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Thomas I Milliken Centennial Address
The Port Royal Times
Tuesday, October 14, 1958
The Early History of Juniata County
The following article was written by Thomas I. Milliken, the grandfather of
Miss Millie B.
Milliken and was recorded in the Democrat and Register, a newspaper of
Mifflintown, Pa, dated
Wednesday, July 19, 1876.
It was read before the McCoytown Celebration on July 4, 1876 on the centennial
of the signing of
the Declaration of Independence.
"Being desirous to add my mite to the enjoyment of the 'One Hundredth
Anniversary of our
Nation's Birthday', and having neither ability nor the inclination to appear as a
public speaker, I
will jot down a few reminiscences of early years, hoping they may be interesting
to all who gather
around the speakers rostrum."
"Born on a farm now owned and occupied by John Barnard Sr. (He was born
December 4th,
1795) I have never during the eighty years of my life made my home more than
two miles from
the spot on which I reside. Having grown up in the neighborhood the changes
have not struck me
so forcibly until now, standing upon the threshold of the Centennial Year, I have
paused to look
back, and down a long vista of years. But, as the forests were unbroken and the
opportunities for
winning glory as a walkist (though unbounded) were not very cordially
appreciated or embraced,
you will not expect a treatise upon the while valley, as a faint sketch of my most
immediate
neighborhood and some places prominently connected with it will try your
patience, sufficiently
for this time. Our forests were the pride of our hearts, and many times I have
watched the felling
of the lofty oaks, chestnuts and pines, while the ring of the woodsmans axe
seemed to be the
death knell of a friend, and those who saw them they never wondered why they
names our state
the Forest land of Penn."
"The first and the only road which ran through the valley is the one now called the
mountain or
the
back road, leading from the extreme upper end of the valley to the Juniata river,
near or below
where Mexico now stands. Over it all the grain was hauled to the old Strouse
warehouse at the
junction of the terminus road, being then transported on arks or boats to its
destination. No
competition at that time distracted the markets, the only person being one,
Barney McDonald,
who, for many years, made a tour of the valley and bought of all, setting his own
price, the seller
to deliver at Strouses warehouse."
"After some years a road was started at the mountain directly opposite Wisdom
school house, a
point then called Hogg's Gap (the land being owned by a man of that name)
crossing the hill to
Pleasant View, called Jimmy Andersons hill, and unsettled except by Jimmy
himself,) leading in
the present route of Bryner's bridge, then called Carsner's fording (from thence
crossing by Jacob
Reed place to Auld Robin MasKelleys's (where C. Beale now lives) from thence
by divers
turnings until it landed on the banks of the Blue Juniata opposite the nucleus of
what is now the
town of Mifflin (across to which man and beast would be transported by ferry,
having a choice
between two, Loves and Littles. This was the most direct route to
Mifflintown."
"The first mill I ever recollect was built by Thomas Beale (a Quaker,) on the
Tuscarora creek, a
few rods above where Pomeroy's mill now stands. It was the first ever built in the
valley and for a
time the only one in it. The second was built by David Beale, on the sight where
Sweringen's mill
now stands, the lower story of stone and the upper story of wood, held only one
pair of burrs and
a pair of chopping stones, the latter merely large rough stones. The third was
called Anderson's,
built by a man by that name, and stood where McCulloch's now stands. The
fourth, a more
modern affair and is called Doyle's mill, but being built by Stewart, was for a long
time known as
Stewart's."
"At the present time there are but three houses standing which date beyond three
score and ten.
The one occupied by Abraham Reed built upon the site of the old fort; the second
on the old Gray
property, owned by John Bennett occupied by his son, and the one on the
Patterson mountain
farm, about three quarters of a mile above Wisdom school house, occupied by J.
Sarver and
owned by H. Ebberts. The first stone house I ever remember is the one occupied
by John Esh
built in 1801 by Squire Graham."
"The earliest settlers of whom I have any recollection, and owners of lands are
the Grays, who
entered a scope from now Myers farm to the T lane including several places
occupied by E. R.
Gilliford, W. P. Gruver, J. Bennett and J. Fitzgerald, the mansion house being the
one occupied
by Amos Bennett. Hogg who claimed from the T Lane to Andrew Patterson's line
and from the
mountain road to the foot of the hill at Pleasant View, including all now owned by
the Pattersons,
Yoders, etc. Joseph McCoy whose property bordering on the now Jas. Okeson
farm, extended to
the top of the mountain, including the Warwick and Alex Patterson mountain
farms, the mansion
house standing on the site of the stone building now occupied by H. W. Davis.
The Milliken's
whose properties extended from the McCoy line, with the exception of some
thirty acres
belonging to a man named Martin, including part of the Jas. Beale, John Barnard
Jr. and the Smith
property, with the place now in possession of the writer (Thomas I. Milliken), the
mansion house
standing upon the hill east of the meadow owned by Smith heirs, on land which is
now included in
the Smith estate. The David Beale's owning all of the land above Bealetown
almost indefinitely,
the mansion house standing where the stone house of Jas. Beale now stands.
Thomas Beale being
equally fortunate in his settlement near what is now Academia. The Pattersons
and the Grahams,
being later settlers bought of the early pioneers instead of entering
claims."
"The first settlers were not so fortunate as to possess comfortable places for the
preaching of the
gospel, and the first place I ever remember hearing the word of God preached
was on the shady
side of the hill near where J. Kelley Patterson's mill now stands. Our church
pillars being the
glorious old oaks and chestnuts, our carpet the moss and fallen leaves. The
canopy above us,
formed of intertwining boughs, through which we caught occasional glimpses of
blue arch of the
sky, while the stentorian voice of the Rev. Thomas Smith awakened the echoes
as he expounded
the word of God to us from a pulpit of nature's own rearing, and his hearers
sought in vain for the
soft side of the rocks on which to rest while refreshing themselves by drinking in
the words of the
Psalmist or making the welking rine with the good tunes of mear, "Old Hundred,"
etc."
"The Lower Tuscarora Church, as I remember it, was a square log building,
standing on the site
of the old Beard house, only that and nothing more, if we do not except the high
box seats which
held not the least inductments to sleepers to visit them, as the sides were too
high to lean their
heads on, and too perpendicular for lolling. The elders were Johnny Williams,
Wm. Bell, the
grandfather of Col. William Bell of Mifflin, and 'Squire' Graham, grandfather of the
Grahams now
in the valley, Mr. Coulter ministering, he being the first temperance advocate ever
known in the
valley, else might I have had another elder's name on record, for one to whom
the eldership was
tendered said, "He would not give up his little drop of grog for all their
elderships."
"At that early date the grain was all harvested with sickles, and families turned
out en masse to
assist, else 't'were too tedious a job. J. McCoy onct told me that he had reapt
grain on the last
day of June and every day from that until the first of August, the same year.
Methinks if he could
stand upon the hills and see our improved reapers of the present day, his hair
would turn gray
with surprise. Our bread was baked in dutch ovens, one loaf at a time and being
so tedious a job,
mush and milk formed our staple for breakfast, with milk and mush for dinner,
having the same
reversed for supper. no woman was considered thoroughly educated, unless she
could spin and
weave, full and dye, as every body expected to raise flax and wool, and provide
the cloth for
family wear. our apparatus for winnowing grain, was primitive, being a sheet tied
at one end to
the barn, and shook back and forth by a man or a woman, who held the other
end. Think you not
the change is great, though gradual from that of the present wind mill and from
the treading out of
the grain to the flail, thence the gradual transition through many grades, to the
almost perfect
steam thresher of the present date."
"To those who have never known things other than they appear now, it may not
appear great, but
to one who has seen the means of travel, end with the foot or the back of a
willing steed. Imagine
the change to the railway cars of today, and where the means of communication
were so uncertain
that many were lost to friends for the want of them, see now the lightening transit,
by the
telegraphic wires, and thank God for this age of progress. Alas, also an age of
crime. Of our
political doings in thost days I had almost forgotten to speak. The county was
then included in
Mifflin County, and Lewistown being the county seat, we were obliged to repair
thither if
summoned to court, or for any business of that kind, although every Squire was
almost a king in
his district, being empowered to act in minor cases. The county was divided into
four districts;
two on each side of the river, viz: Fermanagh and Greenwood, Milford and Lack.
During my
boyhood, all from this neighborhood wert obliged to go to where Port Royal now
stands, in order
to vote, notwithstanding the inconvenience, (When we remember they went on
foot or horseback)
they turned out almost to a man, being too patriotic to make anything so small an
excuse for
staying away. At the time when I attained my majority, the county had been
subdivided, and then
numbered four townships on this side of the river, respectfully named Milford,
Turbett, Tuscarora
and Lack. Our place of voting being Turbett and continuing so for three years. In
my boyhood
and youth, beast and deer were the rule, where they now the exception, and
grazed and prowled
undisturbed on many a grassy slope, while the wolves howled dolefully making
the night hideous
with their voices. The Mifflin Eagle was the first paper ever printed in this county
after it was cut
off from Mifflin County."
"Our Military organizations were entered into with spirit, and reviews and
encampments formed
the chief amusements of our national holidays. The first arched bridge over the
Tuscarora creek
was built in 1826, being the first arched bridge in the county, and so fearful wert
they of its
untried strength, that as the first funeral (that of my brother) was passing over it
two men
stood by it and refused to allow more than six horses as on it at one time. At that
time carriages
were unknown in this part of the world. Methinks you art weary and I am
done."
Signed Thomas I. Milliken
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© 2006 by Michael Milliken
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