27 0 MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

to Milford, via Shawnee and Bushkill. Mr. Dutot predictedat the time that the mail would be brought from Easton onfour-horse coaches, which prediction he lived to see fulfilled;and then again foretold its delivery in a railway coach,which became an established fact in the year 1857, sixteenyears after his death.

On the 22nd of January, 1854, a Presbyterian Churchwas organized at the Delaware Water Gap, to be called"the Church of the Mountain." The Rev. Horatio S. Howellwas the first pastor and was greatly beloved by his people.He built the Glenwood House for a hoys' boarding-school in1854-55. William and Clayton McMichael, of Philadelphia;Judge John N. Stewart, of Trenton and Hon. John B. Storm,of Stroudsburg, were among the pupils at this "ClassicalSchool." The church edifice was commenced in July, 1853,and was dedicated on the 29th of August, 1854. The con-gregation are greatly indebted to Mrs. Caroline E. G. Peale,a niece of Stephen Girard, to Dr. John Marshall Paul, ofBelvidere and Matthew Baldwin, of Philadelphia, for theirliberal assistance in erecting the church and in the deepinterest manifested by them in the spiritual welfare of thecommunity.

Mr. Howell continued as pastor until March, 1862, whenhe was chosen chaplain of the Nineteenth Regiment, Penn-sylvania Volunteers and was killed by a rebel soldier, whileattending to the sick and wounded at the hospital in Gettys-burg, July 1st, 1863. Samuel Alsop took possession of theGlenwood House soon after Mr. Howell left, in 1862. Hecontinued it a few years as a boys' boarding-school andafterwards as a summer boarding house. Mr. Alsop was afine scholar and greatly esteemed in the community.

"Delaware Water Gap was one of the first Methodistvineyards planted north of the Blue Mountains," about1800. The circuit reached from Easton to Stroudsburg andat one time was equal, if not ahead, of any others. The

27 0

DELAWARE WATER GAP

meetings were held in private families and in the school-house, almost from the time the village had its existence.Rev. William Colbert, of blessed memory, was one of theministers who preached at the Water Gap at an early date.This field was abandoned for a time and it was not until1870 that the present Methodist Church was erected.

In the preparation of this chapter on the DelawareWater Gap, the writer has drawn largely from materialwhich her father, Luke Wills Brodhead, spent many yearsof his life collecting. He was most reluctant to give out anyinformation concerning himself, so that it would seem butfitting and just, at this time, to pay tribute to one who (asMatthews said in the History of Wayne, Pike and MonroeCounties) was "the leading historical authority and writerin the Delaware Valley." One newspaper said of him:"Mr. Brodhead, by his careful and tireless researches, hisreliable and interesting articles, has placed the people ofthis section and the generations that shall succeed them,under a lasting debt of gratitude." When he wrote thesketch of the DePuy family, a Pike County paper -said,"The article is replete with facts of interest, and no onein this section is better qualified than the writer of it, toillume the early history of this valley. His careful research,added to the fact that his life has been passed in it, makeshis facile pen especially eloquent in portraying the eventswhich surround the pioneers along the Delaware, in thehome of the Minsi. " He was a patient student of the geolo-gical records engraved upon, or buried in, the rocks of theDelaware Valley. He was also an enthusiastic collector ofIndian relies and made himself acquainted with the avail-able history of the tribes which held possession of thisregion, when it was discovered by the white man. He gavemany years of study into the history and genealogy of theUpper Delaware and Minisink Valley. His work in thisdirection secured him membership in many Historical

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272 MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

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C)

C-~

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C-,

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DELAWARE WATER GAP

Societies; he was also a member of the Geographical,Numismatic and Antiquarian Societies of Philadelphia andof the Sons of the Revolution. His published contributionscomprise: a book, entitled, "The Delaware Water Gap, itsScenery, its Legends and its Early History;" also many"Historical Notes of the Minisink" and Sketches of prom-inent families in the early history of this region.

- When Mr. Brodhead designed the Water Gap House,

without a bar, he was looked upon by many business menas lacking in worldly wisdom. But he-proved that such ahouse was needed and could be successful, if rightly con-

ducted. One of the pleasantest memories of him is as he

would stand at the entrance of the hotel, tall and erect, to'welcome the coming, speed the parting guest."

It is most interesting, as well as instructive, to recallthe stories of the past. In a "Historical Discourse on the

Walpack Church," which the Rev. S. W. Mills preached atBushkill, in 1874, he said, the duty of recalling the past wasfrequently spoken of in Scripture. Job said "Inquire, Ipray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to thesearch of their fathers." Moses said to the Israelites,"Remember the days of old, consider the years of manygenerations" and Paul admonished the Hebrews to "Callto remembrance the former days." "The deeds of patriot-ism and piety performed by those who have preceded us,and who have served their day and generation, may well beheld in remembrance by us and often recited for our ownand others' good. This is so especially when those whosehistory we review have been placed in circumstances ofgreat trial and hardship, and have been called to act theirpart amid dangers and perils and under manifold discour-agements and difficulties."

We should hold our ancestors in veneration and beprofoundly thankful for the heritage, they have passed onto us and should prove ourselves their worthy descendants.

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CHAPTER XV

INDUSTRIESR. B. KELLER

Monroe County is peculiarly adapted for Manufactur-ing purposes. It is only about fifty (50) miles from thegreat Anthracite Coal Fields of Lackawanna and LuzerneCounties, with direct rail communications with both fields,the Lackawanna to Scranton and the Erie to Wilkes-Barre.Thus we are especially favored in getting coal for manufac-turing purposes.

For those factories that prefer water-power, our num-erous streams provide such resources in great plenty andfor others who use electric power we have a great plentyof that, being only a few miles from the source of supply.

For such factories as use water for washing, dyeing,etc., the purity of the water of our springs and streams isunsurpassed.

Because the main line of the Delaware, Lackawannaand Western Railroad, two branch lines of the great ErieSystem and one branch of the Pennsylvania railroad passthrough Monroe County, we are highly favored in shippingfacilities. Direct shipments can be made to nearly everywhere and raw materials brought in from all points, withouttransfer.

All of our railroads are most cheerfully willing to runswitches directly into the manufacturing plants and offerevery facility possible in handling the shipments.

In addition to the Manufacturing Industries, as listedwith The Monroe County Manufacturers Association,Stroudsburg has the repair shops of two divisions of theErie System, which give employment to two hundred menand one woman (201) as follows: Mechanical Department,W. H. Snyder, Master Mechanic, one hundred and eight menand one woman; Transportation Department, G. F. Darrohn,

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INDUSTRIES

Trainmaster, thirty Engineers and Firemen and thirty Con-ductors and Brakemen. In the "Maintenance of Way De-partment " there are twenty-five men and in the Building andBridge Department, E. Possinger, Foreman, six men.

Since writing the above the Repair Shops have beenmoved to Little Ferry, N. J., and the force of the Mechani-cal Department has been reduced from one hundred andnine to thirty-two (32). The other Departments remain thesame.

We are indebted to The Manufacturers Association ofMonroe County for the following table of Industries.

Members of The Manufacturers' Association of Monroe

County-1926-1927

STROUDSBURG, PA.

Avg. No. Emp.H. B. Marsh & Son., Inc.-Foundry ------------------------- 6---------- 36

H. B. Marsh, President.Stroudsburg Cut Glass Co., Inc.-Cut Glass . - 5

J. H. Arbogast, President.Monroe Silk Mills-Ribbons ---- 150

F. W. Kimmerle, ManagerStanford JSilk Co.-Broad Silk - .. -80

Wm. A. Price, SuperintendentMonroe Publishing Company-Publishers - - 46

N. A. Frantz, ManagerThe Tanite Company-Abrasives .-.- - 6

J. M. Austin, ManagerThe Stroudsburg Engine Works-Hoisting Machinery - 29

Thomas Werner, ManagerThomas Kitson & Son, Inc.-Woolen Mills- - 109

Frank B. Michaels, PresidentE. N. Post-Lumber- 10Traders Flour & Feed Co.-Feed Mills - - 4

H. C. Braerman, ManagerKistler Vinegar Works Co.-Vinegar - - 2

J. M. Kistler, President

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Somers Knitting Company-Jersey Cloth - - 2Francis Somers, President

Pocono Ribbon Mills-Ribbons -10William J. Hess, President

Stroudsburg Water Supply Co.-Water Systems - -A. A. Holbrook, President

Citizens Gas Company-Gas Works- 7H. E. Sweeney

Frisbie Lumber Company-Lumber and Mill Work -- 16Morris Eyer, Manager

Stroudsburg Septic Tank Co.-Concrete Tanks- - 6Robert F. Kistler, President

Star Ribbon Mfg. Co.-Ribbons - - 80George Coulson, Superintendent

Franklin Ribbon Mills-Ribbons- 75Horace Levy, Superintendent

Henry W. Galusha-Ribbons- - 5A. S. Heller & Son-Feed Mills - - 2Worthington Mower Company-Lawn Mowers- - 26Penna. Power & Light Co.-Electric Power - -27

E. J. Kiefer, SuperintendentDuntile Products Co. Concrete Blocks - - 5Stroudsburg Silk Company-Silk Throwing - -40

Harry Oldorff, PresidentMonroe Hosiery Mills-Full Fashioned Hosiery - - 40

Herman Sheer, ManagerSturdevant Manuf. Co.-White Toilet Seats - - 14

L. E. Sturdevant, PresidentLaBars' Rhododendron Nursery-Plants and Trees - 40

W. K. LaBar, PresidentNiagara Steel Wire Co.-All kinds of wire - - 30

C. S. Madison, Manager

EAST STROUDSBUIRG

International Boiler Works Co.-Boilers & Tanks - 90Charles R. Turn, Treas. & Gen. Mgr.

East Stroudsburg Lumber Co.-Lumber & Mill Work --- 28L. S. Hoffman, President

A. W. Kistler & Sons-Hosiery - 65A. W. Kistler

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INDUSTRIES

Elk Tanning Company-Tanning - - 50M. A. Schultz, Superintendent

J. M. Wyckoff-Feed Mills- 6F. A. Wyckoff

Patterson-Kelley Company-Hot Water Heaters -- 50Olaf S. Pedersen, Manager

Galvanized Products Co.-Pole Line Hdw - - 36Mr. Piel, Manager

The Metal Crafters, Inc.-Bathroom Fixtures - - 90Fred Weber, Superintendent

Fellows-Huber Company-Broad Silks - - 82Charles L. Fellows, President

R. C. Cramer Lumber Co.-Lumber & Mill Work -15R. C. Cramer, Manager

Lenape Silk Company-Broad Silks - - 63Harry Olldorf, President

L. A. W. Silk Co.-Broad Silks -50George Rusk, Superintendent

Pocono Metal Mfg. Co.-Bath Room Specialties - - 28Louis Rupprecht

Federal Soap Company-Liquid Soap- - 0F. L. Lantz, Proprietor

F. M. Titus-Broad Silks -20Delaware Valley Railway Co.-Steam Railroad- - 5Press Publishing Company-Publishers - - 95

R. C. Hughes, ManagerSher-White Enameling Corp.-White Enameling- - 8Shawana Steel Const. Co.-Structural Steel- - 4

George S. PullingerKenace Silk Company-Broad Silks - -13

Charles Kent, ManagerHeck Silk Company-Broad Silks - - 25

Charles Heck, Secretary-Treasurer

OTHER SECTIONS OF COUNTY

Analomink Paper Co., N. Water Gap-Paper & Pulp Mill - 50Silver Lake Ice Co., N. Water Gap-Natural Ice 6

Ernest W. Hogg, PresidentCharles A. Evans, Cresco-Lighting Systems- 4Buck Hill Falls Co., Buck Hill Falls-Hotel & Resort - 65

Charles N. Thompson, Manager.

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George T. Smith-Wood Turning -

LaAnna Mfg Company-Wood TurningA. H. Frey, Mgr.

Homer Shupp, Effort Spokes and HandlesThe Roseta Company, Inc.-Broad SilksMarford Silk Company-Broad Silks

James Martin, SuperintendentEast Penn Lumber Co., Analomink-Saw Mills

C. A. Coleman, ManagerGeorge L. Nyce-LumberingPocono Brick Company, Henryville-Brick Manufacturing

Otto Reuhlman

1010

3

9?

9

9

HAROLD C. EDWARDS

We are indebted to Harold C. Edwards, Esq., for thefollowing table of the Ice plants of the county. These icehouses are filled with ice for transportation, chiefly to NewYork City. This industry is a great benefit to Monroe

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INDUSTRIES

County, for during the cutting season, when there is littleelse to do, all who want work can get it.

Mountain Ice Company, home office 51 Newark Street, Ho-boken, N. J., President, Worthington Scranton; J. H. Donnelly,Gen. Mgr., plants located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania,Charles Edwards, General Superintendent:-North Jersey Plant,Coolbaukh Township, tonnage 64,000; Stillwater Plant, Toby-hanna Township, tonnage 42,000; Pocono Lake Plant, No. 1, ton-nage 34,100; Pocono Lake Plant, No. 2, tonnage 31,400; Toby-hanna Plant, Coolbaugh Township, tonnage 14,000.

Lynch Corporation, President James P. Lynch, William C.Lynch, Treasurer. Plant in Coolbaugh township, tonnage 35,000.

Tobyhanna Creek Ice Company, President, J. G. Eisele.Plant located at Warnertown, Tobyhanna Township, C. C. Fer-ber, Gen. Mgr., tonnage, 65,000.

Trout Lake Ice Company, located at Reeders, JacksonTownship, President R. F. H. Halsey, C. C. Ferber, Gen. Mgr.,tonnage 62,000.

Lackawanna Ice Company, plant at Saylorsburg, HamiltonTwsp., President, M. S. Drake, Jr., Treasurer, Raymond W.Drake, tonnage about 32,000.

George MacDonough, Stroudsburg, Pa., R. D., tonnage 4,550.Norman B. Gregory, E. Stroudsburg, Pa., R. D., tonnage

4,000.Silver Lake Ice Co., E. W. Hogg, President, plant at North

Water Gap, Pa., Smithfield Township, tonnage 3,000.

- -

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CHAPTER XVI

MONROE COUNTY AS A PLAYGROUNDW. L. CALEY

There are several important factors that go to make upan ideal vacationland, and here in Pennsylvania's Pictur-esque Playground you will find them. The beautiful PoconoMountains including the matchless Delaware Water Gap,the dry bracing pure air, without excessive heat or cold,and an abundance of water including many lakes andstreams and the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.- The lure of the Delaware Water Gap and the PoconoMountains has drawn many thousands of people from theexcessive heat of the cities to the cooler and more invigor-ating air of this wonderfully and beautifully favored sec-tion. The Pocono Mountains with a varying altitude of

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from one to over two thousand feet above sea level arealways swept by cool breezes that whistle through the topsof our deciduous or coniferous trees. The villages of theriver section may not have the high altitudes of the Poconos,but the beautiful blue waters of the Delaware River as itflows through the great cleft in the Kittatinny ridge, withthe mountains towering up fourteen hundred and ninety-seven feet above the river, forming thus the eighth naturalwonder of the world,-the Delaware Water Gap-cools offthe air and provides an opportunity for many water sports.

Camping along the banks of the river or on some of itsislands is very popular and draws many people who enjoythe water sports such as swimming, rowing, canoeing andthe splendid bass and pickerel fishing. With a country sofull of lakes, streams and rivers, it would be hard to find abetter haven for the followers of Isaak Walton. The namesof the Brodhead, Bushkill, Paradise, Pocono, Tobyhanna,Swiftwater and Wallenpaupack Creeks are well rememberedby thousands of skillful anglers who have had many a sup-per of the beautiful trout from these streams.

In the early days of our country the famous DelawareWater Gap and the Pocono Mountains drew many thousandsof people to this favored and beautiful spot. First theycame by horseback and stagecoach for vacations, hunting,fishing or rest and recuperation. Later by railroad andnow that we have automobiles and hard surfaced roads,they have come in greater and greater numbers till Penn-sylvania's Picturesque Playground has become one of themost popular mountain resorts in America. With itsheavily wooded mountains and valleys stretching on formiles, with its carpet of wonderful green foliage, its beau-tiful flowering shrubs of laurel and rhododendron and itsswift-flowing ereeks and streams, it presents a picture tothe eye of our visitor that will never be forgotten. Acountry, you say, must have variety to be truly beautiful

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and surely this region has that, with its mountains, hillsand villages, its lakes, streams and rivers, its water falls,cliffs, crags and precipices and its evergreen and broad leaftrees.

Such a land as this, you might think, must be manymiles away from the cities red brick houses built row onrow, when in reality we are almost next door. The centerof this wonderful land of beauty is only ninety miles fromeither Philadelphia or New York, with splendid motor roadsconnecting it with the man-made cities.

Many of our most important highways, once IndianTrails were later widened for the stage coaches and were re-built from time to time as the popularity of this famoussection increased until now, one of them is the famousLackawanna Trail with its broad ribbon of concrete travers-ing the center of our playground, and connects us withboth Philadelphia and Scranton. The part of the LackawannaTrail that traverses Monroe County was originally an Indiantrail running from the Delaware River to the tops of thePocono Mountains. Along this original trail was built theOld Pocono Hotel in 1750. It stands in what is now thevillage of Tannersville, has been enlarged and remodeledfrom time to time and has been in continual operation sinceits inception.

There is another old inn along the Lackawanna Trailthat antidates the march of General Sullivan's Army,through the Poconos. We know that on the return from hisIndian Wars, he passed through this section, but are notsure whether he stopped at "Ye Old Swiftwater Inn". Hecould have, because the old trail was well known in thosedays, and the present owners of the Inn have the deeds forthe property and buildings dating back to 1778 and weknow that the buildings were standing at that date. Itwas originally built as a stockade fort along the banks ofthe Swiftwater Creek. at the base of the mountains, where


the neighboring pioneers could gather for protection againstthe Indians. This old inn or fort was in existence whenStroudsburg consisted of only two forts and a few houses.It was built of solid logs standing upright, boarded on theinside and solidly chinked with small stones and mud. Thewalls were about eighteen inches thick and some parts arestill standing to this day. The original inn consisted of acombination kitchen and dining room, a living room, barroom and one bed room on the first floor and upstairs therewere six bedrooms. The two original fire places, whichwere the only means of warmth and cooking are still used.The present owners have the hotel registers that date backmany many years. In the era of automobiles in which weare now living, it is interesting to note that on the registerunder the date of May 27, 1904, Mr. Prescott Adamson ofPhiladelphia drove the first automobile party to Swift-water. It was a party of eight. Mr. Adamson wrote onthe register that they "Came through from Philadelphiawithout a breakdown, no stops except for dinner. Runningtime eight hours." To make the trip in that short timeallowing one hour for dinner, he had to average over four-teen miles an hour, a very fast speed in those days.

Another excellent concrete highway is known as theMonroe-Carbon Trail, which comes in through our greatfarming section in the western part of our county, givingus a direct route to Harrisburg. The Minisink Trail, a roadof macadam and concrete comes from the north and formany miles follows the banks of the picturesque DelawareRiver. The old Drinker Turnpike, once an important stageroute is now another avenue of concrete and macadam run-ning over our mountains, following the Brodhead and Para-dise Creeks.

In one place between this old road and the ParadiseCreek stands another old stage coach Inn, known as the"Old Inn" in Paradise Valley. The exact date of its

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building is not certain, but we know it was built in theearly part of the 19th century. Here the stage horses werechanged, so as to have fresh ones to pull the stage up themountains to the next inn about five miles away. It was inthe old barn of this Inn that Joe Jefferson in 1859 drama-tized "Rip Van Winkle."

IiBarn at Paradise, where Joe Jefferson worked out the details ot nis

Famous Play, "Rip Van Winkle"

The smith was a person of recognized importanceamong the early Pennsylvania settlers and on the doors ofhouses and barns in Monroe County are many hinges, locksand iron ornaments, hand wrought according to the finestpatterns originated in the parts of Europe from whencemany of the settlers came. Those big iron kettles still usedthroughout the country when farm-wives make their win-ter's supply of soap or apple and peach butter may easily berelies of the handiwork of the early smiths.

At least a generation before the followers of WilliamPenn invaded this region, some of the Dutch from NewNetherlands came into the territory along the Delaware,supposedly through an old Indian route.

When the government at Philadelphia learned of the

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MONROE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA

settlement of the Dutch in Pennsylvania, they were quicklynotified that they were trespassers. The Dutch left quietly,so the question was settled without bloodshed, in trueQuaker fashion.

The preceding page shows an old barn in Paradise Val-ley where Joseph Jefferson first arranged the play "RipVan Winkle" for presentation. It is a strange coincidencethat this play of Dutch inspiration, handed down as a le-gend of the people who lived in the Hudson Valley, shouldhave been produced for the first time not far from the tem-porary home of these same dutch in the Delaware Valley.

In the village of Shawnee-on-Delaware there is anoccupied residence, part of which is well established as theoldest stone house in Pennsylvania, erected in part in 1726.This old building sheltered survivors of the terrible Wyom-ing Massacre.

Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg form the businesscenter of Monroe County and are two of the most prosperousall-year, mountain resort communities of their size in thecountry. Scattered throughout the entire mountainsection are many picturesque villages and hamlets withmany forms of amusements such as their dance casinos,their bowling alleys and pool rooms and their shops ofvarious kinds and sizes. Dotted all over the mountainsare many splendid hotels, inns and boarding houses, somein the villages or on their outskirts and others on their ownlarge estates. In these hostelries you will find experiencedhotel men and women ready to take the best of care of youand to supply your every wish, with service and cuisine thatis unexcelled. Here you will find the comforts and cheersof a homey house up in the mountains far from the hustleand bustle of the work-a-day city and yet with its con-veniences such as telephones, electric lights, running waterin your room and dining room service that cannot be beaten.

So rapidly has man come to realize the advantages of

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golf in this healthful land of recreation, that we can nowboast of eight splendid golf links that rank among the verybest in the nation. The twenty-seven hole course at BuckHill Falls is beautifully laid out on mountain sides withits fairways broken by creeks and ponds. This is one ofthe oldest courses in the Poconos and originally it was onlya nine hole course, but its popularity soon made it necessaryto have a full eighteen hole course, and a few years ago, tokeep up with the demand they had to build an additionalnine holes giving them now a twenty-seven hole links.Perhaps our best known one is the picturesque eighteen holecourse of Buckwood Inn at Shawnee-on-Delaware. It islocated on the rolling slopes between the mountains and theDelaware River just above the Gap. Here the bright greenof the fairways and greens are in beautiful contrast to theplacid blue of the river. So close are some of the fairwaysto the Delaware, that one of its greens is on an island in theriver that is connected with the main land by a rusticbridge.

The Glen Brook Country Club, situated just outsideStroudsburg and though at present only a nine hole courseis extremely popular because of its sportiness. It wasat this Club that the famous Gene Tunney trained for hisfight when he took the Championship of the World awayfrom Jack Dempsey during the Sesqui-centennial Exposi-tion. The nine hole links at Mt. Pocono is prettily situatedon the top of the mountains and is considered one of ourgreat drawing cards for this section. The Pocono Manorlinks, a standard eighteen hole course is ideally locatedon the slopes of the mountains close to their Inn. From itsfairways you have stretching away before you many exten-sive panoramas that are seldom duplicated, and never for-gotten. The newest one we have in the Poconos is theeighteen hole course at Sky Top. It is artistically situatedon the top of the northeastern end of the Poconos, with

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magnificent vistas in all directions, including a beautifulview of Delaware Water Gap, twenty-five miles away.

Down in the valley just below Mt. Pocono and PoconoManor lies the Wiscasset Country Club with its nine holecourse picturesquely covering part of the near-by foothills,and on account of the complexity of the ground, it is avery tricky and popular link. The beautiful eighteen holecourse of the Wolf Hollow Country Club is located justoutside the village of Delaware Water Gap. The construc-tion of this course in that resort which has long beenfamous for its beauty, and scenic and geological wonders,has greatly increased the popularity of this resort. Becauseof splendid opportunities for spectacular long drives, itsmany hazards, tricky fairways, and its exceptionally wellkept greens, it is very popular and extensively used by bothprofessionals and amateurs.

Though our main roads are all hard surface, thereare still many by-roads or trails that wind through ourheavily forested mountains or between farms with theirfields of corn, wheat, oats or buckwheat. Along these shadyroads the horsemen and women enjoy their sports. Imagineyourself mounted on the back of a handsome stallion trot-ting or single-footing down a lane that is beautifully over-hung with shade trees, part of the way you ride through aforest that is so dense that you can see only a very shortdistance, then past fields of wheat waving in the summerbreezes or climb upon the summit of one of our mountainsand gaze upon a gorgeous view across one of the valleys tothe mountains or hills on the far side. Panoramas of suchbeauty as are continually presenting themselves to thosewho wander over our mountains, are never to be forgotten.Here nature has been carefully maintained in its originalwildness, and its varieties are almost limitless. Here youcan see the great forests with their different shades of green,a part of God's country, rather than the big brick or stone

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buildings of the man-made cities. Here instead of the nar-rowness and crampness of man, you have the broadness andexpanse of God's beautiful handiwork, which He haslavished so bountifully throughout this glorious vacation-land. For instance, climb up to the top of one of thespurs in the Pocono Mountains, and see there stretchingbefore you the beautiful Paradise Valley with its denselywooded hills, and its large fields of wheat, rye, oats orcorn. Surrounding this valley like giant walls are themountains of the Poconos, and in the distance before you,far across, the valley rise the Kittatinny Range with thatmagnificent Gap cut by the Delaware River in the distance.

The roads that are attractive to the horse-back ridersare also very popular among the hikers. It is very commonto see many walkers or hikers traveling along the highwaysand byways of the pine clad Poconos, some take the openroads, while others strike off for the heavy timber and thetall mountains, pack their lunch on their back and aregone all day. The views they see, the picturesqueness ofa stream quietly flowing between banks that are rimmedin fir, the splash and roar of a cataract, or the splendor ofa waterfall, amply. repays them and they return home,late in the afternoon, tired but with the realization thatthey have conquered and seen something that they willnever forget.

Tennis is another sport that is greatly enjoyed here, somuch so that practically every hostelry and many privatehomes have their tennis courts. In the sweltering heat ofthe city or surburban courts, one doesn't care to tax them-selves too much, but here in the breeze swept mountainsyou are not so readily affected by the heat of the sun andcan enjoy game after game.

Charming as it is in Summer time, it is not our onlyvacation time, for when nature has spread her blanket ofsnow, the Pocono Mountains are a "White Land locked tight

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as a drum." 'Tis out in its invigorating air and snappybreezes that you may romp in the snow or toboggan, skii,snowshoe or sleighride, just as you please and without acare. Or, if you prefer the glassy surface of a pond orlake, you can invigorate your bodies and minds on a goodpair of skates. With the evergreens and rhododendrondrooping with snow and a heavy white blanket covering theground, the silvery waters of the creeks edged with ice, allpresent a picture that God alone can produce and can onlybe described as a fairyland.

To those who love the great out doors with its freedomfrom the cares and restraints of the city, nature has as much

charm in the winter as the summer. Those who revel inthe great forests and mountains all blanketed in snowrealize that summer time with its nice warm days has nosport that has a more real thrill than coasting or skiing.Those who have had the pleasure know the thrill. Imagineloading up a tobaggon with four, five or six people, pushingoff and then just flying down the slope of a long smooth

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snow-clad hill, or racing down the course of a tobogganslide. Coasting is one of our most popular winter sports

A Ski Jumper, Winning the Eastern States Championship, Feb. 12, 1927,at Pocono Manor

because of the long fast slides down the sides of our moun-tains:

Some people think they have to go to Switzerland or

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Canada for their winter sports, others to the Adirondacksor White Mountains but here in the Poconos one has all thesports that appeal so strongly to the lover of the great out-doors. Here among the trees and shrubs sprinkled withglistening white, the pines and firs ladened down, thestreams rimmed in ice, and the cataracts and falls coveredwith frozen spray, one may enjoy all the thrilling sports ofwinter at their best. And many there are who come to thisgreat play ground in winter for the sports and carnivalsfound here.

A WONDERFUL TOBOGGAN JUIMP AT BUCK HILL FALLS

For years skiing has been extremely popular in manyforeign countries and of late has been taken up by theAmericans to a great extent. There are now in this Coun-try many ski clubs and we can boast of one in this county,the "Snow Sports Club of Pocono Manor." Through thisorganization and our other hotels, a great deal of interesthas been stimulated here in this splendid sport. CrossCountry Ski races and long distance ski jumping eventshave proved a great success and drawn many devotees of

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note and spectators to this wonderful land of ice and snow.If you have ever seen a ski jump tournament you knowthe thrill there is to it. To watch the jumpers come downthe slope and over the "take off" and then leap throughthe air for over two hundred feet and land on the hilltraveling at a rate of sixty to seventy miles an hour with-out losing their balance, is a pleasure never to be forgotten.The long slopes of our mountainsides provide splendidopportunities for the skiier to thoroughly enjoy his sport.For the amateur there are the shorter hills and wide openspaces,-and for the expert, the long steep hills, quick turns,narrow shoots and once in a while a jump. There are manysports that take one out of doors in the winter, hiking isvery healthful and so is snowshoeing, but for some, skiingis the best of all. In it are combined the pleasures of hikingand snowshoeing, with the additional thrill of coasting.The combination of exercise derived by skiing and the crispbracing air of our mountains is surely a great sertngthbuilder.

Snowshoeing is another sport that is greatly enjoyedby many who visit this region in the winter. It may nothave the thrill that ski racing has, but for easy traveling oversnow covered fields and through the snow laden forests thisform of sport has few rivals, and the snowshoe today isstill holding its own in the hearts of many lovers of wintersports. Think of traveling over snow drifts of any depthand only sinking in one or two inches and being able tocomfortably travel over snow that is several feet thick andyou realize the advantages of snowshoes.

Though there are many forms of winter sports on thesnow a program would not be complete unless we have icefor the skaters and for the skate sailing and ice boating.The smooth glassy surfaces of our ponds and lakes presentwonderful opportunities for the devotees of the ice sportsto thoroughly enjoy themselves. Racing and jumping on

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skates are sports that are indulged in by many and for thosewho can, there is plenty of room for figure and fancyskating. Out on the broad surfaces of our stilled water youmay whirl about or fly along to your heart's content. Theflashing and clang of your steel skates will keep time withthe laughter of your merry party.

Ice Hockey, the fastest game that man can play withoutthe aid of a motor or pony, is one of the favorite sports ofking winter and is greatly enjoyed in the different sectionsof our ideal resort region. There are several hockey teamsin our county and their games are very popular.

Strange as it may seem, even though this land is sonear the densely populated districts of the great metro-politan cities, the hunting here is excellent. Many timesyou have walked past a shop window decorated with hunt-ing paraphernalia and wondered if you would ever be ableto go far enough away from the city to get some real hunt-ing. Or perhaps taken down your old faithful rifle or gunfrom its racks and pondered over another expedition intothe great forests to seek its hidden trophies. Here thereare rabbits and partridge galore, and for the keener sports-man., the fox and racoon. For the lover of big game youwill find here the deer and bear and sometimes, ere you areaware the wiry and sly wildcat.

Of course, no one could guarantee the accuracy ofyour shot when a well antlered buck comes crashing throughthe rhododendron or out of the deep woods on the mountainside, or when you are surprised to see one standing so stillthat he looks frozen, quite close to where you are walking.But even if your heart thumps so rapidly or your armquivers a little, so as to interfere with your aim and youmerely salute the fast disappearing form of. your prey,you feel amply repaid with your tramp through forestedmountains and hills. Though not so plentiful as the deer,a number of bear are shot each year.

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The sports and beauties of Pennsylvania's PicturesquePlayground cannot be successfully described by pen, orreproduced by brush or camera. You must enter into thesports and see the glories of the Delaware Water Gap andthe Pocono Mountains to appreciate them.

Here you have the ideal combination of health-givingsports and the beauties of our mountain scenery, thesplendid highways and the ideally located hotels, inns andboarding houses that make this playground so popular asit is, in both summer and winter.

CHAPTER XVII

THE COURTS OF MONROE COUNTYFRANK B. HOLMES, ESQ.

It appears elsewhere in this history that Monroe Countywas organized under an Act of the General Assembly, ap-proved by Governor Joseph Ritner on April 1, 1836. Itprovided, in substance, that the townships of Ross, Chest-nuthill, Tobyhanna, Pocono, Hamilton, Stroud and Smith-field, north of the Blue Mountains in Northampton County,together with the townships of Middle Smithfield, Price andCoolbaugh in Pike County, should be erected into a separ-ate county to be called Monroe. Other sections of thestatute related to the courts, their jurisdictions and officers,pending suits, collection of taxes, etc., and Section 9 relatedto the method of fixing the site of the courthouse and pre-scribed that this matter should be decided by popular ballotat a special election to be held on July 1, 1836.

A sharp competition for the choice of- the location im-mediately arose between three of the principal villageswithin the precincts of the territory-Stroudsburg, Dutots-burg, also known as Monroe Square, now the Borough ofDelaware Water Gap, and Kellersville,-the advantageclaimed for the last named village being its central location,and that claimed for Delaware Water Gap or Dutotsburg,probably being its superior antiquity.

Before the election was held, Stroud J. Hollinshead, agrandson of the founder of the Borough of Stroudsburg,had agreed to convey to the County Commissioners a sitefor the court house and county buildings,-the presentCourthouse Square at the intersection of Seventh (1) andMonroe Streets. Daniel Stroud, Stogsdell Stokes and othersentered into bonds agreeing to erect the necessary publicbuildings without cost to the county, including a courthouse,

(1 Then known as Franklin Street.296

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which was to have at the west end two rooms about fifteenfeet square for public offices, and to be made fireproof; onecorner at the east to be a kitchen and the other a debtor'sjail with a stone jail yard adjoining, surrounded by a wallfifteen feet high. The middle of this story was to have ajailer's parlor and two rooms surrounded by a stone wall forcriminal apartments,-an interesting reminiscence of thefact that imprisonment for debt was not to be abolished bythe legislature until six years thereafter. The middle storywas to be finished for a court room and the upper story tobe divided into three convenient jury rooms. In the bondgiven by Daniel Stroud and his associates there were cer-tain other specifications in regard to a cupola, bell, well, etc.,concluding with a statement that "the whole was to be fin-ished in a substantial and durable manner, without anyneedless work or useless ornament."

The first election was held on the second day of July,1836, and resulted in no choice, though Dutotsburg, whichreceived only eighty votes, was eliminated. A new electionwas ordered and held on July 26, 1836, at which the contestwas confined to Stroudsburg and Kellersville. The secondelection resulted in a count of 1132 votes for Stroudsburgand 1062 for Kellersville, a majority of 70 for Stroudsburgand a total vote east of 2194. Both elections were mani-festly fraudulent. It is common tradition that boys offourteen years of age voted at the county seat election, andthat many names were entered upon the list which wereeither fictitious or copied from "'tombstones mossy withage."

One of the sequels of the election was an indictmentfound against two of the Election Boards of Middle Smith-field Township charging "fraud and malpractice" in themanagement and conducting of an election. The trial issaid to have been one of the most singular which ever oc-curred in the old time courts of this district. It was held

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in Pike County, the courts of Monroe not yet having beenorganized. Judge David Scott presided, with his two asso-ciates, Dingman and Coolbaugh on the bench. The Presi-dent Judge quashed one or two counts in the indictmentand then, for some reason, left the bench, whereupon theassociate, Judge Dingman, (unlearned in the law), assumedcontrol of the case.

"The President Judge," said he, "has seen fit toquash several counts in this indictment on grounds ofcommon law. "Now 'Bub'," (alluding to Judge Cool-baugh) "and I know nothing of common law, but Iknow all about the Legislature for I have been a mem-ber of that, and" (laying his hand impressively on acopy of the pamphlet laws,) " 'Bub' and I will quash theother indictments on grounds of the Legislature."

Which they proceeded to do.On the 19th day of December, 1836, the first court was

held within the County of Monroe, Hon. David Scott, Presi-dent Judge of the Eleventh Judicial District of Pennsyl-vania presiding, with Jacob Brown and-John T. Bell, asso-ciates. The commissions of the several officers were openedand read. The first attorneys admitted to the court on thatday were:

James Madison PorterGeneral Peter IhrieHopewell HepburnAndrew H. ReederHorace E. WolfeRichard Brodhead, Jr.Newton D. StrongWilliam DavisPeter WyckoffMilo Melancthon DimmickAlexander E. Brown

Amongst these names are some afterwards quite fa-mous in law, politics, and official station.

James Madison Porter was a member of a very promin-

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ent Colonial family, a resident of Easton, and afterwardsPresident Judge of this Judicial District.

General Ihrie and Hopewell Hepburn were two of thebest lawyers of their generation.

Andrew H. Reeder was Territorial Governor of Kansas,and Richard Brodhead, Jr., one of the most distinguishedmembers of Congress who ever represented this district.

The roll of the members of the Bar afterwards admittedis incomplete. Jacob M. Hill, Esq., the present Prothono-tary, is even now engaged in compiling from the old docketsan authentic list of all who have been admitted to perman-ent membership at this Bar since 1836, and it is a matter ofregret that the publication of this sketch could not havebeen deferred until Mr. Hill's list had been completed. Sofar as information is now available, the names and dates ofadmission are as follows:

Henry D. Maxwell, Sr. February 20, 1837Robert Brook - -February 20, 1837Matthew H. Jones - -February 20, 1837John W. Hornbeck - -February 22, 1837Richard Eland - -May 16, 1837E. W. MachemenAndrew F. McClintockLuther Kidder - -December 5, 1837J. Q. Richards -April 29, 1839Hendricks B. Wright April 29, 1839John D. Morris -September 3, 1839Harrison Wright -September 4, 1839Edward E. Leclare -February 2, 1841Wm. H. Dimmick -February 2, 1841Garrett Mallery -September 7, 1841Charles Denison -September 7, 1841John Thoure -September 7, 1841Henry Ottebone -December 7, 1841James A. Dunlap -February 8, 1842James H. Walton -May 10, 1842Charles B. Shaw -May 10, 1842I. Glenry Jones -May 10, 1842

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Samuel Sherrer - - - September 6, 1842

Lazarus Shoemaker --- December 15, 1842

W. I. Woodward - - - December 15, 1842

Samuel S. Dreher - -May, 1846

Nathan Dutton --- May, 1846John S. Gibbons --- July 11, 1848Charlton Burnett - Dec. 27, 1849-Died Oct 1st., 1907Charles Wyckoff - Killed in battle of San Juan

Hill, 1898Stephen Holmes Dec. 29, 1860-Died Oct. 21, 1904John B. Storm - Sept. 30, 1863-Died Aug. 15, 1901William HavilandCharles KinneyDavid S. Lee Feb. 28, 1867-Died Aug., 1908Charles B. Staples May 26, 1876-Died Aug. 16, 1917Archibald A. Dinsmore May, 1876Joseph H. Shull May 31, 1878Henry J. Kotz - Dec. 16, 1879-Died Nov., 1913Thomas M. Mcllhaney --- 1880M. A. de I. Van HornJohn E. Shull - - - November, 1881Rogers L. Burnett --- February 28, 1882John B. Williams --- December 11, 1884Cicero Gearhart - Oct. 2, 1885-Died Nov. 22, 1920A. Raiguel Brittain --- May 28, 1886Wilton A. Erdman ----- March 1, 1888Charles Warren Holbrook ----- 1888Stewart S. Shafer May 23, 1892Frank B. Holmes ----- Sept. 26, 1892Russell N. Koplin --- - 1892A. Mitchell Palmer ---- Sept. 26, 1893William B. Eilenberger ----- Sept. 25, 1894-arvey Huffman ----- Sept. 24, 1895Claude C. Shull Sept. 27, 1897William A. Shafer ----- Dec. 11, 1899Samuel E. Shull ----- Sept. 24, 1900Layton M. Schoch ----- 1900Harry B. Lee - May 26, 1903-Died Jan 13, 1906Harry McNeal -Feb. 14, 1906C. Raymond Bensinger Sept. 24, 1907Ira A. LaBar -Sept. 28, 1907

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Chester H. Rhodes - Oct. 4, 1913Harold C. Edwards - Feb. 9, 1920Leo A. Achterman -Feb. 9, 1920Forrest J. Mervine - Feb. 10, 1920A. Greenwald Gearhart -Sept. 13, 1920Fred W. Davis -March 5, 1921Frank S. Weiss --------------------. ----------- Sept. 4, 1922Russell Mervine -Sept. 26, 1923George G. Shafer .- Feb. 9, 192 6

By the eleventh section of the Act creating MonroeCounty, it was annexed to the Eleventh Judicial District,which at that time comprised the counties of Luzerne, Pikeand Wayne. (1) The statute further directed the courts tobe held in Monroe County on the third Mondays of Febru-ary, May, September and December, and that the first courtshould be held on the third Monday of December, 1836.Monroe County continued to comprise a part of the EleventhDistrict until April 10, 1844, when it became a part of thetwenty-first, composed of Schuylkill, Carbon (organized1843), and Monroe. (2)

Five years later, the Twenty-second District was or-ganized, comprising the counties of Monroe, Carbon, Pikeand Wayne. (3)

After the adoption of the Constitution of 1874, theTwenty-second District was divided,-Wayne and PikeCounties thereafter constituting the Twenty-second Dis-trict and Monroe and Carbon being erected into a new dis-trict designated as the Forty-third. (4)

Another quarter century passed and both Carbon andWayne had increased in population to such an extent thatthey could legally be organized into separate districts.Carbon County then became the Fifty-sixth District andWayne alone became the Twenty-second, while Monroe and

(1) Act of 14th April, 1834, P. L. 344.(2) Act of 10th April, 1844, P. L. 225.(3) Act of 5th April, 1849, P. L. 235.(4) Act of 9th April, 1874, P. L. 54.

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Pike were combined into a new one, under the old name of1w Forty-third. (5)

President JudgesDavid Scott - 1836-1838William H. Jessup -1838-1845Luther Kidder -1845-1849Nathaniel P. Eldred -1849-1853George R. Barrett (appointed) --.1853-James Madison Porter -1853-1855Thomas S. Bell (Chester Co., Pa.) 1855-1856George R. Barrett .1856-1871Samuel S. Dreher .1871-1893John B. Storm . July, 1893-Jan., 1894Allen Craig .1894- 1902Wilton A. Erdman . 1903-1904Charles B. Staples . 1904-Aug., 1917Samuel E. Shull . 1917-

David Scott had been commissioned Judge of the Ele-venth District by Governor Findlay, July 7, 1818. Underthe provisions of the amended Constitution of 1838, his termwould have expired in 1839, but on account of failing physi-cal faculties, he resigned March 17, 1838, with the requestthat Hon. Nathaniel P. Eldred, President Judge of theEighteenth District, be appointed his successor. Conditions,however, made this impossible, and the appointment went toHon. William H. Jessup, of Susquehanna County, who wascommissioned April 7, 1838.

Nathaniel P. Eldred was born January 12, 1795, atDolsontown, Orange County, New York, but at the age ofsixteen went to Milford, which was then the county seatof Wayne County. Already he had formed the purpose ofbecoming a lawyer. He was admitted to the Bar of WayneCounty January 27, 1817, and was appointed PresidentJudge of the 22nd Judicial District by Governor Johnston,April 6, 1849. The Constitutional amendment of 1850made the judiciary elective and fixed the term of office at

(5) Act of 18th July, 1901. P. L. 671.

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ten years. Tinder the provisions of this amendment, JudgeEldred was elected to his office in October, 1851. He resign-ed in April, 1853, to accept the appointment of Naval Officerin the Philadelphia Custom House.

George ER. Barrett, a young lawyer of Clearfield County,was appointed by Governor Bigler to fill the vacancy April29, 1853. The appointment was unfavorably received, theprevailing sentiment being that the judge ought to bechosen from the Bar of the district. Although personally hemade a most favorable impression, Judge Barrett declinedto be a candidate for election, and in October, 1853, JamesMadison Porter was elected, and was commissioned Nov-ember 19th of the same year. [8 Harris Rep.]

In the spring of 1855, Judge Porter became incapacitat-ed by reason of an attack of paralysis and resigned. Thevacancy was filled by Governor Pollock, who on March 23rd,1855, commissioned Thomas S. Bell,- of Chester County, tofill the vacancy. Judge Bell had formerly been a justiceof the Supreme court. (1) Nevertheless, his appointmentwas quite as unacceptable as that of Judge Barrett hadbeen. In August, 1855, Judge Barrett announced himselfas a candidate. He was elected and in 1865, was re-electedwithout opposition. For nearly nineteen years, therefore,he presided over the courts of the district. His portrait,which hangs in the court room, depicts a stately, dignifiedgentleman of the old school; a character with which thedescriptions of those who remember him agree. In 1855,during the term of Judge Porter the first edition of Rulesof Court of Monroe County was published in a small vol-ume about the size of a pass book.

Samuel S. Dreher was the first native Monroe Countv

(1) Appointed Justice of Supreme Court November 18, 1846,vice Thomas Sergeant resigned, (3 Barr 2), and continued inoffice until the election of 1851, which followed the Constitu-tional amendment of 1850.

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judge. He was the son of Michael H. Dreher, and of hiswife, Elizabeth, a daughter of Adam Smith, of SmithfieldTownship. Born in Stroudsburg April 10, 1824, he receivedhis early education in the public schools and in the oldStroudsburg Academy; studied law in the office of MiloMelanethon Dimmick, and was admitted to the Bar at Mayterm, 1846. His legal abilities were unusual and his pro-gress was rapid. He was elected to the office of PresidentJudge in the fall of 1870; was twice re-elected withoutopposition, and died in the full enjoyment of his facultiesin June, 1893.

John B. Storm: Judge Storm was appointed by Gover-nor Pattison to fill the vacancy caused by the death ofJudge Dreher. He was a candidate for the Democratic nom-ination at the ensuing primary election. The contest wasan acrimonious one and by a majority of few more than onehundred votes, the nomination went to Hon. Allen Craig ofCarbon County, who was duly elected the following Novem-ber and commissioned in January, 1894. Judge Storm wasborn in Hamilton Township in 1838; he was educated in thepublic schools and graduated from Dickinson College, indays when a college degree was a real mark of distinction.He studied law in the office of Samuel S. Dreher; was ad-mitted to the Bar September 30, 1863; served two terms inthe Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses and two morein the Forty-eighth and Forty-ninth. He was a forceful andbrilliant speaker, and a consumately skillful and successfultrial lawyer. He died on August 15, 1901.

Allen Craig was a resident of Carbon County, and hadpracticed in Mauch Chunk for many years before his elec-tion in 1893. He was commissioned in January, 1894, andcontinued in office until his death, the latter part of Decem-ber, 1902. In early life he had filled the positions of dis-trict attorney of his county; representative in the GeneralAssembly, and member of the State Senate. During his

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career of ten years on the bench, he came to be recognizedas one of the best common pleas judges in Pennsylvania. Hewas particularly sagacious in his conduct of jury trials, andit is said that no judgment on a verdict rendered in a casetried before him was ever reversed by an appellate court.

Wilton A. Erdman was appointed by Governor Penny-packer to fill the vacancy created by the death of JudgeCraig. He served until the first Monday of January, 1904,and at the expiration of his term, resumed his privatepractice.

Charles B. Staples was elected President Judge inNovember, 1903, and was commissioned in January, 1904.He was re-elected in November, 1913, and continued inoffice until his death, August 16, 1917. He was the sonof Richard S. and Mary A. Staples. Born in Stroudsburg,November 24, 1853, his inclinations were early turned to-ward the law. His first legal experience appears to havebeen in 1868, when he was called by the Commonwealth asa witness in the trial of Conunonwealth vs. Brooks & Orme,hereinafter alluded to. He, like his predecessors, gained hisearly education in the public schools of the borough; likeJudge Storm, he was a graduate of Dickinson College. Hestudied law in the office of William Davis, and received therethe early training which in later life made him one of themost adroit and subtle of cross-examiners, and one of themost resourceful trial lawyers at the Monroe County Bar.He was admitted at May term, 1876. In 1880, he was adelegate to the National Democratic Convention; in 1882,a member of the Democratic State Central Committee, andin 1884, was appointed by President Cleveland to be col-lector of internal revenue for the Twelfth PennsylvaniaDistrict; resuming his law practice at the expiration of theperiod of his appointment in 1889.

Samuel Eakin Shull was appointed by Governor Brum-baugh after the death of Judge Staples, November 12, 1917.

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He was elected to the same office by a very large majority inNovember, 1919, and has attained a well-merited distinctionin his profession, and a most enviable reputation for cour-tesy, impartiality, and remarkable accuracy and correctnessin the many decisions he has been called upon to render.He is the son of Hon. Joseph H. Shull, who is often affec-tionately referred to as the "dean" of the local Bar, and ofMelissa V. Shull; was born at Stroudsburg; educated in thelocal schools, at South Easton High School and at LafayetteCollege; graduated from the University of North Carolina;studied law in the office of his father, and was admitted tothe Bar September 24, 1900.

Associate JudgesJacob Brown - . 1836-1842John T. Bell -1836-1845Joseph Keller- 1842-1849John Merwine -1845-1849Stogdell Stokes -1849-1852Moses W. Coolbaugh -1849-1854Abraham Levering -1852-1870Andrew Storm -1854-1857Michael H. Dreher 1857-1863Jeremiah Mackey -1863-1866John DeYoung -1866- 1874Theodore Schoch -1870-1872Simon G. Throop -1872-1873Peter Gruver -1873-1882Jacob Stauffer -1875-1876Charles W. Decker -1876-1881Charles D. Brodhead -1881- 1895J. Depue LaBar -1882-1893Barnet Mansfield -1893-1898James Edinger -1895-1905Theodore Y. Hoffman -1898-1903John A. Bossard - 1903-1913George H. Metzgar -1905-1910Moses C. Strunk -1913-1918Joseph H. Graves -1918-1919Harrison M. Christman -1919-1922

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Eugene Kinney -1920 -Clarence L. Edinger -1922-1924John L. Clark -1924-

District AttorneysPrior to 1850, the duties now incumbent upon the dis-

trict attorney were performed by deputies of the AttorneyGeneral of the Commonwealth. The last, and so far as Ihave been able to ascertain, perhaps the only deputy attor-ney general for Monroe County was William Davis and thefirst district attorney was:

Samuel S. Dreher, 2 terms - 1850-1856He was followed by:Charlton Burnett, 2 terms - 1856-1862Stephen Holmes, 3 terms - 1862-1872David S. Lee, 3 terms -1872-1881Henry J. Kotz, 1 term -1881-1884Rogers L. Burnett, 2 terms- 1884-1890Charles W. Holbrook, part of term 1890-1892Charles B. Staples, unexpired term 1892-John B. Williams, 2 terms - 1892-1898Cicero Gearhart, 2 terms - 1898-1904Claude C. Shull, 2 terms -1904-1910Ira A. LaBar, 2 terms -1910-1916Chester H. Rhodes, 2 terms - 1916-1923Ira A. LaBar, unexpired term - 1923-Forrest J. Mervine -1924-

The older members of the Bar can recall more or lessdistinctly some of the interesting criminal eases which oc-curred during the period covered by this list. The firstcapital case in the county grew out of the murder of Theo-dore Brodhead by Brooks and Orme in 1868. The defend-ants were convicted and one of them executed the followingyear. The other escaped from jail and was never re-cap-tured.

Through the courtesy of Mr. Burnett I have been ableto obtain Judge Barrett's original minute of his remarks 'othe prisoners at the time of pronouncing sentence uponthem. The minute is in the Judge's own handwriting; and

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covers about three pages of foolscap paper. In style anddiction it is characteristically eloquent, solemn and impres-sive, and for this reason in itself, apart from its historicinterest, it deserves a literal transcription.

The prisoners, William Brooks and Charles Orme,being brought into court and asked:

"Have you or either of you anything to say whysentence of death should not be passed upon you,"

To which both prisoners responded by speaking for

some time.The prisoners being in court and standing up, the

Court proceeded to sentence them as follows, viz:"You were jointly indicted for the murder of Theo-

dore Brodhead. A true bill was found at the last ses-sion of this court three months ago. You have had thatlength of time to prepare your defense. You have hadthe benefit of able counsel to advise with you ahd toassist you in the preparation. You might have hadseparate trials, but you chose to be tried together.You have had the use of the process of this court andthe means at your disposal to bring witnesses. Everyfavour within the power of the court has been extendedto you. You have been tried by a jury of your ownselection. You were informed that you had the rightperemptorily to challenge twenty jurors and as manymore as you could assign cause for. You obtained ajury without exhausting your peremptory challenges.The jury thus selected have patiently heard your case,and we have no doubt with an earnest desire to do youjustice. Your defense has been conducted with ability,earnestness and zeal. With no hope of securing youracquittal, your counsel laboured to create, in the mindsof the jury, a reasonable doubt as to your being guiltyof murder in the first degree. In this they were un-successful, not from any fault of theirs, but becauseevery step in the progress of the trial made your guiltmore manifest. Nothing was withheld from the jurythat could possibly aid you in lessening the degree ofhomicide, and yet they have found you guilty of murderin the first degree. With this finding we are satisfied.

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You admitted the unlawful killing; the jury had only topass upon the degree. In the face of the fact that oneof you drew a pistol and pointed it at Theodore Brod-head-then changed your purpose; turned and shotThomas Brodhead first; then turned and shot Theodore,the other standing present and calling out to 'shootthem both, shoot them quick' two or three times; andthe fact that you both followed up the murderous attackupon Thomas, doubtless intending to kill him too, whileone slain victim was lying at your feet, they could notwell doubt your intent to take life. It is not your faultthat you have not been tried for the murder of both.Theodore Brodhead had not spoken to you nor harmedyou. He was a stranger to you. You knew you hadcommitted a felony, and we suppose feared that youwere about to be arrested and brought to justice. Toescape the consequences of a lesser offense you com-mitted a greater.

"You must by this time feel the condition in whichyour own acts have placed you. The Law makes theforfeit of your lives the penalty. You may think thishard, but it is just what you meted out to your fellowman. You will die to atone for a great crime. He diedat your hands without offending! You will have timeto repent. You sent him into eternity without a mo-ment's warning. You must yourselves have been struckwith the evidence of the blameless life of your victim.He was a good man as the evidence has abundantlyshown, endeared to family, friends and neighbors. Itis to be hoped that you may spend the remnant of yourdays in endeavoring to be as well prepared to meet yourfate.

"You have been condemned to die and we beseechyou to let no hope of escape linger upon your minds.Your case admits of none. Offended Law and outragedhumanity forbid it. Do not be deceived by a hope thatmust be fruitless. There is but one thing for you to doin this your hour of extremity. Go back to your cellsand engage in secret, earnest and devout prayer to Al-mighty God. He alone can grant you the Pardon youmost need, with Him there is hope even for you. Readand study your Bibles; confess your sins to Him; im-

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plore His mercy; look to Him and to Him alone. Whenyou leave this world you must enter upon eternity!This life is at best but a brief period; Eternity is unend-ing. Seek for God's favour that you may meet the re-deemed in Heaven. It only remains for us to pass uponyou the sentence of the Law, which is:

Sentence

"That you, William Brooks, be taken to the jail ofMonroe County from whence you came, and from thenceto the place of execution within the walls or yard ofsaid jail, and there be hanged by the neck until you aredead. And may God have mercy on your soul.

"That you, Charles Orme, be taken to the jail ofMonroe County from whence you came, and from thenceto the place of execution within the walls or yard ofsaid jail, and there be hanged by the neck until you aredead. And may God have mercy on your soul."

During the incumbency of the same district attorney,an indictment for nuisance was found against the Delaware,Lackawanna & Western Railroad Company, and in orderto compel the appearance of the recalcitrant corporation, awrit of "distress infinite" was issued under which thesheriff proceeded to levy upon the rolling stock and otherproperty until the defendant appeared to answer.

During the term of Mr. Lee, a sensational larceny caseis recalled, growing out of a robbery at one of the principalhotels of the town.

The term of Rogers L. Burnett was marked by the trialof the Welsh murder case, and, if my recollection is not atfault, that of Mr. Kotz by the trial of the Cramer and Ikearson cases, all of which resulted in convictions.

Probably the most thrilling event in the term of Mr.Williams was the murder of Christian Ehlers by the negro,Puryear, who afterwards broke jail, escaped, was re-cap-tured and lynched on "Palmer's Island."

During the term of Mr. Gearhart, the second and lastcapital case occurred, ensuing upon a murder singularly

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resembling in its circumstances that of Mr. Brodhead, andlikewise resulting in the conviction and execution of theperpetrator.

During Mr. Shull 's term' occurred the trial of Com-monwealth vs. George Johnson for arson, as a result ofwhich the defendant was convicted and sentenced to thepenitentiary for a term of twenty-five years.

The term of Mr. LaBar was an unusually hectic one, hehaving had the responsibility of conducting several murdertrials and the prosecution of both the Culberson and theRadin and Freed arson cases.

Prothonotaries and Clerks of the CourtGideon Burritt -.. - 1836- 1838Simon Snyder - -1838-1840John Keller - -1840-1842James H. Stroud - - 1842-1845Michael H. Dreher -1845-1854John Edinger - -1854-1860Thomas M. McIlhaney - - 1860-1879Alonzo B. Shafer - -879-1891Walter S. Dutot 1891-1897William F. Decker -1897-1903William H. Shafer -1903-1909Samuel B. Correll - -1909-1916Chester A. Coleman -1916-1924Jacob M. Hill -1924-

Registers of WillsSimon Snyder - -1836- 1842Michael H. Dreher - -1842-1845Samuel Rees -1845-1854William S. Rees - -1854-1860Joseph Barry - -1860-1863John S. Fisher - -1863-1872John Appenzeller 1872-1887John DeYoung - -1887- 1890Timothy Everitt -1890- 1893Maurice S. Warner -1893-1899Walter Dutot - -1899-1902

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William L. Andre -1902-1909Frank B. Michaels -1909-1912Eugene H. Altemose - 1912-1920Harry M. Schoch -1920-

SheriffsJoseph S. Teel --- 1836-1839Samuel Gunsaules --- 1839-1842Olis B. Gordon --- 1842-1846And'rew Storm --- 1846-1849Peter Kemmerer --- 1849-1852James N. Durling --- 1852-1855Henry D. Shafer --- 1855-1857Melchoir Bossard ---- 1857-1860James N. Durling --- 1860-1861H. C. Wolfe --- 1861-1862Linford Marsh --- 1862-1865Charles Henry --- 1865-1868Peter Mervine - - - 1868-1871Charles Henry --- 1871-1874Jacob K. Shafer - - - 1874-1877William T. Baker --- 1877- 1880George Miller --- 1880-1883James S. Fisher --- 1883-1886Charles Trach --- 1886-1889Nathan H. Shafer --- 1889-1892J. Monroe Kresge - 1892-1895Henry Learn - - 1895-1898James S. Fisher - -1898-1902Vincent 0. Mervine -- 1902- 1905William Evans -1905-1908Juriah H. Stofflet - - 1908-1911William F. Swartwood -- 1911-1912Peter Bonser - -1912-1916Fred Miller - -1916-1918Phillip S. Dreher - -1918-1920William E. Detrick -- 1920- 1924Francis A. Altemose -1924-

The Bar AssociationThe many ways in which local organizations of this

character can he useful to the Courts, to the Bar, and to

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THE COURTS

the communities of which they are a part, have been thesubject of discussion at the meetings of the larger associa-tions of the state and of the nation. For many years unsuc-cessful efforts had been made to establish a local associationin the Forty-second Judicial District, of which this countyis a part. As far back as 1868, an informal organization ofthis kind evidently was attempted. A few copies of thequaint old fee bill are still in existence, and preserved asinteresting relics amongst the records of the older lawoffices. It consists of a pink covered little pamphlet offour pages, printed in the style which obtained in coun-try printing offices sixty years ago. The pamphlet isdated November 23, 1868, and is signed by C. Burnett, S.Holmes, Jr., Samuel S. Dreher, William Davis, J. B. Storm,and D. S. Lee, who appear at that time to have constitutedthe active members of the Monroe County Bar.

Between 1868 and the first decade of the present cen-tury, local Bar Associations were formed in many of theneighboring districts. Several movements for the establish-ment of one in the Forty-third District had been started,but came to nothing.

In 1915 the project was revived by Samuel E. Shull,Esq., and the existing Association may justly be regardedas a monument to his earnest and unselfish efforts.

On April 19, 1915, the Monroe County Bar Associationcame into existence, first by way of a voluntary associationof all of the members of the Bar who were then engaged inactive practice. On this date a constitution, by-laws, andminimum fee bill were adopted. On the 29th day of May,1915, a charter of incorporation was duly issued to it bythe Court of Common Pleas of Monroe County. Its firstPresident was Joseph H. Shull, who at each annual meetingthereafter has been unanimously elected to succeed himself.

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CHAPTER XVIII

THE CHURCHES OF MONROE COUNTYDR. E. L. KEMP

The history of the churches in Monroe County mustalways be a source of pride for its citizens. Nothing betterattests the high character of the early settlers within ourborders that the promptness with which they proceededto organize congregations and build churches after they hadbeen established.

Naturally the first churches were Protestant, becauseof the lands from which the settlers or their immediateforbears came. The earliest settlements were made in thevalley of the Delaware, the Minisink, by Hollanders, mem-bers of the Dutch Reformed church, and sprinkled amongthem were a few French Huguenot families that hadoriginally left France because of the revocation of theEdict of Nantes.

The largest number of early families were German,originally either from Alsace or the Rhenish Palatinate.Their presence was due partly to the Revocation of the Edictor to the devastation of the Palatinate by the French earlyin the 18th century. These people also were Protestant,either Lutheran or Reformed.

Catholics did not begin to come into the county innumbers until the time of the construction of the Delawareand Lackawanna railroad.

The first church erected in the county was built oflogs, about two miles above Shawnee in 1742. This wasfor a Dutch Reformed congregation.

As early as 1716 Rev. Petrus Vas began to recordbaptisms in the Minisink. In 1737, Rev. George WilhelmMancius organized a Dutch Reformed congregaation inSmithfield Township, one of four along the Delaware. It

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was for the Smithfield congregation that the log churchwas built.

Rev. Mancius visited the congregations in May andNovember of each year until 1741. In that year Rev. JohnCasparus Fryenmuth became the regular pastor.

Rev. Fryenmuth had been sent to Amsterdam by thecongregations to study for the ministry, and had beenmaintained there four years until he had completed hisstudies.

In 1750 William Allen conveyed five acres of land inShawnee to Nicholas Depuy and others for the use of a"Presbyterian Meeting House." On this tract a stonechurch was erected in 1752. The three men most activelyconnected with the building were Nicholas Depuy, SamuelDepuy, and Abraham Van Campen.

Although the church was intended for Presbyterians,it was not used by a congregation of that denomination fora number of years. The Dutch Reformed congregationmoved into it from the log church instead, and continued touse it, at first regularly and towards the end occasionally,until 1805.

The second church erected in the county was locatedin what was then called Dansbury, embracing portions ofthe present boroughs of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg.It stood near the west end of the bridge connecting the twoboroughs.

Daniel Broadhead built it as a Moravian chapel. Dan-iel Brodhead and his wife, Esther, were members of thecongregation.

Count Zinzendorf occasionally preached to the con-gregation.

In 1755 the church was burned down by Indians, andit never was rebuilt.

In 1859 a Moravian church was built in Barrett Town-ship. The building committee were Adam Albert, J. M.

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Deubler, Christopher Soiuniers, George Bender, CharlesBoyer and Jacob Rinehart.

Presbyterian ChurchesThere is no record of a Presbyterian supply sent to the

"Old Stone Church'' in Shawnee until 1761, when the Rev.M1r. Clark was sent there by the Presbytery of New Bruns-wick. He preached in the church three Sundays. Supplieswere continued irregularly until 1813. In the meantime thetrustees of the church were generous in granting the useof it. In addition to the Dutch Reformed congregation,congregations of several other denominations worshipped inthe church at intervals, and some continued to do so a longtime.

In 1813 the Rev. John Boyd was appointed the regularpastor of the Presbyterian congregation, and served as suchuntil 1819.

In 1816 the congregation was reorganized, and JohnTurn and Gershon Bunnell were ordained elders.

In 1832 the congregation was joined to that of Strouds-burg under the pastorate of Rev. Jacob Field.

In 1853 a brick church was built to take the place of the"Old Stone Church." The new building was dedicated in1854. At that time the elders were John D. LaBar, FindleyBush, and Robert R. Depuy.

The Sunday School of the Presbyterian congregationwas organized by John V. Bush.

There is reason to believe that as early as 1825 a Rev.Mr. Hyndshaw held services occasionally in Stroudsburgand Middle Smithfield township.

The real history of the Stroudsburg PresbyterianChurch began with the work of the Rev. Jacob T. Field in1827. On the 15th of August in that year Rev. Field as-sisted by an enthusiastic evangelist, Mr. Solomon Carpenter,organized a congregation of eleven persons.

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The first ruling elders of the congregation were JosephKerr and Amos Miller.

At first the meetings were held in a barn located wherenow the Lutheran church stands, but after a time the con-gregation worshipped in the Stone Academy building.

In 1834 a brick church was erected for the use of thecongregation on Sarah street. The plot of ground for thechurch was donated by Daniel Stroud. The building com-mittee and trustees of the church were Joseph Kerr, JosephV. Wilson, Michael H. Dreher, Samuel Drake, Jr., andAbraham Rinker.

In the course of time the growth of the congregationnecessitated the abandonment of the first church, and A.Reeves Jackson, Jeremy Mackey, Robert Brown, Michael H.Dreher and Jacob L. Wyckoff were appointed a committeeto select a site for a new church and take charge of itsconstruction. This building was located on Main street.

Stephen Holmes, Michael H. Dreher, and John Malvinwere appointed a committee to raise the necessary fundsfor the building of the church.

For a number of years the congregation was served bysupply ministers sent by the Newton Presbytery.

In recent years the Stroudsburg congregation built achapel on North Fifth Street, in which services are regu-larly held.

From 1825 until 1833 Presbyterian ministers visitedMiddle Smithfield occasionally and conducted services eitherin John Coolbaugh's barn or in his kitchen.

The church was erected in 1833. The congregation thenhad a membership of fifty-two, and was served conjointlywith the congregation in Stroudsburg.

John Coolbaugh, John Malvin and John Turn were theelders.

In 1834 the church was incorporated by the State Legis-lature as the "'Middle Smithfield Presbyterian Church.'"

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Documents

27 0 MONROE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA