Hillsgrove
Township
Main Street
Hillsgroe, PA
Undated Photo of Old Postcard
Source: Deb Wilson
Note "F. Brey" Inscription on the Photo.
Frank P. Brey was the son of
John and Sarah (Huffsmith) Brey.
It is not known if he is shown in the picture or, otherwise, why his name is shown here.
Transcribed by Connie Hembree Gaban
December 2009
Note: Photo captions are listed at the end of this history with the page number they originally appeared on. The photos themselves can be found in the PDF Version of this document.
ORGANIZATION
Hillsgrove Township
at the time that the first settlements were made formed a part of Shrewsbury
Township, Lycoming County. At the time the county was organized, in 1847, it
formed a part of Plunkett’s Creek Township, Lycoming, and retained that name
until 1856, when an act of the legislature was passed changing the name to
Hillsgrove. The village and post office had been called Hillsgrove during the
time the township was called Plunkett’s Creek. The name Hillsgrove is derived
from the name of a prominent early settler John Hill. Hillsgrove Township is
bounded on the south and west by Lycoming County; on the east by Forks and
Shrewsbury Townships.
SURFACE
AND DRAINAGE
Hillsgrove Township
has two elevations. The south and southeastern sections have a northwestern
slope. The western section has a southern slope. The first elevation is drained
by the Loyalsock Creek, which flows through the township from the northeast
toward the southwest, and the tributaries of the Loyalsock, which are Dry Run,
Ogdonia, and Kettle creek, a branch of Ogdonia.
The second elevation is drained by the Loyalsock and its tributaries
from the north which are Mill Creek, Slab Run and Huckell’s Run. The
northwestern corner of the township is drained by the headwaters of Plunkett’s
Creek, which empties into the Loyalsock Creek in Lycoming County.
NATURAL
RESOURCES
The valley of the Loyalsock is quite narrow and contains
some very fertile flat land. The soil on the elevations is mostly of the
conglomerate formation and is not very fertile. Coal has been opened in the
southern section and also in the western section of the township. The Loyalsock
affords excellent water power and for many years a number of mills were located
on the stream.
PRODUCTS
AND INDUSTRIES
The chief industry of the township for nearly a century has
been lumbering. In the early days the pine timber was cut and manufactured at
the mills along the Loyalsock and rafted to the mouth of the creek and thence
down the Susquehanna to the markets along the river. Later hemlock timber was
manufactured, and after the tannery was built, most of the timber was floated
to Montoursville and manufactured there.
For
the last thirty years a tannery has been in operation at Hillsgrove and leather
has been manufactured extensively. On the bottom lands along the Loyalsock
Creek are found some excellent farms.
EARLY
ROADS
The first road in Hillsgrove was made by Samuel Wallis of
Muncy. Mr. Wallis purchased a large number of tracts of land along the
Loyalsock and to get supplies to his surveying parties cut a road from Muncy to
the summit of the Alleghany, thence down the mountain to Hillsgrove and up the
creek to Forksville, this was called the Courson Road. This road was probably
cut out in 1793.
The Genessee Road was
opened about 1800. This road was an emigrant route built from Muncy to
Monroeton. It was called the Genessee Road because it was the main emigrant
line from central Pennsylvania to the fertile valley along the Genessee River
in New York. The road started at Muncy, then called Pennsburg, passing the
house of William Ellis on Wolf Run, and Abraham Webster near Hunterville;
thence over the Allegheny near Highland Lake and down Ogdonia Creek to the
Loyalsock and up that stream to Elk Creek, thence up that stream to Lincoln
Falls and through Elkland and Monroe Townships to Monroeton.
EARLY
SETTLERS
The first white man who settled within what is now Sullivan
County, as far is as known, was Daniel Ogden. He located at the mouth of
Ogdonia Creek, below the village of Hillsgrove, probably about 1786. Ogdonia
Creek derives its name from him. It is said that Ogden like many other American
pioneers did not care for society, disliked near neighbors, and when the
Englishmen began to move in around him, left the place. He was a hunter and it
is said that he and his family got into canoes when they left and went down the
Loyalsock Creek to Montoursville and up the West Branch to other hunting
grounds about 1794.
James Ecroid, an
Englishman, located at Hillsgrove before Ogden left. He made some improvements
on the lands later owned by Jonathan Lewis. The following incident is related
in a publication of Mr. Gernerd, of Muncy. “On Saturday, the 30th of
January, 1796, James Ecroid set out to hunt and lost himself in the woods. The
whole neighborhood drove the woods every day, yet he was not found until
Friday. He had wandered eight miles from the nearest house yet had been twice
within a quarter mile of Hillsgrove. In crossing a run by means of a pine log
he had slipped in the water and wet his lower extremities, and subsequent
exposure to frost, on one of the sharpest nights in winter, resulted in the
loss of most his toes. The dog bark disclosed his whereabouts, and he was found
by an expiring fire in an exhausted condition.” About 1801 Mr. Ecroid moved to
Elkland Township.
The most noted, though not of the most successful effort
made to settle on the wild lands of Sullivan County was made by the French.
During the French revolution when Louis XVI was driven from his throne and many
of the French Royalists were compelled to flee from France, a colony of the
French refugees located in the Wyoming Valley. A company was formed, which took
steps to purchase 200,000 acres of land in what is now Bradford, Luzerne,
Lycoming and Sullivan Counties, 100,000 acres of this land was along the
Loyalsock Creek. An agent of the company, Charles Rui Roulogne, while on an
inspecting tour with a servant traveling on horseback, in crossing the
Loyalsock Creek at Hillsgrove was drowned on July 20, 1796. Mr. Rui Roulogne
was buried at Hillsgrove. He was the first person buried in the cemetery at
that place.
When Napoleon became
Consul of France he invited the Royalists to return to France; most of them
returned and the project to locate a large colony of French in Sullivan County
was given up and instead of the French locating in the Loyalsock Valley, the
English colonists occupied it.
About 1797 Griffith Griffey located on the land now owned by
L.B. Speaker. He built a log hut on an elevation back of the flats along the
mountain side so as to be out of the reach of the floods; he planted a small
orchard and lived there about ten years. He was a squatter as no survey had been
made of the lands. Charles Edwards succeeded him and lived there two years.
Thomas Wallis then lived on the farm a short time. Richard White obtained a
clearing lease and cleared up considerable land, and built a small frame house
and a log barn. He died about 1833, and his widow remained there until about
1841 when John A. Speaker purchased the property and took possession of it.
John Hill located at
Hillsgrove about 1789 and took up the flat land on the west side of the
Loyalsock Creek for a distance of two miles along the creek and half a mile
back toward the mountain. The land was surveyed and patented about 1794. Mr.
Hill died July 1, 1831, aged 82 years. Mr. Hill had three children, two
daughters and one son:
Mary married David Rogers of Hillsgrove.
Martha married Isaac Craven of Hillsgrove.
John S. died 1841, aged 41 years.
David Rogers was born January 9, 1793, in Yorkshire,
England. He was a son of Samuel and Ann (Grant) Rogers. Mr. Rogers came to
America with his parents in 1801 locating for a few months near Philadelphia
and the same year purchasing lands at Forksville and commenced to improve the
same. David Rogers married Mary Hill, a daughter of John Hill, of Hillsgrove.
She was born at Hillsgrove, April 14, 1799. She died August 21, 1859. They
located on the northern section of the Hill farm which was divided into three parts,
one part for each of the three children. To Mr. and Mrs. Rogers were born:
Martha Jane married to Mr. Davis of Bradford County.
Ann C.
John H.
Mary H. married Samuel Ives of Muncy, Pa.
Robert F.
John H., Robert F. and Ann C. remained single and lived on
the homestead, which since their death, was owned by their niece, Anna Ives,
and was sold recently to J. Robert Molyneux, who now occupies the same. It is
claimed that John H. Rogers was the originator of the United States postage
stamp. He was at one time a postmaster and suggested to the Government the
printing of postage stamps as a method of simplifying the old way of paying
postage.
Isaac Craven came to Hillsgrove at an early date and married
Martha Hill, a daughter of John Hill. They located on a portion of the Hill
lands, which was, after his death, owned by the saddlers and later by Richard
Biddle and others. Mr. Hill, while on a visit in Lycoming County, died very
suddenly, October 4, 1841.
Joseph Huckell, with his brothers, John and Thomas, disposed
of their property near Birmingham, England in the year 1797, and came to
America. Thomas located at Forksville and Joseph purchased land from Joseph
Priestly of Northumberland and located at Hillsgrove on lands now owned by
Aaron Lewis. The deeds transferring the lands from Mr. Priestly to Mr. Huckell
are dated February 12, 1805, which was probably the date of Mr. Huckell’s
locating at Hillsgrove.
Mr. Huckell married
an English lady named Danley. They had only one child, a son named Benjamin,
who located on the homestead on reaching his majority. He married Margaret
Plotts; she was a daughter of John Plotts of Hillsgrove. To Mr. and Mrs.
Huckell were born:
Joseph, dec’d of Kansas
Rachel,
dec’d, married John Brandon of Kansas
Elizabeth, married Jonathan Rogers, dec’d of Lincoln Falls
Catherine, dec’d, married John Lochard of Kansas
John, dec’d of Kansas
Margaret, dec’d, married John Savage of Lewisburg, Pa.
Benjamin, deceased
Wheeler, deceased
George,
deceased
Mary, deceased
Emeline, dec’d married Aaron Lewis
Henrietta, married Oscar Sprague
Harriet, married Edward Weisman
G.T. of
Montoursville, Pa.
Richard Green came from New Jersey and located at Hillsgrove
at an early date. He purchased 50 acres of land where Edward McBride now lives,
later he purchased 330 acres of land where John Green now lives. Mr. Green
married Mary Plotts. The Plotts came from New Jersey and located at Plunkett’s
Creek at an early date. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Green were:
John of Lycoming County
Wheeler
of Hillsgrove
Joseph of Illinois
Alfred
of Davidson Township
Isaac of Hillsgrove
Robert died in infancy
William
of Hillsgrove
Sarah married Lorenzo Yaw of Hillsgrove
Anna married George Pardoe of Elkland
Rachel married George Christman
Harriet married James McBride of Hillsgrove
Wheeler Green was born at Hillsgrove, September 12, 1814. He
married Harriet Ball a daughter of John and Ann Ball. She was born May 28, 1811
and died December 12, 1874. Mr. Green located on his father’s farm, now owned
by John W. Green and John Brey. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Green were:
Sarah married Dr. Wm. Randall of Forksville
Ersaline married Abel Fogle of Tioga County
Mariah J. married Wm. Starr of Hillsgrove
John W. lives on the homestead
Isadore [sic]
married Henry Vroman of Hillsgrove
John A. Speaker was born at Huntington, Huntingdon, County,
Pa. in 1805. He was a son of Jacob Speaker, a native of Switzerland. He was a
soldier and while stationed at the Isle of Guernsey, married an English lady
and later came to America locating at Huntingdon. He afterward returned to his
native land and joined the army and was a Captain of Infantry in the allied
forces under Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. He was never heard from
after that battle. Ten years later Mrs. Speaker married a Mr. Meyers and
located with her husband at Huntingdon. John A. Speaker was bound out and came
to Hillsgrove in 1815. Upon reaching his majority he married Sarah Ann Ball.
She was a daughter of John Ball, of Hughesville, who was a native of England.
Mr. Speaker lived some time on the farm now owned by John Green. Later he
purchased the farm now owned by his son, Lyman B. Speaker. John A. Speaker took
a very active part in public affairs and was one of the leading men in the
county at the time the county was formed and the county seat was located. He
was appointed associate judge in 1851 by Governor Shunk, with Judge Colley. Mr.
Speaker died October 7, 1868, aged 63 years. Mrs. Speaker died October 7, 1901.
Mr. and Mrs. Speaker had but one child, Lyman B.
Lyman B. Speaker was
born January 30, 1839. Mr. Speaker received a liberal education and located on
his father’s farm. He has always taken a very active part in public affairs and
has been a township officer almost continuously. He married Ida A. McBride in
December, 1863. She was a daughter of Samuel K. and Mary (Brobst) McBride of
Hillsgrove. Mrs. Speaker and two sons, Fred and Raymond were drowned while
crossing the Loyalsock Creek in a boat on Christmas Eve in 1881. They had been
attending Christmas exercises at Hillsgrove and while returning the boat was
accidentally upset. To Mr. and Mrs. Speaker were born;
Trevar, died at age 2 ½ years
Harry,
died at age of 5 years
Fanny, died at age of 5 months
John
A. of Hillsgrove
Fred,
deceased
George, of Hillsgrove
Raymond, deceased
Samuel K. McBride was
born April 8, 1807, in Northumberland County, Pa. He was a son of Jeremiah
McBride who came from Scotland. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Samuel K. McBride married Mary Brobst of Pottsville. She was born March 15,
1801. They moved to Hillsgrove in 1852. Their children were:
James H. went West
Henry, of Canton Pa.
Richard R., of Hillsgrove
Charles B., dec’d, of Williamsport
Margaret, married Jacob Galough, dec’d
Ida A.
dec’d, married Lyman Speaker
Annetta, married Wheeler Plotts of Estella
Pa.
Samuel K. of Williamsport
John, of Hughesville
Sarah, died in infancy
Ellen, died at the age of four years
Jonathan Lewis came from Sickling Hall, Yorkshire, England
to America in 1844, locating first in Elkland Township, and in 1845 moved to
Hillsgrove Township. Mr. Lewis purchased the farm now owned by Moses Lewis near
Hillsgrove. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were:
Aaron of Hillsgrove
Moses of Hillsgrove
Marion of Hillsgrove
Robert of Hillsgrove
Cyrus of Hillsgrove
Elizabeth married Samuel Williams
Ann married Benjamin Lewis
Aaron Lewis was a son
of Jonathan Lewis. He was born at Sickling Hall, Yorkshire, England, October
14, 1838 and came with his parents to America in 1844. Mr. Lewis married
Emeline Huckell. She was a daughter of Benjamin and Margaret (Plotts) Huckell,
of Hillsgrove. Mr. Lewis located on the property formerly owned by Augustus
Lippincott. Mr. Lewis has been very successful in business and has accumulated
considerable property. Mrs. Lewis died July 11, 1884, aged 41 years, 7 months
and 21 days. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were:
Lela [sic] married Fred Darby of Los Angeles Ca.
Melvin of Hillsgrove
Margaret E. married E.J. Wagner of
Harrisburg Pa.
Josie B. at home
Frankford, at home
Isaac K. Lippincott, Freehold, New Jersey, purchased two
four hundred acre tracts of land below the village of Hillsgrove, and built a
sawmill. Augustus, his son, took charge of the business and in connection with
the lumbering business, conducted a general store about 1850-1860. Mr.
Lippincott married Mary W. Jackson a daughter of Josiah and Mary W. (Abbott)
Jackson, of Dushore. Mr. Lippincott later moved to Dayton, Ohio.
John Plotts came from Trenton, New Jersey, to Hillsgrove,
with his family at an early date. He married a Miss Barnes. They had a son,
George Plotts who married Catherine Bull for his first wife and Lucy Huffman
for his second wife. George Plotts located on Bear Creek, Lycoming County. The
children of Geo. Plotts by his first wife were:
Sarah dec’d married S.S. Rogers
John J. of Estella Pa. Wheeler H. of Estella Pa.
>Elizabeth married Stephen Ellis of Montour
County
Catharine married Theodore Buck of Canada
Ambrose deceased
George of Maryland
By his second wife:
Clara married John Brown of Montour County
William A., of Northumberland Pa.
Gershum, of Montoursville, Pa.
Frank, of Potter County
A.L. of Elkland Township
Austin
Hiram, of Milton, Pa.
Harry, of Strawberry Ridge, Pa.
Ward, of Clarkstown.
Henry Dye was born in
Berry Township, Montour County, Pa. in 1819. The Dyes originally came from
Holland. Mr. Dye came to Hillsgrove about 1840 and about 1843 was married to
Effie Woodley. She was a daughter of Abraham and Anna (Farley) Woodley, of
Hughesville. She was born January 10, 1823. Mrs. Dye died in 1860 and Mr. Dye
in 1875. To Mr. and Mrs. Dye were born:
Martha, died in infancy
Susanna, dec’d, married C. Snyder of Elkland
Township
Alice S., married Elisha Cole of Towanda
Frances L., died in infancy
John H., dec’d of Plunkett’s Creek, Lycoming County
R. Bruce, deceased
Deborah D., married Willis Messer of Waverly
New York
Clinton W., of Towanda
Mary R ., died in infancy
The tannery at Hillsgrove was built in 1870 and 1871 by
Andrew Hawver. It was sold January 14,
1874 to B.G. Brandon & Co., who sold it to Hoyt Bros. in 1878. Hoyt Bros.
rebuilt and enlarged the plant and conducted an extensive tanning business in
1894, when the tannery and a large amount of land which had been acquired, was
transferred to the Union Tanning Co., which is conducting the business, giving
employment to a large number of men.
The lumbering business of Hillsgrove in its early history
was confined mostly to pine lumber, which was manufactured at the mills along
the Loyalsock and rafted down the creek to Montoursville and thence down the
river to various markets. Since the tannery has been in operation, the
lumbering operations have been confined mostly to hemlock timber which has been
floated to Montoursville in the logs and manufactured into lumber, etc. at that
place.
The population of Hillsgrove Township in 1980 was 805 and in
1900 686. The decrease in population is owing to the decrease in the lumbering
business.
C.W. Sones has built a narrow gauge railroad from Eagles
Mere to the village of Hillsgrove and thence to Hillsgrove Station on the
Susquehanna & New York railroad. This road gives Hillsgrove an outlet and
will bring into the market much hardwood lumber still remaining in the
township.
THE
SOLDIERS
The following is a
list of those who served in the Civil War from Hillsgrove Township: E.W. Snell,
B.F. Snell, Wm. Snell, Luther C. Snell, Charles Snell, David Bryan, Samuel
Bryan, Losson Bryan, Jacob Sherman, Benjamin Bryan, wm. Lancaster, Herman
Molyneux, Philip Fensel, Sylvester Green, George Green, Samuel Yaw, David R.
Davis, Thomas Craven, John C. Craven, Lucian Bothwell, John C. Campbell, Wm.
Campbell, Henry Campbell, Wm. J. Warner, Lewis Warner, Richard McBride, Wm.
McBride, Peter Hummel, Reuben Bostwick, James Northrop, Wm. Cox, Jack Gilson,
Eli Dickerson. Total number, 33.
RICHARD
MCBRIDE
Was born at
Pottsville, Schuylkill County, November, 22, 1833. He was a son of Samuel and
Mary (Brobst) McBride. The McBride’s are Scotch descent. Samuel McBride came to
Hillsgrove in 1852. Richard McBride enlisted in the 48th Regiment,
Co. D, Infantry, in 1864, and remained in the army until the close of the war.
Mr. McBride married Agness Bennett, who was born at Eagles Mere in 18740. She
was a descendant of the Bennett’s who came from New Jersey to Eagles Mere in
1809. Mrs. McBride died in June 1902. To Mr. and Mrs. McBride were born four
children: Samuel K., of Hillsgrove; Aubry, died at age 4 years; Ida, died at
age 7 years; Eva, died at 2 years.
Samuel K. McBride was born at Hillsgrove in 1860. He married
Lizzie Chapman, a daughter of Charles Chapman; of Montoursville, Pa. Mr.
McBride is engaged in conducting a boarding house at Hillsgrove. To Mr. and
Mrs. McBride have been born two children, Freta and Kenneth.
EDWARD
MCBRIDE
Was born at Hillsgrove in 1855. He was a son of James H. and
Harriet (Green) McBride, of Hillsgrove, and a grandson of Samuel K. McBride who
located at Hillsgrove in 1852. Edward McBride located on the original Green
homestead near Hillsgrove. He was married twice, Mary Leonard, whom he married
in 1882, being his first wife, and Mary Hoagland whom he married in 1884 being
his second wife. Mary Hoagland was a daughter of Louis and Eliza (Tevan) [sic] Hoagland of Elkland Township. The
Hoagland’s were among the early settlers in Elkland and Fox Townships. Eliza
Teevan was born in County Caven, Ireland. She was a daughter of James and
Catherine (Bracken) Teevan. The Brackens belonged to the French nobility. To
Mr. and Mrs. McBride have been born; Alta O., Josephene, Louis W., Edward R.
and Eliza L.
WALTER
L. HOFFMAN
Was born in
Monroe County, Pa., in November, 1855. He is a son of J.H. and Mary Ann (Depew)
Hoffman, of Hillsgrove. The Hoffman’s are German descent. J.H. Hoffman’s
great-grandfather came from Germany and located in Northampton County, Pa. The
Depew’s came originally from England and are numerous in this country. Mr.
Hoffman is engaged in the mercantile business and has stores at Hillsgrove,
Muncy valley, and English Centre, Pa. Mr. Hoffman married Clara Darby in
October 1887. She was born at Narrowsburg, NY, April 2, 1865. She is a daughter
of George W. and Malissa C. (Horton) Darby. George Darby is General Supt. of
the Union Tanning Co’s. Tanneries and is located at Hoytsville. In 1882 he came
to Hillsgrove where he was located for a number of years. To Mr. and Mrs.
Hoffman have been born six children: Bessie L., Nellie M., Elda D., J. Carter,
Greydon W. and G. Sumner.
A.A.
LUDY
Was born at
Huntersville, Lycoming County, Pa. July 20, 1852. He was a son of Conrad and
Elizabeth (Kaufman) Ludy. Conrad Ludy was a native of Germany. Mrs. Ludy was a
daughter of Daniel and …. (Streby) Ludy, of Huntersville, Pa. Mr. Ludy, the
subject of this sketch, owns a farm near Hillsgrove. He has been constable 4
years, tax collector 4 years and overseer of the poor 3 years. Mr. Ludy married
Annetta McBride, Jan. 30, 1878. She was a daughter of James and Harriet
(Greene) McBride, of Hillsgrove. She was born at Bear Creek, Lycoming County,
May 30, 1858. To Mr. and Mrs. Ludy have been born three children. Alta, died at
the age of 2 years and five months; Ella A., married Irvin Moultroupe, of
Birmingham, NY: Edna married F.B. Miller, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
J.F.
HARRISON
Was born at
Leonardsville, carbon County, Pa., April 16, 1859. He is a son of S.E. and
Ellen (Mack) Harrison, and a grandson of Merrit and Sarah (Edwards) Harrison.
S.E. Harrison’s grandfather was a Presbyterian minister and came from England
and located in Luzerne County. An aunt of S.E. Harrison’s was captured by the
Indians in the Wyoming Valley when a child and remained with them for two years
until she was rescued. J.F. Harrison is
loft boss in the tannery at Hillsgrove. He married Anna Corcoran, May 6, 1892.
She was born in Forks Township, November 1, 1862. She is a daughter of John and
Margaret (Driscoll) Corcoran, of Forks Township, and a granddaughter of Dennis
Corcoran, who was born near Quebec, Canada, and located in Forks Township in
1843 on the farm now owned by John Corcoran. To Mr. and Mrs. Harrison has been
born one child: Ceatus J.
J.H.
VROMAN
Was born at
LeRoy, Bradford County in 1852. He was a son of George and Henrietta (Bagley)
Vroman, who came to Hillsgrove Township when the subject of this sketch was 13
years of age. The Vromans are German descent. Mr. Vroman married Isadore Green
in 1872. She was a daughter of Wheeler and Harriet (Ball) Green and a
granddaughter of Richard Green who came from New Jersey and located at Hillsgrove
at an early date. To Mr. and Mrs. Vroman have been born four children: Hattie
died at age of 2 years: Ernest, Wallace, Nellie, married Paul Galough, of
Hillsgrove.
SAMUEL
T. GALOUGH
Was born at
Hillsgrove, October 22, 1873. He was a son of Jacob and Margaret (McBride)
Galough, of Hillsgrove and a grandson of Daniel and Rebecca (Sherman) Galough,
of Forks Township, and later of Lycoming County. The Galoughs are German
descent and came to Forks from Huntingdon County, Pa. Mr. Galough conducts a barber
shop at Hillsgrove. He married Bessie Peck, June 24, 1903. She was born at
Gouldsborough, Lackawanna County, May 4, 1880. She is a daughter of Homer Peck,
who holds the position of outside boss of the Hillsgrove Tannery. To Mr. and
Mrs. Galough has been born one child, Homer Lynn.
REGISTERED
VOTERS OF HILLSGROVE TOWNSHIP
Brown, H.D.
Brey,
John
Barrett, T.B.
Brannbeck, John
Brannbeck,
August
Boyles, Geo.
Boyles, R.B.
Boyles,
Frank
Boyles, John
Boyles,
Wm.
Brong, Wm.
Brong
A.J.
Brong, Robt.
Brown,
Harry
Bennett,
Tracy
Bachle, Joseph
Brobst,
Wm.
Biddle, W.H.
Brown, Isaac K.
Brown, Ward
Brown, Ira
Chilson,
Hartley
Chilson, Roy
Craven, Wm.
Charnock,
Wm.
Clegg, Robert
Casselbury,
Frank
Dunlap, Correll
Dunlap,
Wm.
Dunlap,
Chas
Dunlap,
B.A.
Dunlap, B.E. Jr.
Dunlap, Grant
Davis, David R.
Davis,
Geo.
Davis, Wm.
Darby,
John M.
Darby, Henry
Darby,
Samuel
Dewar, H.K.
Dunn,
Frank
Flynn,
Edw.
Featherby, Reuben
Fogel, Mathias
Fiester, Edw.
Frace, Wm.
Galough, Samuel
Galough,
Paul
Galough,
Andrew
Green, Harry
Green,
Herman
Green, John W.
Green, Reno
Green,
Bert
Greenlow, Elisha
Gilbert,
Henry
Gumble,
Wm.
Harrison,
G.S.
Harrison, Wm. N.
Harrison, Frank
Harrison,
Stephen
Haas, Charles
Hoffman,
J.H.
Hoffman,
W.L.
Hoffman, Edward
Holcomb,
Edw.
Huffsmith, P.L.
Hawley, Chas.
Harrington, Michael
Harrington, Eugene
Harrington,
Russel
Haynes, Wm.
Jackson, John
L.
Jackson,
Ray
Lewis, Geo. W.
Lewis, Robert
Lewis, Cyrus
Lewis, Moses
Lewis,
Melvin
Lewis, Aaron
Lewis, David
Lorah, Albert
Ludy, A.A.
Little, James
Lucas, John
Lucas, Edmund
Lucas,
Lawrence
Lucas, Bruno
Morean, Chas.
Morean,
Wm.
McBride,
Edw.
McBride, S.A.
McBride, Richard
McBride,
Charles
McBride,
E?
McBride, Forest
McLaun, Frank
McLaun,
Edw.
Molyneux,
Edw.
McClintock, Wilt
Myers, Geo.
May, Warren
Morris, John
Mervine, Robert
Norton, Lyman
Norton, Charles
Peck, Homer
Quick, Martin V.
Rinker, Wm.
Rinker,
Louis
Rinker, Fred
Richardson, Albert
Reidy, Henry
L.
Rogers,
J.L.
Rogers, J.H.
Snell, Edw.
Snell, Samuel
Snell,
J.R.
Speaker, L.B.
Speaker, John
A.
Strickland, Wm.
Strickland, Frank
Strickland,
S.A.
Sadler, C.W.
Starr,
Wheeler L.
Starr, W.E.
Shaver, James
Shaver,
Harry
Shaver, Ira M.
Swank, George
Sampson,
Hugh
Sullivan, Frank
Sullivan,
Charles
Shaffer, U.J.
Vroman, S.S.
Vroman, Ernest
Vroman, P.L.
Vroman,
Wallace
Vroman, Henry
Vroman, Daniel
Williams, M.R.
Warburton,
Austin
Wager, Lewis
Woodley,
Wash
Woodley, Burrus
**************************************************
Captions for Photos
The Hillsgrove Covered Bridge over the Loyalsock about a mile upstream from the center of the village. Shown as it was restored in the late 1960's by Corbin Lewis.
Page Two:
A narrow gauge Climax locomotive of C.W. Sones Lumber Co., just after coming across the Loyalsock Creek through the covered railroad bridge.
Page Three:
The Loyalsock Creek in flood stage passes under the Hillsgrove covered bridge.
Page Four:
After the wooden covered bridge collapsed under the weight of the logging locomotive, it was replaced by a steel bridge. Abutments of the bridge are still visible along the Loyalsock just south of the village. The covered bridge was taken down in the 1920's.
Page Five:
A summer picnic, perhaps a camp meeting at Hillsgrove complete with music. No other details on this early postcard.
Page Six:
The postcard caption identified this as Rogers' sawmill, but we have not been able to locate where it was in Hillsgrove. It could have been steam powered.
Page 7:
A winter time excursion into the snows by a steer at Rinker's Bridge View north of Hillsgrove. Side by side, an unusual arrangement of covered bridges cross the Loyalsock below Hillsgrove. The traffic bridge, left, was in service until the 1920's (exact date unknown), while the wooden bridge collapsed and was replaced by an iron truss bridge, illustrated elsewhere in this book.
Page Eight:
The Hillsgrove House, built in 1878, was apparently the host of a temperance conclave in the early 1900's with this "imported" band providing the music.
An overview of Hillsgrove around 1918. Mill Creek, foreground, tannery buildings on left, covered bridge at center of background.
Page Nine:
Loggers, sawyers and spudders Sweeney and Ryder in the woods working on a newly cut hemlock. The tree would be left in the woods unless convenient to a road.
A Model T at Joe's Run in the early 1920s. Typical road of the area.
Page Ten:
The wooden covered bridge, previous page, in the process of being razed after the locomotive fell through the left hand side of the bridge.
"Dinky in the drink" as this photo is often labeled. The engine was brought right side up and a ramp of temporary track was built to pull it back onto the grade. The wooden bridge was replaced by a steel bridge.
Page Eleven:
Some excursions were made on open flat cars on the Sones, narrow gauge railroad. This one was en route to Eagles Mere in 1904 while stopped at Lewis' maple grove. Among those in foreground: A. Lewis, E.J. Wager, Margaret Wager, Josie B. Lewis and Frankford Lewis.
A Sunday excursion train from Hillsgrove to Eagles Mere.
Page Twelve:
In 1906, the Aaron Lewis homestead. Note shutters and 12 paned sash, covered front porch and chimney on the "summer" kitchen, dug well and pitcher pump with wooden trough.
The main road went by the Lewis homestead. Note board fences (wire was scarce) and board roof on the shed at right.
Page Thirteen:
Hillsgrove High School 1915 basketball team. In front, from left, Kenneth McBride, Graydon Hoffman and Elmer Barrett. At Rear, Gleason Lewis, Earl Gumble and Maynard Darby, with Coach Floyd Kast.
The Hillsgrove High School, early 1900's, next door was the primary one room school in the background, the church.
Page Fourteen:
An Unidentified group of tannery workers, sitting and standing, at a pile of bark ready for the soaking vats.
The splash dam somewhere upstream from the village. Logs were impounded and released to float downstream when high water filled the Loyalsock.
Page Fifteen:
Another view of the spud being used to debark a fallen hemlock.
Page Sixteen:
A postcard view of Sadler's Hotel, L.S. Tomkins, proprietor. Early 1900's in Hillsgrove. Exact present location unknown.
Page Seventeen:
An overview of Hillsgrove around 1918 looking north. The Loyalsock Creek would be off camera at bottom of photo.
Page Eighteen:
The Hillsgrove Baseball Team early 1900's.
Page Nineteen:
The Hillsgrove High School basketball team in 1915. Front row, from left, Tony Cledo, Sidney Speaker, Captain Elmer Barrett, Eddie McBride, Kenneth McBride and Clinton Brong. At rear, Lloyd Casselbury, Professor Weaver, Lyall Whitmer, Gleason Lewis and Wayne Smith, referee.
Page Twenty:
The Bridge View School in 1904 was in view of the Hillsgrove covered bridge. When the photo was taken, there weren't 50 states. The flag was given to the school on the occasion of the 45th state being admitted to the union. On close inspection of the original photo there are three rows of seven stars and three rows of eight. The 45th state was Utah, admitted January 4, 1896. Those in photo: Miss Frankford (a.k.a.) Franklin Lewis, teacher, Marion and Mildred Williams (twins), Hazel Lewis; Correll, Stanley and Guy Williams, and Ben Bryan (Refer to the Sullivan Review, Nov. 7, 2002) Miss Lewis began teaching for the Hillsgrove School District in September 1904 for $35 per month. She was co-author with Harry Greene of the booklet "Valley of Dreams and Memories, a souvenir of Hillsgrove."