730.

Under the title of "German-Swiss Influence in Lower Conestoga," Mr. A. S. Benedict spoke in part as follows:
I first wondered why so many German-Swiss came to Pennsylvania. If you will review the early history, you will find that as early as 1671 William Penn was in Germany preaching the religion he loved, and winning honest men to this cause. Again in 1677 he traveled over Europe and preached its principles of peace to a war-weary people * * * he preached his way into the hearts of the Germans along the Rhine. This is why Pennsyl vania became the most important German settlement in the New World. * * *
These Germans that came to Pennsylvania were not an ignorant people. They were the most learned settlers that came to America. * * * Among these early German settlers were such men as Christopher Sauer, of Germantown. * * * In 1743, thirty-nine years before the Bible was printed in English, in America, the Germans of Pennsylvania were reading the German Bible from the press of the learned Dr. Sauer.* * *
It is pleasant indeed to 'follow these early German-Swiss settlers westward through the fertile valleys and over the pleasant slopes of our own great county of Lancaster. * * * We follow them on into ancient Conestoga township. * * * Taking up the public spirit of the German-Swiss on the Lower Conestoga, which includes the original Conestoga, Pequea and Manor townships I have collected these facts:
Among the German-Swiss holding township offices for Overseers of the Poor, Town Clerk, Supervisors and Auditors during the one hundred years from 1740 to 1840, in Conestoga Township, which includes Pequea (the present Pequea Township), the Good family held office for 31 terms; Bachmans, 17; Hesses, 20; Myers, 15; Millers, 10; Warfels, 16; Urbans, 11; Shenks, 11; Thomases, 6; Stehmans, 5; Rathfons, 6; Mussers, 10; Kendigs, 8; Haverstocks, 7; Gochenaurs, 5; Feals, 6; Brennemans, 11; 'Bears, 11; and also others. * * * As to justices of the peace in Conestoga, we have Germans holding office among others, as follows: Martins, 1845-74; Feals, '54, '59,'64,'69; Urbans, '61, '66, '71, '76; Fultons, & ;42, '47, '52, and others. The German-Swiss were zealous enough to hold a fair amount of county offices. Michael Shenk, commissioner, 1804; John Warfel, legislator, 1842; Hugh Mehaffey, register of wills, 1836-39; Jacob Peters, legislator, 1860; John W. Urban, clerk of Quarter Sessions, 1872-74; Amos Groff, coroner, 1875-77; John P. Good, recorder, 1880-82. When we turn to landowners in Conestoga township, for the year 1780, we find the Bear family owned 180 acres; Brennemans, 450 acres; Burkholders, 180; Eshlemans, 640; Fehrs, 100; Hesses, 649, Kendigs, 365 ; Kreiders, 305 ; Lines, 200; Myers, 220; Millers, 480; Resh, 240; Rathfons, 285; Stehmans, 725 Shenks, 580; Urbans, 300; and Warfels, 160 acres. As to the value of our German-Swiss landowners' estates in 1780, we find that Bear's real estate was assessed at L10,000, Michael Brenneman's at L6,000; David John and Benedict Eshleman's at L26,000; Samuel Myers, L8,800; Tobias Stehman's at L14,000, and Michael Shenk's at L6,000. As to the German-Swiss predominance in Manor township, we find out of 280 heads of families, 15 were English or Scotch-Irish, and the other 265 were German-Swiss. When we turn to the Germans of Manor Township taking in the public affairs and official life, we find that in the Legislature of Pennsylvania there were Jacob Krimmel, 1803-1807; Jacob Schuman, 1845-46; Abram Peters, 1861. Jacob Stehman was State Senator in 1854.

Mr. Benedict gave some statistics of "how ancient Conestoga stands in Lancaster county at the present time." He claimed for Conestoga: One thousand one hundred and thirty-one landowners, owning one-seventeenth of the number of acres in the entire county;one-fourteenth of the horses in the county; one-thirteenth of the cattle; one-seventeenth of the county tax and one-sixteenth of all the money at interest; one-fifteenth of the personal taxes; forty schools, as good as any rural schools in the county; sixty-two German- Swiss out of ninety soldiersenlisted from Conestoga during the Civil War. For steadiness of occupation of land, he instanced the Stehman family, which for more than 160 years have owned the farm settled by their American grand-ancestor, Jacob Stehman. Another instance is in the Pfautz family, the first settler of which landed in Philadelphia prior to 1709. "Six generations of his posterity lived in ancient Conestoga township, all tilling the soil as owners or laborers."

Mr. Eshleman's review of Conestoga, 1715-1729, is very comprehensive. In part, it is as follows: In 1729 the actual heart and centre of Old Conestoga that land which our eyes now actually behold, two or three miles in all directions-was dotted with homes of civilized man built a dozen or fifteen years earlier. Off to the east, in Pequea's valley, was the twenty-year-old German-Swiss settlement, with Strasburg and Willow Street as sentinels at its eastern and western limits. To the west, the Conestoga Manor, laid out and settled at least ten years before 1729, was smiling and blooming under the industrial touch and thrifty care of the sturdy German-Swiss Mennonite brethren of that great garden. Off northwest ten miles, Wright's Ferry, just established a year or two before 1729, was the healthy nucleus of the future Columbia; while farther on up the Susquehanna, rugged Donegal was well filled, at least a decade, by the Scotch-Irish pioneer, who worshipped and watched and worked and warred while the German-Swiss tilled the interior valleys. The Hempfields and Manheim had felt the pulse of civilized life a few short years. The Earls had begun to awaken under the magic of the white man's plough. Lampeter and Strasburg regions had ten years at least of progress. The Valley of the Octorara could boast of over one hundred farms. Old Drumore and Martic, carrying within them their unborn daughters (Little Britain, Fulton, and Providence) had throbbed through a dozen years or more, with the active and hardy life of the buoyant Scotch-Irish. In fact, in 1729 this region of Susquehanna, Conestoga, Pequea, Octorara and Chickies, just formed into a new county, had about 3,500 white inhabitants.

Considerable history was made here before 1729. In 1638 Claybourne traded in this section. Forty years before Penn reached Pennsylvania the Swedes carried on commerce with the Indians on the Conestoga river. About 1684 Penn himself visited this region. In 1690 he laid out plans for a small county on the Susquehanna, extending from the mouth of the Conestoga, fifteen miles up the river, in which he designed a model city, to be a second Philadelphia, and drew up a complete plan of government for the same, which he recorded in 1703 in Philadelphia. In 1701 Penn made a second journey to the Susquehanna, coming by way of Chesapeake Bay and going home by travelling up the Conestoga and to its source, and then by French creek to Schuylkill and back to Philadelphia. In 1706 Governor Evans and members of Council, etc., made a treaty with the Indians here, and at mouth of Pequea. The next year, 1707, the Governor, with Colonel French and Mitchel, Bezelion and others came here to make a second treaty, and particularly held an important meeting at Wash ington Borough. In 1710 Governor Gookin and French and Worley visited the Indians here in a treaty. In 1711 another Indian treaty was held at Indiantown, partly to get them to agree not to harm the Swiss Mennonites who had recently settled in Pequa. In 1717, just as a settlement by Whites here took shape, a great treaty was held at Indiantown, between the Governor and Council of Pennsylvania and the chiefs of the Conestogoes, the Delawares and the Shawanoes and the Ganawese to keep land matters peaceable. In 1720 James Logan and his party came here and held the Indian treaty at John Cartlidge's house, to prevent those Indians joining other Indians in war. In 1721 Governor Keith and members of Council and eighty horsemen held a big treaty here at John Cartlidge's house, at which a large gathering of the Mennonite and other settlers were present with the Conestogas and Iroquois Indians, and again in 1722. Also in 1728 Governor Gordon and members of Council and about thirty others held a treaty here, at the house of Andrew Cornish, a mile from Indiantown, and also at Indiantown, Thus we see a great deal of activity was going on here before 1729.
In 1729 an ancient Swede road from the lower Delaware headed into Conestoga. The "Great Conestoga Road," the first great highway from Philadelphia to Susquehanna, had reached out across our new shire over thirty miles, from Octorara to Conestoga, since 1714, just where it lies to-day, before your eyes-now over 201 years old. And for three years the new road from the Earls to the head of Pequea had been in use. Several mills were in operation in different sections of the county. But while all this development had taken place * * * in various sections of the county before 1729, Lancaster Town was not yet in existence; all there was of that town then was a house or two built a year before. This region then was to become, for a little while, the county-seat, because it was fifteen years older than Lancaster. But Conestoga was soon outstripped, when the Hamilton boom took place, where Lancaster now stands.

Who were the Conestoga neighbors in 1729? When did they come here? Where did they live hereabouts? The assessed inhabitants of what is now Lancaster county in 1718 were 129 male heads of families and 12 single men, or 141 in all, about one-third English and two-thirds German. But there were some Welsh of Caernarvon and Whites of other sections also here. In 1722, the most thickly settled sections of Lancaster County were known as Conestoga, Donegal, and Pequea, and they included seven-eighths of all the white people then in what is now our county. Donegal in 1722 had 92 male beads of families; Pequea had 42, and Conestoga had 244. In 1724 Pequea embraced the land about the headwaters of Pequea creek (Donegal included all west of main Conestoga river, principally north of the site of Lancaster), and in it lived a considerable number of German-Swiss, though most of the inhabitants were Scotch-Irish. Conestoga embraced all of our present county from the Susquehanna from and below the mouth of Pequea creek up to Columbia and northeastward of that width beyond Strasburg, Bird-in-Hand, the Earls and Ephrata, etc.

Let us see who the old Conestoga neighbors were: They were in nationality, Scotch-Irish, English, and German-Swiss. They were religiously, Episcopalian, Quaker, Presbyterian and Mennonite. They were industrially, farmers, merchants, millers, blacksmiths, wheelwrights and tradesmen. In discussing these old Conestoga neighbors we shall try to keep within a radius of five or six miles of the spot where we now stand (Postlethwaite's).

Let us now draw a picture of this region all about us as it was 186 to 200 years ago (from 1915). This is the 200th anniversary of the taking up of the central tract of old Conestoga, where we now stand the beginning of the little group of houses called Conestoga town, started in 1715 by James Hendricks, who in that year secured the right to 1,166 acres of land reaching from Rock Hill up Conestoga River eight miles, almost to Wabank, and cast along and south of Stehman's Run, nearly to South Daiiville Old Mennonite church. This settlement differed from the Pequea settlement in the east. While the Pequea colony at Willow street were all Swiss Mennonites, the settlement on Conestoga consisted of a Scotch-Irish and English core, bordering on both sides of the river, surrounded by scores of Gerrnan-Swiss on all sides. Now who were these old Conestoga neighbors of Postlethwaite's time? Who lived within a radius of five or six miles from this place in the days when our first courts were held here, and before? Of English and Scotch-Irish residents, starting with John Postlethwaite and his grown-up son William, and passing up the Conestoga river on the eastern side, dwelling in consecutive order on or near the "Great Road," there were: James Hendricks, John Hendricks, Tobias Hendricks, Thomas Baldwin, Thomas Gale, George Gray, John Linvill, all owners of parts of the James Hendricks tracts: John Farrer, Richard Grist, John Grist, Wm. Hughes, Edmund Cartlidge,: John Powell, Thomas Doyle, Stephen Atchison, and James Lewis. The Scotch-Irish and English people across from the above Postlethwaite's on the Manor side were Thomas and Reese Price, Alex. and Sami. Ritchey, Joshua Low, Danl. McConnell and Alex. Beuse practically all of whose lands adjoined the stream. On the Conestoga side, going up the stream from Postlethwaite's there were Robert Wilkins, Thomas Wilkins, David Priest, James Dawson, Richard Carter, Patrick Keregan. Somewhat separated from the others and over toward Pequea creek, near Susquehanna, were Peter Kline, Peter Creamer, Francis Worley, Joseph Rebman and Robert Baker. Going down the stream on the Manor side there were Samuel Ritchey, Andrew Cornish and John Cartledge as English neighbors. Over to the east on Pequea creek the English and Scotch-Irish, beginning about the neighborhood of Marticville and going down the creek were: William and Robert Middleton, Albert Hendricks, William Sherrell, David Jones, Samuel Jones, John Robinson, John McCreary, practically all on the cast side of the creek; and Daniel Jones on the west side. Off to the west on and near Susquehanna river, beginning about Washington borough and extending up and down the river, the English inhabitants were Edward Srnout, James Patterson, Moses Comb, Martha Bezelion (Bazeillon), James LeTort, Thomas and Robert Wilkins, Jonah Davenport, John Hendricks, and the Chartier descendants. About two miles southeastward fromPostlethwaite's,extending along the southwest bank of Pequea creek from the neighborhood of the "Burnt Mill" below Marticville to near the Conestoga township line, there was a small Irish settlement consisting in succession, downstream, of Robert Ellig, Collum McQuire, John McDonald, and Francis McDonald. And about a miles west of John Cartlidge's farm was the village of the Indians, the Conestoga Indian town. There was another little Indian village in a loop of the Conestoga near Atkinson's.

Who were the German-Swiss neighbors of those English and Scotch-Irish making up the centre of this ancient section between and about 1715 and 1729?
Off toward sunrise, with its western limit at West Willow, was the Pequea Swiss colony; south of it Amos Strettle's 3,380 acres; and southwest of that Herr and Kendig's 5,000 acres.
Above Postlethwaite's, and between the English on Conestoga river on the west and the Swiss tract and Herr and Kendig's on the east, coming down from West Willow and the London or Estaugh tract of over 8,000 acres-toward Postlethwaite's were Harnish, and Herr, and Scliagel and Pretter and Samuel Gulden and John Burkholder and George Kendrick and John Milen and Christ Herr and Benedict Venrich and Hans Moyer and Melchoir Brenneman, and Michael Shenk and Christopher Franciscus, and Jacob Eshleman, and Tobias Stehman and others. The German-Swiss neighbors below Postlethwaite's, east of the Conestoga across to the Pequea, were Jacob Miller, Michael Sprengle, Hans Keagy, Frederick Maynard, Benedict and Jacob Eshleman, John Stoneman, Christian Burkholder, Henry Steh man, Abram Burkholder and a few others.

Across the Conestoga, the Manor-as far north as a line extending from Millersville to Washington borough-had been generally settled for twelve years in 1729, by the German-Swiss. Passing from the Conestoga westward, in tiers, reading from north to south by great large tracts. were: Christian Herr, Abram Herr, John George Seeger, Michael Moyer, * * * Henry Kilheffer, Rudy Herr, John Shank, Christian Martin, Jacob Hostetter (containing Windom), John Herr, Abram Herr, Michael Shenk, Michael Baughman (whose farm included Letort), Jacob Brubaker and Michael Moyer (bounding Indiantown on the cast), John Shank and Martin Funk's 480 acres (including Central Manor), Andrew Kauffman and Michael Baughman's western farm, which reached to the Indiantown 500 acres, and bounded it on the north. Two other Manor tracts lay on the west bank of the Conestoga-Peter Leman's tract, bounding the Cartlidge tract on the south and south of Leman's (was) Michael Creiter's tract of 290 acres, near Safe Harbor.
The large tract of 3,000 acres stretching from Washington borough to Creswell, extend ing eastward nearly to Central Manor and Letort, was reserved by the Penns, prior to 1729. And the remainder of the Manor, south of Creswell and west of Indiantown (except such tracts on the river as the English and Scotch-Irish had taken up) was all vacant in 1729. Thus we have traced out the English and the German-Swiss neighbors for several miles in every direction from Postlethwaite's, in 1729, and for a dozen or fifteen years prior thereto. Out of 285 heads of families and single male adults in; and about old Conestoga, in 1726 or 1728 nearly half of them lived there as early as 1718, as the assessments show. Therefore, in 1729, a great proportion of the people who lived in and near Conestoga were old residents. Some of them lived there since 1712.
Many interesting personal incidents could be told about most of those old Conestoga pioneers. * * * Postlethwaite died a few years too early to make golden returns out of his land investment. He borrowed L247 sterling, on his 496 acres and failed, and it was sold for L500, and a few years later the purchaser sold it in parts, receiving over L3,000 for it. Thomas Baldwin was a brother-in-law of James Hendricks, and a brother-in-law of John Linvill. Tobias Hendricks and Andrew Cornish were the Conestoga members of the county's first bench of judges. John Grist was tried for attempting to dispossess Indians from their land. Schlagel, Worley, and Atkinson all had mills in the Conestoga. James Patterson could fight as well as pray; when his ferry near Washington borough was interferred with he declared, to defend it, he would wade in blood up to his knees. William Clark in his will gave his wife an estate conditioned on "Christian behavior" Daniel Preece in his will gave a daughter a certain share if she marries a Dutchman, but only a shilling if she marries an Irishman. Francis Worley was an important factor in all Indian treaties. John Cartledge was given his land at twenty per cent. off on condition that he looked after the welfare of Indiantown. Samuel Gulden was a Swiss Mennonite minister, and also John Estraugh. Herr and Kendig, who received the 5,000 acres of land, owned everything on Pequea creek below Beaver down to Marticville. They sold it at great profit to many holders. Christopher Franciscus was noted for killing panthers and wolves in the woods, and was a reputed giant. Mart Mylin started brick-making in 1724.
When we turn to the public activities of those early neighbors of Conestoga, we find that thirty-eight of them were signers of the petition of 1728 to create the county of Lancaster, out of 188 signers from the entire county, or over one-fifth. This section furnished more signers, according to the area, than any other. Jones, the Hendricks, Postlethwaites, Gales, Swifts, Linvills, Worleys, Pattersons, McCurrys, Bakers, Middletons and Wilkinses, Highs, Willises, Mitchells, Brians, Powells and Ludford representing the English, and Stoneman, Stehman, Ferree, Barr, Funk, Lemon, Hanspacker, Miller and others, representing the German-Swiss, all signed it.
The court records of Chester county, as to Conestoga township in those days, show that both the English and the Swiss took part in public affairs. Christopher Franciscus was constable in 1722 and 1723, John Roberts in 1724, Benedict Venrick in 1725, David Jones in 1726, 1727, 1728 and 1729 The constable of West Conestoga in 1727 was DanielAshleman, and it, 17--8-29 William Hughes. Peter Worral, John Baldwin, Robert Carter, Thomas Lindley, William Hughes, John Carter, Samuel Lewis, John Baker, and others, early Conestoga citizen.s, served on the grand juries and made up petit juries, etc., in 1720 to 1729. * * *
The steady growth of the ancient Conestoga region from the time when the inhabitants were first assessed here in 1718, is shown by the assessments to be as follows- English, 43; single, 12; and Dutch, 86; total, 141-male heads and families and adults in 1718; 166 in 1719; the same in 1720; 142 Swiss and 56 English in 172I, a total of 196; 66 in West Conestoga and 148 in East Conestoga, total 214, in 1722 * * *; 240 in 1724; 243 in 1725; 285 in 1726.
From 1726 to 1729 the records are missing, as are also those of the first two decades of Lancaster county.
The assessment of 1721 shows the valuation of the property owned by the various citizens of Conestoga. In it we find among the English, John Cartledge (had property valued at) L60 sterling, Francis Worley at L20; Robert Baker at L31; John Gardner at L24; James Patterson at L50; James Letort at L100; and Peter Bazilion at L154. Among the Palatines, the largest landowners and the wealthiest men in 1721 about Conestoga were Christian Herr, L32; John Herr, the same; Martin Kendricks, L60; Christ. Franciscus, L30; John Buckwalter, L40; John Line, L55; Jacob Kendrick, L46; ,Isaac Lefever, L50; and Daniel Ferree, L50 * * *

In religious profession, as we have said, Quakers, Episcopalians, Presbyterians and Mennonites flourished here. The Quaker leaders were James, John, Tobias, and Albertus Hendricks; Francis and Susanna Worley and their family, Rebgcca, Mary, Caleb, and Henry; John and Edmund Cartledge; Thomas and Elizabeth Gale; Samuel Jones, Joshua Low and a few others. These Quakers were them southern branch of the Quaker migration from old Chester; they were likely the earlier branch, arriving about or before 1718. The northern branch followed John Wright to the Columbia locality about 1726. Sufficient proof that they came from old Chester lies in the fact that Worley, Baldwin, Cartledge, Hendricks, Linvill, Hughes, Gale, Worrall, and others all appear as residents of Chester in the Chester county recorder's office records, from 1696 to 1720, etc. Then, too, the Concord Quarterly Meeting of Friends in and about Philadelphia in 1722, as shown by their minutes, resolved that it was "necessary to visit those friends that are removed to Conestoga, etc."The Episcopalian branch was represented by John and William Postlethwaite and others. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts aided their movement to these regions. The Presbyterians living in this old Conestoga region were James Patterson, the Middletons, the Wilkinses, the Carters, the Lindleys, the Atkinsons, the Evanses, and others. The Mennonites were the German-Swiss of the Manor, and in fact the other scores of them on all sides. Somewhere in these valleys did these religious ancestors worship as early as 1718 The Mennonites worshipped here in some sort of meeting house before Masonville church ground was given them out of the Michael Baughman tract, before they received the New Danville church grounds out of the Samuel Gulden tract, before Samuel Boyer gave them Beyerland, and before Benedict Eshleman gave them River Corner. As to the Episcopalians, Hazards Register, volume 5, page 21, tells us that an Episcopal church was built in Conestoga in 1732. That may mean the Episcopal church at Churchtown (Bangor church), far up the Conestoga Valley. The minutes of the Donegal Presbytery of 1723 and other records from the year 1725 onward, make reference to the Presbyterians of "Conestoga" and ministers were more or less regularly sent to them at those dates. Somewhere here, surely, the Presbyterians I have named worshipped. They did not, except one or two, worship at Donegal, because Donegal itself refers to them as "Presbyterians of Conestoga," and sent ministers to them. It seems likely that * * * they were the predecessors of the First Presbyterian Church of Lancaster, and moved in or began to worship there after the county government and other public county activities moved in from Conestoga. It is certain that the calls for ministers by the "Presbvterians of Conestoga" cease and the calls for ministers by the "Presbyterians of Lancaster" begin simultaneously 1741-42. As to the Quakers, who next to the Mennonites were the strongest sect here in earliest times, it seems they worshipped either at Wright's Ferry (now Columbia), or at Bird-in-Hand, or both. These were their first known meeting-houses near here. In 1729 there were large regions round about this place (Postiethwaite's) not taken up. The region of Conestoga Center was not opened up until twenty yearslater. Much of the land about Shenk's Ferry was not taken up until 17.50. The Creswell and Highville also Colemanville and Martic Forge lay dormant also for ten or twelve years the Postlethwaite Courts. The same is true of other adjacent sections.

Thus Mr. Eshleman has excellently laid down the earliest settlement history of the Conestoga. It was not long before the English and the Scotch-Irish in the Conestoga region began to migrate to other parts:

Up the river to Donegal, to join their brethren who first landed there. Pattersons, and Middletons, and Mitchels and Burts and Gardners and Wilkinses, among others, moved there from Martic and Conestoga before 1726. They continued moving out of Conestoga- out of Donegal-moving westward and southwestward; and by 1750 they and their descendants dwelt numerously in the Cumberland Valley, in now West Virginia, tn western Pennsylvania, and along the Ohio. By that time, too, very few of them were to be found in Conestoga. These Scotch-Irish and English followed the frontier-line as it moved west- ward. * * * And thus it happened that they left Conestoga entirely. Not one Scotch- Irish or English Quaker name exists in the Conestoga or Manor region to-day. * * * But on the other hand, the German-Swiss * * * are here in their descendants to this day. Very early they began buying out their English and Scotch-Irish neighbors; and many patents issued to German-Swiss settlers for land warranted to Scotch-Irish and English holders attest this fact. * * * The stocky steady German-Swiss are here to-day, guarding the graves of their fathers, helping to feed the world from the soil, heightening the glow- ing sunset over Conestoga's valley, by reflecting upon the sky the lustre of their golden corn, and "Holding fast to that which is good.";

Conditions in Conestoga township at about the beginning of the nineteenth century were referred to by Casper Hiller in a paper he read in 1896 before the Lancaster County Historical Society:

In those pioneer days they had no coffee, no-tea, no muslin or calico, nor hundreds of other things which we think we must have;. But they had plenty of fish-shad, herring, catfish, rock bass, perch, suckers, mullets, etc. In the forests were found deer, turkeys, squirrels, etc., in abundance. In a very short time they raised their own beef and pork, and the breadstuff was never wanting. They sowed flax, the rain rotted it and they broke, scutched, hatcheled, spun and wove it in their own houses. The wool was worked into cloth, mostly in the linsey-woolsey style, and then the tailor came around and made suits for the men and boys that were considered good for a year. The women made the bedding and their own clothing.

Our forefathers were not poor. They were contented and happy people. Rupp in his history gives the names of over twenty thousand immigrants (from the Palatinate), many of whom found their way into Lancaster county, and they could not have been so very poor, as their fine farms and substantial buildings of one hundred and fifty or more years ago attest. Of the substantial buildings dating back a century and a half we have yet five remaining in our towniship. They are large two-storied stone structures, so firmly built that they will be good for another hundred years. When we compare their living with the present style we might think them poor. Take from us the luxuries to which we have become accustomed and we would consider ourselves poor indeed.

About one hundred years ago, continued Mr. Hiller, "innovations came in fast. We then had true coffee. On Sundays we had tea. Muslin and calico and carpets came in. My first baby-clothes were calico; I think it cost fifty cents a yard." He said further:

Mills, of necessity were the first manufacturing places. Probably the oldest was at the mouth of the Little Conestoga creek; backwater from the building of the Slackwater navigation in 1827 ruined this. The next was the Shenk mill, on the Pequea, on the road between Conestoga and Marticville. This was replaced (after a fire) by a new building. Sawmills were connected with all of the old mills. Hardwood furnished all the building material. Among our old industries was a gun-barrel factory. Itwas owned by MichaelReyner, and stood along the run now the boundary line between Conestoga and Pequea townships. My grandmother Resh, nee Hess, who died many years ago, aged eighty-four years, knew all about the old bore mill. She called the owner "Bore Michael" She said that at one time things did not work right, and Michael said things were "ferhext"; (bewitched), and he said: "ch will der a-inoi dunner vetter geve." She then got a dead hog, laid it on the fire and put the full blast of the bellows on it. * * * It must have been effectual, for Michael made gun barrels afterwards. Unfortunately I failed to get dates, but it must have ceased work shortly after the Revolutionary War. Seventy-five years ago (1820) there was not a trace of the building left---only a ditch overgrown with trees and bushes that was the water race that furnished the power. We have an oil factory; the building was torn down within fifty years. Ponderous stone rollers and large presses remained in it to the last. Flax seed was principally used for oil, but castor oil was also made; a half-barrel of castor beans re- mained to the end. When this mill ceased operation History sayeth not. The stocking weavery operated by John Yentzer ceased working about 1815. It had been in operation many years. Whisky distilling was introduced early. I can point out ten sites where whisky was made in the past. Probably the oldest was on the Sterneman farm, now J. M. Warfel (farm). It has been out of operation over one hundred years. We have no distillery now (1896). About the year 1800 weaving began to die out. As late as 1830 we had three weaver shops, using two to six looms. The general introduction about that time of cotton goods put an end to flax-raising and to the looms. We have not a loom in the township now. Our only tannery is operated by the great-grandson (A. Myer) of the originator. It is probably 130 years old.

Peter C. Hiller, in a "History of Conestoga Township" written by him in 1883, stated that Myers' tannery was first brought into operation in October, 1812. He said it was owned by Samuel Myers, and operated by Socrates Myers, afterwards operated by Samuel Myers & Son (Rudolph) to 1839, by the latter from 1839 to 1876, and by Abraham, the son of Rudolph, from 1876. At that time he was using horse-power for grinding the bark, and was tanning from 800 to 1000 hides, and 500 to 600 calf-skins annually.

The limits of Conestoga township were reduced in 1853 by the erection of Pequea township, which took from the eastern part of Conestoga. As now bounded, Conestoga township has Manor township on 'the northwest, Lancaster township on the north, Pequea township on the east, Martic township on the south, and the Susquehanna river on the west. Its area is 19,600 acres, probably as good farming land as can be found in the county. The communities are Conestoga Centre, near the center of the township, Rockhill in the northwest, Slackwater in the north, Safe Harbor in the west, and Colemanville in the southeast. All are villages, and there is not a borough in the township.

Conestoga Centre was platted in 1805, by John Kendig, on part of thirty-four acres which had originally belonged to Martin Kendig, and had been sold by the sheriff, John Reitzel, in 1805, to Henry Brenneman. Possibly this disturbed the original plans; at all events, they were not followed, and the village stretched along for about a mile on a high ridge. In 1880 Conestoga Centre was a place of 500 inhabitants; its population is now about 600. In 1880 there were about ninety houses; it was a post-town, and had three stores, two cigar factories, two inns, two smithies, two carpentries, one cooperage, four churches, three schools, and one shoestore. The position is proportionately better to-day. Conestoga Centre was laid out by John Kendig, primarily because he was the landlord of a tavern at that point in 1805. His hotel was on the road from Lancaster to Burkholder's Ferry. Another Conestoga Centre tavern of early days was that kept by Peter Kline, on the road from Lancaster to Martic Forge. Tobias Kendig early kept an inn at Conestoga Centre, on the same road.

Colemanville seems to have begun to grow at about the time Edward Coleman, son of Robert, built the Colemanville forge and rolling mill upon the Forge property in 1828.

That part of Safe Harbor which is in Conestoga township came into vigorous 1846, when the ironworks began to be constructed. It faded away however when the ironworks were closed. Much of the history of this place will be found to have been stated in the Manor township chapter. For a long time during the busy period of the ironworks, a Catholic Mission was maintained at Safe Harbor by an assistant priest of St. Mary's, Lancaster."The mission at Safe Harbor was organized in 1854, by Rev. John Balfe. The place of worship was built in Father Keenan's supervision, Fathers O'Brien and Hickey. During the operation of ironworks, up to the summer of 1865, Mass was said there every second Sunday, but from then until 1880 only at rare intervals, and since then not at all. Among the early taverns at Safe Harbor was that kept by Jacob Menart, on the road from Columbia to Martic Forge. The building was afterwards known as the "Mansion House" at Safe Harbor. It was destroyed by fire in about 1880, and was never rebuilt.

Jacob Menart also kept a tavern on the road from Lancaster to Safe Harbor, and around it grew Slackwater. The village owed its existence, however, to the paper-mills of John A. Schober, most of the houses being owned by him and tenanted by his workmen. The Slackwater paper-rnills were established as such in 1866, by Emanuel Shober, though part of the buildings had been formerly used as a gristmill. The paper plant soon found employment for about forty men constantly.

Rockhill is a small village situated on the Conestoga river, about equidistant from Slackwater and Safe Harbor, and near to the historic Postlethwaite's tavern. There was also a grist mill at this point.

The population of Conestoga township in 1880 was 2,550. It has been gradually decreasing ever since, and in 1920 its population was only 1,323. It is still, however, one of the rich spots of Lancaster county, and will ever be the historical center of the county.

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