Mills, Bridges and Indians

Excerpts from the: HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA.

MILLS, BRIDGES, ETC.

Along the winding courses of the Conodoguinet Creek there are a number of flour and grist mills in the township. The first is Bryson's, situated in the extreme western portion of the township. It is on the south side of the creek and is supplied with water by the Silver Spring, which here empties into the Conodoguinet. It occupies the site of what was formerly known as "Briggs' mill." Further down, almost in the center of the township, on the north side and at the beginning of the great bend of the creek, is the Good Hope mill, now owned by J. B. Lindeman. It was built by Jonas Rupp about 1820. Across the creek from this mill John Whisler built a woolen factory, which is still standing, and which was once connected with an oil-mill. At an early date it seems to have been the habit of every householder living in the country to raise a patch of flax, and oil seems to have been one of the early products of this section.

Three bridges across the Conodoguinet Creek in this township; one at Eberly's (build about 1842), one at Lindeman's (built 1823), and one in the southern section of the second bend, built, principally, by James Orr in 1834 and 1835. This latter is known as Orr's Bridge.

THE INDIANS.

The Indians had a number of villages in this lower portion of the county. They had a number of wigwams on the banks of the Conodoguinet Creek, north of the turnpike three miles from the Susquehanna, on lands now owned, or lately owned by Albright, Rupp, Merkel, John Shoop and others. There were also several cabins half a mile north of Frieden's Kirche, in Hampden Township. "An aged aunt" says Rupp (History, page 352) "late of Hampden Township, informed me that she remembered well the evacuated Indian huts north of Frieden's Kirch, and those at Ruby's" The Indians had a path, crossing the Conodoguinet, near those wigwams toward Yellow Breeches.


HISTORY: Warner Beers, 1886, Part 2, Chapter 24, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htmhttp://www.usgwarchives.org/pa/cumberland/

History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania.Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc.

Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886.http://www.usgwarchives.org/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm