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On the cover: Retired art teacher S. Thomas Curry shares his artwork – some matted, some not! (photo by Hometown staff)
‘Punxsutawney Hometown’ magazine © Copyright 2018 — All Rights Reserved. Schedule Your Advertising In Our Next Edition! We reach 100% of the local and area homes and businesses! - Concentrated Circulation 8,100+ copies of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine are direct-mailed to homes in Punxsutawney and surrounding towns and areas, giving our advertisers nearly 100% coverage . . . we deliver to every home and business! (As always — our circulation is verified — mailing and printing statements available.)
We are the only Punxsutawney-owned media! Punxsy Proud — Boosting our Hometown! Publisher Mary L. Roberts Advertising Mary L. Roberts Tracey Young Contributing Writers S. Thomas Curry Shirley Sharp Mary Ellen Pollock-Raneri Marty Armstrong Gloria Kerr Editor James Lauffer Art Director Melissa Salsgiver Graphic Artists Melissa Salsgiver Joanna Erzal All material submitted becomes the property of Punxsutawney Hometown magazine. Mary Roberts ........................(814) 938-0312 Tracey Young ........................(814) 938-9084 Our Office..............................(814) 938-9141 Our Fax ..................................(800) 763-4118 hometown@punxsutawneymagazine.com
Our business mailing address: 129 Aspen Rd., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 With our office located in: Railroad Building, Suite 100 North Penn St., Punxsutawney, PA 15767 Yearly Subscriptions: $36 — First Class Mail www.punxsutawneymagazine.com
S. Thomas Curry
Punxsutawney’s Historical Conscience
By Gloria Kerr for Hometown magazine t’s a good bet that no one knows more about the real history of Punxsutawney than S. Thomas Curry. While many recall “Mr. Curry” as an art teacher for forty years in the Punxsutawney Area School District, his passion these days is researching the history of Punxsutawney and the surrounding area – its streets, architecture, churches, industries and businesses, and the Groundhog Day story. Curry is a meticulous fact-checker whose well-researched articles began appearing in Hometown magazine when the late Bill Anderson, then co-publisher of the magazine, asked him in 2000 to contribute stories about local history, people, and events. His first series was a history of the names related to Punxsutawney streets; his second, a history of early architecture; and his third, a history of local churches. He’s gone on to write about Punxsutawney’s early industries and businesses, along with other interesting stories he’s uncovered. Curry’s most popular downtown hangout is the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, where he spends hours in the microfiche room searching through digitized microfilm issues of The Punxsutawney Spirit dating back to 1885. He reads all kinds of stories and columns in old newspaper editions, a primary source, looking for tidbits that add to his vast store of broad knowledge about the area. Asked how he became such a local history buff, Curry credits several sources. First is his own family. He says his dad, Sam Curry, and his Curry uncles were passionate about the Punxsutawney centennial celebration in 1949, when he was a young boy. The book prepared for that celebration, Punxsutawney Centennial, 1849-1949: 100 Years of Progress, is an encyclopedia of information about the town. The family owns an original copy, and Curry has bought his own reprint of it, which he’s used heavily, from the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society. Likewise, a family Bible dating back to the 1850s records the Curry family’s genealogy that’s been further researched by his uncle James M. Curry, revealing English and Welsh roots on his father’s side. On his mother’s side, the Hamilton name has English roots. A second influence was his ninth-grade history teacher in 1951-1952, Dorothy Pringle. She was also History Department chair at the high school on North Jefferson Street, where three buildings housed the junior and senior high school classes at that time. Curry noted that Miss Pringle taught his Pennsylvania History class with much emphasis on local history that she simply knew and passed on to her students conversationally. He was intrigued by her true stories of his hometown and inspired to look around to discover more history himself. She also piqued Curry’s interest in stamp collecting and stamp history, an interest that led him to send away to family members for stamps, as well as to form a long-lasting friendship with postmaster John Hallman, who was a rich source of information on philately. The friendship with Miss Pringle was also a lasting one. When the Punxsutawney
2 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
In a 1989 photo, art teacher S. Thomas Curry is shown with Punxsutawney Area High School art students Rick Conrad, Kelly Skarbek, and Beth Levy, who were recognized for their art work in an area exhibit. (submitted photo)
Area Historical & Genealogical Society was chartered in 1977, S. Thomas Curry and a group of his colleagues were the movers behind it, a group that included postmaster John Hallman and his wife, Nancy, and Dorothy Wood, a fellow art teacher at the Punxsutawney Area High School. Miss Pringle came to the first meet-
ings and served as the first president of the Society. S. Thomas Curry grew up in Elk Run on Orchard Avenue across from the big, yellow St. Peter’s United Church of Christ. He is one of four brothers; his oldest brother Jim passed away in January this year. Tom - Continued on page 4
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For half a century, the Punxsutawney Beef & Provision Company received livestock on railroads and trucked from area farms. The animals were slaughtered on its site along Mahoning Creek and off Indiana Street and prepared into meat products distributed to markets in fourteen counties.
F
By S. Thomas Curry of Hometown magazine acing an undetermined number of days in the future, many folk of the writer’s generation are spending time in a process of “downsizing” (or call it “decluttering”). As they go through their houses room to room, floor to floor examining items, papers, furniture, and collections of old family stuff, it’s a dedicated effort to simplify life and remove a burden from family members who must do it later. Save it, donate it to charity, give it to the local historical society to determine its historic value, see a value in the sense of dollars. Or burn it, trash it! In particular, for the writer, numerous history articles have been accumulated from years of research. The pieces are bits of local and Punxsutawney area history in themselves and are filed into topics and themes for future writings. As warmer days and beautiful flowers of spring are promised, some of these pieces of local history are shared for leisure reading in the days ahead. Where’s the Beef? For many years the Punxsutawney Beef and Provision Company was a well-established business at its location along the Ma-
Including the Punxsutawney area, livestock was purchased from the major markets of Chicago, St. Louis, and Buffalo. Cattle arrived to local stockyards on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) and Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). The processed “Punxs’y Beef” products, especially its lard, were very popular during the company’s operation. The advertisements included products such as boiled or baked ham, sweet loaf, cheese loaf, pimento loaf, frankfurters, ring bologna, salami, bacon, and braunschweiger. The old and honored Punxsutawney Beef & Provision Company went out of business in 1958. Its buildings have been demolished. Its durable product packages and tins are collectibles. Only a few residents from those years remain in the area to share personal memories. The writer, as a senior high school business student in the 1950s, participated in a school/ business cooperative program and was assigned to work experience in the office building of the Punxs’y Beef Company (similar to “work study” programs today). Though not having witnessed any of the slaughtering and processing, it can be recalled that there was a distinct odor that permeated the area while he was on the property pushing pencils, operating calculators and other office tasks. A news story in the Punxsutawney Spirit from May 1925 described the processing adequately for anyone to understand what went on in those other buildings. It told of a field trip for students, with their fathers, from an area vocational school. About seventy-five hogs were Among the Groundhog Brand products from “Punxs’y butchered during the tour that was Beef” were boiled or baked ham, frankfurters, ring bologna, bacon, and other processed meats. The company completed in a little over an hour. went out of business in 1958. (Hometown file photos) The report began with the following introduction: “The process of honing Creek and off Indiana Street. It butchering was of considerable interest not began in 1905 and operated on thirty-five only to the boys, but to the older folk, many acres with a physical presence of several of whom were on their toes to get some buildings and a fleet of delivery trucks pointers in the best way to handle their own identified by the Groundhog logo and its butchering problems.” They witnessed the motto “Groundhog Brand” for its products. conversion of a carload of hogs into pork Over many years, its service area to stores ready for the market. and businesses expanded to cover fourteen It was interesting reading and should be counties in Western Pennsylvania. - Continued on page 6
PARTIES • TRIPS • FUN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 SHUFFLEBOARD 11 am followed by a covered dish lunch at Noon! FRIDAY, APRIL 6 TRAVELS WITH JANET 10:30 am, another interesting "Travels with Janet" presentation! WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18 Indiana County Sheriff Robert Fyock speaks at 11:15 am. His partner, Bak, will be along for a few demonstrations. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25 HYMN SING Old fashioned Hymn Sing at 11 am. Pianist Kay Young will lead us.
THURSDAY, APRIL 19 ANNUAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION Join us as we honor our volunteers. Entertainment will be Paul Stephenson performing "Country Oldies." Tickets for all non-volunteers are $6, purchased in advance. No tickets at the door. FRIDAY, APRIL 13 CARD MAKING CLASS 10:30 am, Card Making with Betty EVERY WEDNESDAY FITNESS WITH CAROLE Every Wednesday at 1 pm join us as Fitness Instructor Carole Zicha leads us through this 'EASY ON THE JOINTS' FITNESS CLASS.
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 3
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in the spring of 1990 class members of Mr. Curry's Art III class created a series of "super-graphic" designs to use in an area of Punxsutawney, to improve the appearance of the town. The dike walls of the Mahoning Creek were selected. Under the supervision of Mr. Curry, twenty-one students joined the class members to complete the project in the summer. (submitted photos)
S. Thomas Curry Continued from page 2
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was a business major who planned to become a certified public accountant. Still, he always took art electives that he really enjoyed; his senior high art classes with Mrs. Dorothy Wood were influential in his decision to attend Indiana State Teachers College, now Indiana University of Pennsylvania, as an art major. In retirement, he has continued to do watercolors and pen and ink art drawing, sing in choirs and for weddings and funerals, and do special secret art projects for retirement gifts. Curry’s first and only art teaching position was with the Punxsutawney School District. He started teaching in September 1959 as one of two art teachers in the “new” Punxsutawney Area Junior High School, which, then, occupied the three school buildings on North Jefferson Street
ried in 1965 and they’ve lived happily together ever after. Karen worked at Frank Roberts & Sons in Robertsville until her retirement in 2011. was next in line, then Ed, and the youngest The Currys have two children. Daughter brother, Bob. Bob Curry became a wellLuann has been a guidance counselor in the known local radio personality who was Halifax School District near Harrisburg for murdered in 1991 at age forty-five. twenty-one years. Son Scott, after teaching Curry recalls roaming the neighborhood fourth grade, is now an elementary princiwith his brothers, walking up the creek pal in Montgomery County, Maryland. along Ridge Avenue and exploring the Their parents are critically aware of their woods at the top of the hill with brothers stressful careers in these uncertain times Ed and Jim, while later little brother Bob with recent school shootings. tagged along. He liked drawing things, esDuring his tenure at the Punxsutawney pecially birds, something his brothers Area High School from 1969 to 1999, couldn’t do. Curry was deeply committed to his teachIn high school, Curry says he felt shy. He ing job, serving as Art Department chairwasn’t into sports as his brothers Jim and person and promoting the arts. Students Ed were, but he was president of his art respected his integrity, his own artistic talclub and a member of the choir and Thesent, and his dedication to their developing their own talents. The murals seen on the walls along the Mahoning Creek and under the Mahoning Street bridge were one of his Art III civic project assignments. Each year, Curry challenged the class to select an area in the community students felt needed improved by colorful images and designs. One Art III class selected the graffiti-covered dike walls along the Mahoning Creek. Class members and their friends painted the murals in the summer of 1990. Then Mayor John Hallman raised all the money from the community to fund the project. In 2006, art students supervised by art teacher Nancy Inman Jones refreshed the murals. In addition, for years, senior Art IV class members Active in area theater productions, Mr. Curry has performed in roles such as Don Quixote and Mother Ginger. Piccreated a calendar with their tured left, in the 1997 Punxsutawney Theatre Arts Guild production of Man of La Mancha is Chris Snyder as Sancho and S.Thomas Curry (right) as Don Quixote. In a Van Dyke & Co. production of The Nutcracker in 1988 original pen-and-ink drawings (right), Mr. Curry is seen with children in the role of Mother Ginger. (submitted photos) that they sold as a fundraiser; their goal was to purchase origas the “new” high school building opened inal works of art by professional artists for pian Society (a drama club). The genesis of “on the hill” for the 1959-1960 school year. a gallery of art to be viewed by students in his becoming a public-spirited figure was He taught art at the junior high school for the Punxsutawney school system. his decision to run for Student Council ten years and then transferred to the high Meanwhile, a lover of the arts and theater, president as a junior. He recalls that he won school when Mrs. Wood retired. Curry became a member of the Punxthe election over a popular female cheerEarly in his teaching career at the junior sutawney Theatre Arts Guild, which was leader, and his English teacher Mrs. high school – and a bachelor – Curry started by co-organizers Terry Fye and Frances Robinson welcomed him to class worked some overtime at high school basChris Wasylyshyn. He’s played lead roles that day saying, “Tom, you made it!” One ketball games, as faculty were hired to man in major musicals, including two producof the first things he had to do was learn to the doors, sell or take tickets, and work tions of The Sound of Music in which he dance, something other than the square crowd control. Over the seasons, one lovely portrayed Captain Von Trapp; he harmodance, for Student Council dances, so he young woman who frequently came to nized with Diane Brennan Anderson who asked a female classmate to teach him. Degames caught his attention, and he made it played Maria in the first one, and Kathy spite his shyness, he recalls conducting a point to find out who she was. A date was Dinsmore as Maria in the second. His most himself well at meetings and surviving with arranged with her, so he drove his white memorable role of all time, he says, was grace a run-in with a formidable Civics Pontiac to Big Run to court Karen Fike, playing Don Quixote in the Guild’s proteacher Mr. Ray Caylor who told him “unwho lived there with her grandparents. duction of Man of La Mancha and singing equivocally no!” to a particular campaign Love bloomed, and Grandma and Pappy “The Impossible Dream.” Kathy Dinsmore Student Council had championed. Fike liked Tom Curry, too. The couple marThroughout his high school career Curry - Continued on page 20
4 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
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Coal Industry Plays Role in Bringing Electricity to Punxsutawney
Generators in the power house produced electricity for the Punxsutawney Iron Works, circa 1898. Most industries manufactured their own electricity until reliable electric service became available in the mid to late twentieth century. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)
E
By the Coal Memorial Committee for Hometown magazine lectricity is one of the attributes of modern life that is often taken for granted. It is expected that when you flip the switch or push a button, electricity will be there to do the work. Actually having reli-
with Mathew Boulton to manufacture his improved design of the steam engine. Their first customers were the mines. The new engine used one-third of the coal required by the Newcomen model. This improvement allowed steam engines to replace water wheels, horses, and mules as the main sources of power. It also freed industry from geographical constraints. This steam engine powered the industrial revolution. Because these engines did not move, the job title of the operator, stationary engineer, first came into use. In 1882, the unit of measurement of electrical and mechanical power was named “watt” in James Watt’s honor. Today, “watt” is used on most light bulbs in the world. The Boulton-Watt engine was the type most in use when the industrial coal mines began to open in the Miners Carl A. Anderson and C. Henning Anderson op- Punxsutawney area. This type of enerate an enclosed electric motor in a coal mine near gine functioned to pump water from Anita, circa 1920. (photo courtesy of Karla Cressley) the mines and rotate fans to provide air circulation in the mines. At that time all industrial mines had power houses able electricity for many Punxsutawney area and employed stationary engineers and fireresidents is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to 1880, no one in the Punxsutawney area had access to electrical power. And it was not until the late 1940s, when the Rural Electrification Administration brought electricity to rural homes and farms throughout the Punxsutawney area, that everyone had electricity. The path of bringing electricity to Punxsutawney began almost two centuries earlier when, in 1712, Thomas Newcomen, a blacksmith by trade and a Baptist lay preacher by calling, developed an “atmospheric steam engine.” This engine worked on the vacuum principle to pump The power house is where stationary engineers and fireworked to maintain electrical power for the mines water out of the deep tin mines in men at Adrian Mines, circa 1890. (photo courtesy of the PunxEngland. The pump used a combina- sutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.) tion of steam, valves, a rocker bar, a men to maintain the power supply for the piston, and atmospheric pressure to remove mines. water from the mines through a push-pull The next improvement in power generation motion. came in 1884, when Charles Parsons, who James Watt of Scotland improved on Newwas working at Clarke, Chapman and Co. comen’s engine by creating a separate conship engine manufacturers near Newcastle, densing chamber, which kept the heated England, replaced the reciprocal movement chamber hot, thereby eliminating the need of Watt’s steam engine with a turbine and for cooling time. This made the engine faster was able to create electricity. Parsons’s and more fuel efficient. He also used a flysteam turbine, which made cheap and plenwheel to create rotating motion that could tiful electricity, revolutionized marine transdrive as well as push and pull. He partnered - Continued on page 16
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 5
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39TH ANNUAL RUN OR WALK FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL
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6 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
In the Punxsutawney area the singing school was a community social event in many towns and villages in the nineteenth century. A traveling singing master taught the new technique of singing with shaped notes. It included sight reading as a part of the training to harmonize. The illustrated Singing School music books are in the collection of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society. (photos by S. Thomas Curry)
Spring Cleaning
Continued from page 3 shared with others who remember the Punxsutawney Beef & Provision Company, or want to become knowledgeable about this famous and historically important industry from the past. The report continues: “The hogs were crowded into the slaughter pen, and an agile young man proceeded to throw a loop of a chain over one hind leg of the porker nearest the conveyor. The free end of the chain consisted of a ring, which was hooked over a hook on the conveyor and the porker housed in the air, the chain being automatically hooked to a pulley which ran along an iron rail over the killing platform. “When Mr. Porker arrived in this position the head butcher skillfully dispatched his victim with a single thrust of the knife, sending the carcass over the scalding vat. When a sufficient number of pigs had been prepared for the vat, they were dropped into the scalding water one at a time and pushed around for a minute or so. “The carcass was then shoved to a dehairing machine, which consists of a series of revolving cog wheels on a large cylinder, which revolve at a rapid rate, the revolving cogs removing the hair in very neat fashion without injuring the carcass. After this process the carcass was slung to an overhead tramway, head down, and ready for the dissecting process. After being thoroughly washed and scraped, the hogs were opened and cleaned out and then split in two with a cleaver.” About successful processing, it can be said that “nothing but the squeal goes to waste.” That is true about the byproducts in the Punxsutawney plant. In addition to lard, other marketed byproducts were poultry feed, fertilizer, and blood meal. The bristles that the dehairing machine cleaned from the hogs were sold by the pound. After a lunch of pressed ham and hot dogs, with an “ice eater” for dessert, the students visited the Crissman greenhouses along Pine Street at Sycamore Street. With the vegetable plants ready for planting and the array of colorful and aromatic flowers, from roses to geraniums, the experience must have been a treat to the eyes and a relief to the nostrils after the visit to the slaughterhouse at “Punxs’y Beef.” The Singing School The three Rs, in reference to Reading, ’Riting, and ’Rithmetic, were the basic skills in education programs for one-room schools in the nineteenth century. When the twentieth century began, music and art had been promoted for the Punxsutawney schools. In March 1901, the editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit introduced the idea: “... the schools of this town would be improved by
the introduction of musical instruction. Children can be taught to read music in school as easily as they are taught to read print. They are now taught drawing, and many of them exhibit remarkable skill ... Music is an even more useful accomplishment ....” In August 1902, the Punxsutawney school board decided to introduce the teaching of music in the school of the town. Miss Nellie Monks was hired, and “every child will learn the rudiments of music, as a knowledge of the art will at least increase their faculties for its enjoyment” (August 3, 1902, Punxsutawney Spirit). It may be that the editor was recalling his own “upbringing” as a child in the 1870s that included participation in numerous singing schools of that era. The old-fashioned singing school was a common fixture in communities during the nineteenth century. Sight reading and the mechanics of singing were taught by a “singing master.” The singing school was usually held in a schoolhouse, church, or public place, and became popular as a community social event. The training led to more community singing, singing in the churches, and families singing in their homes. The singing schools were usually two to four weeks in length and held during the winter or between planting and harvesting of crops. Most singing schools were conducted by itinerant singing masters who operated them for their own profit. Some of them maintained other occupations such as school teaching, retail sales, or farming. Each student was charged a tuition fee. These schools were usually not affiliated with a church, but history recognizes that the schools foreshadowed the development of church choirs and other musical societies in communities. A popular singing master in the Punxsutawney area was Stacy. B. Williams. Many reports of his activity in singing schools were reported in issues of the Punxsutawney Plaindealer in issues available from 1868-1870. One of his school concerts with children was described in the edition of November 26, 1868. The evening concert was held in a church in Oliveburg. There was an admission fee of twenty-five cents. “The evening was very stormy,” according to the story. “About the concert,” the news report states, “under the able instruction of Mr. S. B. Williams the sweet strains of music discoursed that evening, satisfying the unprejudiced mind, that children can be taught music successfully, and that Mr. Williams is a man well qualified for that work. More attention should be given, by those having the care of the young, to a proper cultivation of their musical talent. Why should
- Continued on page 10
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 7
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8 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
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Want to reduce time and money on your commute? Your basement may just make an ideal home office. Add a Focal Point Is your interior design in need of a little something? The right eye-catching elements can make a room pop while adding vitality to your living spaces. A fireplace, for example, adds ambiance and comfort while also creating a natural gathering space. What’s more, new models pair the charm of a traditional openfront fireplace with the design flexibility of gas models. The Phoenix TrueView from Heat & Glo offers the convenience of gas without the glass, giving homeowners an unobscured view of the flames against the traditional brick or fade-resistant reflective black glass liner. An optional Bluetooth speaker system allows one to hear the fire as well as see it — making it a focal point for the ears as well as the eyes. Boost the Backyard If you find that your household spends very little time in the backJim Kruger / Steve Herder - Landmark Photography / Herder Photography yard, figure out why. Is there a basement is an involved project, potenlack of shade? Are there not enough places tially requiring electrical and plumbing to sit? Take a poll so you can diagnose the work, insulation, drywall and more — but problem and take steps to correct it. Conthe end result is worth the effort and exsider also how to make this space usable for pense. What’s more, some of the less techa larger portion of the year, such as adding nical aspects of this renovation could even a fire pit or an enclosed, heated patio. be DIY-ed. Lastly, consider aesthetics. A bit of landBefore getting started, consider what scaping can make your backyard as visutype of space would most benefit your ally appealing as your home’s interiors. household long-term. You may even be This season, consider the renovations that able to recoup some cost of the investwill go furthest to boost your home’s livment. For example, turning your baseability, beauty and value. ment into an at-home fitness center means (StatePoint) ••• ditching the costly gym membership.
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 9
Spring Cleaning
Continued from page 6 they not be taught music? The young mind must and will do something. Youth is the best time to give the mind direction.” During those years, Mr. Williams operated a general store in Oliveburg, and was president of the Mahoning Navigation Company responsible for setting tolls on the Mahoning Creek and maintenance of the creek for travel and commerce that included rafting. In a detailed article in the Punxsutawney News of May, 1 1901, editor Horace G. Miller shared his experience in a Singing School. In a piece titled “How Singing Was Taught in Punxsutawney Sixty Years Ago,” he shared, “Everybody enjoys good singing. There were many young people who had good voices, and we generally had good singing in our churches. That is to say, we had a few old tunes that we had practiced and learned in our singing schools. “We sat around the room, tallow-dip and book in hand. The teacher, standing in the center of the room, named the page or tune. He did not have a book, as had fully learned the tunes to be sung. “Then, beginning with the treble, he gave the pitch, going around to each part. When all was ready we struck up at the word ‘Sing!’ given by the teacher, the teacher keeping the time, helping each part as he saw it needed his help. Thus we went over the selections again and again till we learned them, venturing on a new piece when the teacher so ordered. “Those were good times. When there was good sleighing we made a visit to some other school, always welcome and enjoy-
The Mahoning Bank, in 1870, was the first bank in Punxsutawney. Organized in 1901, the Farmers’ National Bank was one of the earliest banks in Punxsutawney as economic activity grew. Reflecting the changing times the name was changed to Farmers and Miners Trust Company. It was located on the corner of East Mahoning and North Findley Street, which is now “McDonald’s corner.” (bank photo copied from 1949 Punxsutawney Centennial Book. Photo of street corner in 2018 by S. Thomas Curry)
able. We learned little beyond the tune we practiced. This was the condition all over Jefferson County, yea, in most of the counties of our State.” Where to Bank It In the early years of Punxsutawney area history, a time of pioneers, of settlements, villages, and towns, the economic basis during those years was strictly around agriculture. In the 1830s, there were log homes, sawmills, gristmills. As a result of clearing the land, lumbering and logging was active. Churches and schools were established. Any business ventures, as in stores, and professions focused on taking care of human needs in a frontier life. In chapter 1, for the 1949 publication of Punxsutawney Centennial 1849-1949, Mr. Phil R. Jack, an instructor in the Punxsutawney School District, compiled the history from those pioneer years with a title PUNXSUTAWNEY AS A BABY. The boom years in Punxsutawney area history
10 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
wouldn’t begin until the late 1800s. Punxsutawney was incorporated as a borough in 1850, and Clayville, two miles west, followed in 1864. By 1870, the U.S. census reported a combined population of 604 people for the two towns. Among the villages and settlements in the five townships that surrounded them, a little over 5,000 residents were counted. In 1870, the weekly Punxsutawney Plaindealer gave a glowing report about the prosperity of the town. It mentioned there were four churches, three schools and six “societies, comprising bible classes, lodges, and a flourishing literary society.” Among the professions were five lawyers, two physicians, one dentist, and “a fine array of school teachers.” There was more to report to the readers: “The manufacturing of our town numbers one foundry, two cabinet and chair factories, five blacksmith shops, one tannery, five shoe shops, two harness manufacto-
ries, numerous carpenter shops, one tinware and stove establishment, one tailor shop, one watch and clock establishment, and one grist mill.” The town was also home to one art studio, a photograph gallery, and a barber shop. The traveling public found five hotels to accommodate them. Where did the enterprising businessman, adventurous lumberman, and professionals deposit their money? For the Punxsutawney Old Home Week celebration in 1909, W.O. Smith, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit wrote his “A More or Less Comprehensive Historical Sketch” about Punxsutawney’s past. One section contains brief accounts of five banks in business. At the top of the list was Mahoning Bank – “The pioneer bank of Punxsutawney.” Research in the Punxsutawney Plaindealer revealed the following good news on May 5, 1870: “Parties from Indiana - Continued on page 20
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 11
12 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 13
14 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
Historical Society’s Gallery One
Area Children’s Earliest Days
By Marty Armstrong for Hometown magazine Tiny hands and tiny feet, tiny heads and tiny seats. Little coats and little caps, little beds and little haps. Early toys with which to play, early books with prayers to say. The newborn infant needing constant care, the thriving preschooler who’s self aware. n overwhelming impression one gets when entering Gallery One of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society’s Childhood exhibit is of the smallness of things. Things – artifacts and images – are displayed in abundance. Members of the community have been generous with their family possessions both donated and loaned, and so there are wicker car-
A
Adrian Hospital nurses, c. 1908, care for newborns. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)
A toy baby bottle sterilizing set, c.1950, from the Manners Collection, displayed in Griffiths Gallery One. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)
riages and chairs, handmade rockers, and clothing. People whose parents cared for their children’s clothing and playthings until long after their babies had grown have preserved the history of those years. Beyond this sheer volume of artifacts displayed is the history of Punxsutawney’s young children. Sadness, challenge, and joy all have roles to play in the few short years of infancy and early childhood. One interesting arc is that of the health and well-being of infants and children. Statistics show that in the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century, infant mortality rates were distressingly high. Contagious disease played a part as did the use of milk before the benefits of pasteurization and sterilization became known. A set of doll-sized bottle sterilization equipment, c.1950, is one artifact among many from the Manners Collection. Also shown are nurses from the Adrian Hospital caring for newborns in 1908. Both the Punxsutawney Hospital, founded by Dr. John E. Grube at Pine and Gilpin Streets in 1901, and the Adrian Hospital, established in 1898 at the top of Jenks Hill in Punxsutawney as the successor to the miners’ hospital in Adrian, included schools for nurses’ training and facilities for the care of newborns and their mothers. A child’s wheeled chair used by Ellen Songer (b.1907), a poliomyelitis survivor, and the 1920s child’s coffin, both on display, symbolize the challenges faced by many. The photograph of two-year-old Joseph
R. Pifer in 1946 joyfully astride a rocking horse (that same horse is also on display having been donated by his cousins - Continued on page 21
Men from Ringgold Twp. Serve in WWI and WWII
Since early in 2017, the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society has provided World War I-related sidebars to accompany the Society’s monthly Hometown articles, the established connections of family members and friends enlisting together has been a common thread. These connections can be made through research of the Society’s surname files, various military records, online searches, and other resources. Two clippings from the subject files at the Society reinforce several family connections between enlistees in WWI. First is a report before the conclusion of World War II that the nearby township of Ringgold dedicated an Honor Roll of those men from the township who served during WWI and WWII. There were 122 names in all – twenty-eight from WWI and ninety-four from WWII. WWI soldiers included (as provided in the newspaper account of the event) Grant Smith, Daniel Motter, Charles Himes, Samuel Umenhocker, James Reed, Carl Himes, Dan Dinger, Samuel Graham, Clair and Albert Shilling, Lee and Merle Himes, Earl Holben, Hobart and Mervin Brocious, Harry and Henry Dinger, John Kordes, Ira and William Caylor, Lawrence Dinger, Percy Snyder, Charles Anderson, Herby Sherry, Clair and Ray Reed, Otis - Continued on page 21
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 15
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Coal Industry
Continued from page 5 port and naval warfare. The new engine made it possible for industry, including mines, to produce electricity for their use. Many innovations in mining were made possible with a steady supply of electrical power. The “iron man” pneumatic drill used to undercut the coal before blasting replaced the pick miner. Llewellyn Atkinson patented an enclosed electric motor for use in gaseous coal seams in 1887, and the motor quickly replaced mules as the main power to move coal from the mine to the tipple. The article “IN THE ELECTRICAL WORLD,” published in the Punxsutawney Spirit on February 4, 1891, contained the following: “An estimate has been made which is of the greatest interest to the mining industries. It specifies the relative cost for mine lighting on a colliery raising 1,000 tons a day, of electricity, gas and oil. Under the ‘Original outlay’ electricity is entered as $1,000, gas – main pipes and fittings – as $750 and oil as $400. Under ‘Working Costs,’ including repairs and depreciation per annum, electricity is estimated at $300, gas at $765, and oil at $700. These figures are suggestive as well as instructive.” By 1892, most of the industrial mines in the Punxsutawney area had converted their power generation systems to the turbine type and were producing their own electricity for use in their mines. They also provided utility service to the residents of the mining communities. In addition to employing stationary engineers and firemen, the mines began to employ electrical engineers to manage the electrical services in the mines. The following from the June 27, 1894, Punxsutawney Spirit, gives insight into the extent of the power house and the mine operations it supported (the conversation reported here is between striking miners at Walston and General Wiley of the National Guard, which had been called out because of the extended strike at the Rochester and Pittsburg Coal and Iron Company and the Bell, Lewis and Yates Coal Company): “After discussing the company store and other questions a deputation came in and asked General Wiley if his soldiers were going to run the mines. The engineer and firemen quit their jobs as soon as the coal and iron police came, and their places were filled by soldiers. The spokesman was angry and excited. ‘We must have water for the camp,’ General Wiley replied, ‘and the pumps that supply it must be kept running. If other machinery is incidentally set in motion it cannot be helped. If we receive our water supply from this town, and the pumps were stopped, we would run them, notwithstanding the fact that we had to supply the whole town with water to get it ourselves. “‘But,’ said the spokesman, ‘six batteries
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of boilers are being run, and the mine pumps and air compressors kept going, when one boiler would furnish ample power to run the pumps which supply the camp with water.’ In answer to this General Wiley said that no fears need to be entertained that the soldiers were going to do any work about the mines excepting what might be necessary for their own comfort and convenience; that they were here simply to assist the Sheriff to maintain the peace and protect life and property, and that while doing so they would also take care of themselves.” In addition to mining communities, larger communities, including Punxsutawney, were actively seeking to have electricity made available to their residents. The Punxsutawney Electric Light and Power Company was incorporated in 1889 and the Jefferson Electric Light, Heat and Power Company was chartered in 1892. The two companies first competed and then merged. By 1900, Punxsutawney possessed an electrical lighting system that provided excellent service at very moderate rates. The first order of business when Punxsutawney had electric service was to replace the gas street lights with new electric arc lights. The arc lights provided more candle power than the former gas lights, however they needed to be maintained and treated with care as the following report on Will Stumph’s experience shows: The Dead is Alive “Electrician Will Stumph, who cares for the city arc lights, met with an accident last Saturday night about 9 o’clock while making his usual rounds, which for a few minutes deprived him of every function necessary to life. “While lowering a light at the corner of Penn and Union streets the lamp cord came into contact with a live wire on the incandescent system and the result was an electric shock which brought Mr. Stumph to the ground instantly, uttering as he fell, a single sharp cry of surprise. “Haldeman Bigler, the R. & P. Co’s chemist, who generally accompanies the electrician for purposes of recreation, came to his rescue immediately, and but for Mr. Bigler’s knowledge of the proper treatment of such cases, Stumph would have been beyond recovery in a few moments. Wrenching the unconscious man loose from the wires, Mr. Bigler proceeded to put him through a vigorous process calculated to resuscitate one who has had the breath knocked out of him, which in about three minutes produced the desired effect, although complete consciousness was not restored for near fifteen minutes. “The effect of the current which passed through the electrician’s body became noticeable at once and is most peculiar, his hands, face and feet being punctured as though nails had been driven into the flesh. - Continued on page 19
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Run Walk for Someone Special Committee (front) Debbie Decker, Alice Orsich, Co-Chair Erin Cameron, Will Cuba, and Jennifer Roberts. (back) Ranee and Chase Sikora, Marie Elkin, Jean Roberts, Rachel Spack, Betsy Buffington, John Stormer, Pat Mowery, and Co-Chair Bill Cuba. (submitted photo)
Run or Walk for Someone Special Set for April 8
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t’s that time of year to get out your sneakers and get ready to support the Arc of Jefferson and Clearfield Counties / Camp Friendship. The thirty-ninth annual Run or Walk for Someone Special will take place at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 8. All monies raised at this event are used to provide children and adults with special needs, from Jefferson and Clearfield Counties, summer camp at Camp Friendship, Autism Camp, and support for other programs throughout the year. Participants who preregister and donate $20 or more will receive a T-shirt. On the day of the event, anyone who donates $25 or more will receive a T-shirt. (Children 12 years of age and younger may participate for free.): Preregistration must be completed by Friday, April 6. Participants can preregister online at www.firstgiving.com/thearcofjeffersoncounty/runwalk2018. Preregistration may also be accomplished by printing a registration form from the event’s website (www.jcarc.org), completing the form, and mailing it to Sarah Walker, 1023 Sunset Lake Road, Rockton, PA 15856, by April 6.
Participants are reminded to please bring this registration form to the “check-in” station the day of the Run or Walk along with the money collected. On the day of the Run or Walk, registration begins at the Sykesville Town Hall at 1:30 p.m. The race begins at 3:00 p.m., and anyone wishing to participate has the option to run or walk two miles or to run five miles. Trophies and ribbons are awarded to finishers in a variety of age groups for both the two-mile and five-mile distances. At the Town Hall, there are also games, food, and prizes, and a silent auction. Prizes are given to the top money collectors! Organizers thank all the local businesses who contribute donations and all the volunteers who help make this event possible. A special thank you to Commonwealth Press for donating the Run or Walk T-shirts! Please come out and support a great event and a great cause! For forms and additional information, please contact Erin Cameron at (814) 9520490 or Bill Cuba Jr. at 591-6800 or by sending an e-mail to run_walk@yahoo.com. •••
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Eggs Eggs are one of the more recognizable symbols of Easter. For Easter egg hunts, eggs are hard-boiled and decorated in bright hues. It’s believed that the origins of Easter eggs are both secular and religious. From the secular (once pagan) perspective, the egg is an ancient symbol of new life, according to The History Channel, and has been associated with pagan festivals that celebrate spring. Some Christians feel that Easter eggs represent Christ’s emergence from the
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tomb and his subsequent resurrection. Eggs were once a food not consumed during Lent, therefore painting and decorating them to mark the end of fasting and penance became a way to celebrate Easter.
Crucifix The crucifix is one of the central symbols of Easter and Christianity. The cross is a symbol of Christ’s crucifixion and sacrifice. The crucifix also highlights the ability of God to give new life to people after death.
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Rabbit The Easter bunny is very much a secular symbol of the holiday, but one that has become so ingrained with the season that many people ascribe to it a Christian meaning. Pagan celebrations of spring often linked rabbits or hares with the season because of their fertility and ability to bring forth new life. According to the Christian living resource Crosswalk, believers associate the rabbit coming out of its underground home as a symbol of Christ emerging from the tomb. Lilies Lilies are often exchanged during Easter celebrations or presented as hostess gifts for those sharing the holiday meal with others. The American Bible Society says lilies grow in the spring around the time when Easter is typically celebrated. Also, because they look like trumpets, they can be a symbol that heralds Christ’s resurrection.
Lamb The lamb is another symbol associated with Easter. Lambs were originally associated with the Jewish holiday of Passover, when lambs were sacrificed and their blood was used to mark which houses contained those faithful to God. As a result of his crucifixion, Christ became the symbolic lamb for all — the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, Christ is often referred to as ‘The Lamb of God.’ Easter is replete with many recognized symbols. Unearthing their meanings can be a learning experience and a way to further immerse oneself in this holy holiday. •••
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Coal Industry
Continued from page 16 Another peculiar result of the shock is Mr. Stumph’s extreme nervousness, which is induced by the slightest provocation. Concerning the sensation of being electrocuted William says, ‘I had just time to think well, this is the last of “old Bill.” I’m a dead man sure, and then I passed into unconsciousness. When I came to I found trouble in locating myself, but was agreeably surprised to find that I was not dead. Being electrocuted is the easiest death I ever died. It’s absolutely painless.’ “In half an hour after the occurrence Stumph went back to his work as though nothing had occurred to him, but took good care to see that the lamp rope was not mixed up with anything that was ‘loaded.’” (August 20, 1899, Punxsutawney Spirit) Although there are still a few residents of the community who remember the days before electricity became a standard household fixture, most residents are unaware of the long time it took to have this modern convenience. And few know of the role of the coal industry in bringing electricity to the Punxsutawney area. This article has been prepared by the Coal Memorial Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc. Information used in the preparation of this article is available at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, the U.S. Census online, and the Library of Congress. Comments on this article may be directed to PAHGS, P.O. Box 286, Punxsutawney, PA 15767. Forms for purchasing a Coal Memorial tile to honor any person who worked in any aspect of the coal industry including railroads may be found online at www.punxsyhistory.org or may be picked up at the Lattimer House, 400 West Mahoning Street, Punxsutawney. Forms may also be requested by sending an e-mail to punxsyhistory@outlook.com or by calling (814) 938-2555. •••
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p.m., at Scotland Ave. Church of God. A love offering will be taken. n April 25: An Evening of Women’s Wellness, 6 to 8 p.m., at Punxsy Country Club. Speakers, vendors, door prizes, refreshments. $20 ticket required. Proceeds benefit the Weather Discovery Center. n The First United Methodist Church holds a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. Thursdays. n The Punxsutawney Memorial Library offers several programs, including computer classes, Teen Club, ’Tween Group, Book Club for adults, and activities for children. n The Salvation Army has a Rummage Sale every Friday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. n SSCD School Registration, children age five by June 1, 2018 are eligible to attend kindergarten this fall. Stop in at 205 Chestnut Street, Punxsutawney or call the school office for information, 938-4224. Preschool registratinon is currently underway. Please contact Jessica Dinger, school principal, 938-4224, sscdpcl@comcast.net. n The Punxsutawney Area Community Center offers indoor cycling, batting cage, Fifty & Fit, SilverSneakers, AM men’s basketball, Pilates/yoga, and gymnastics. Call 938-1008 for more information. •••
OL
By the staff of Hometown magazine rom the staff of Hometown magazine and the Community Calendar at Punxsutawney.com, here is a list of events coming up in our area: n March 30: Community Good Friday Worship Service, noon, at Grace United Methodist Church, Punxsy. Sponsored by the Punxsy Area Ministerial Association. n April 1: Easter. Celebrate the Risen Christ! n April 2: Blood Drive, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Punxsy Area Hospital. Benefits the American Red Cross. n April 3: First Tuesday Community Meal, 5 p.m., at Punxsy Presbyterian Church. Free & open to the public. n April 6 & 7: Free clothing at Grange Church of God’s Helping Hands program. Friday, noon to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. n April 7: Spring Mommy Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at First Church of God. n April 7: Craft & Wares Sale, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at John W. Jenks Masonic Lodge. n April 8: All You Can Eat Breakfast, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Perry Township Vol. Fire Co. $8 adults. n April 8: Run or Walk for Someone Special, 1:30 p.m., at Sykesville Town Hall. Pre-register by April 6. For information, email run_walk@yahoo.com or visit www.jcarc.org. Benefits ARC of Jefferson & Clearfield Counties & Camp Friendship. n April 12: Advanced Skywarn Spotter Training, 6 to 8 p.m. at Weather Discovery Center. This free class follows last year’s Basic Weather Spotter training. To register, call 938-1000 or at www.weather.gov/ pbz/skywarn. n April 12, 13, & 14: Class of 2018 Variety Show, 7 p.m., PAHS auditorium. Benefits the Boles Foundation and the senior class. n April 13: Community Dinner, 5 p.m., at First United Methodist Church, Punxsy. Free & open to the public. n April 14: Trout season opens. Don’t forget your license! n April 14: Open House at several Smicksburg area merchants. n April 14: SSCD Home & School Auction, 6 p.m. in Wienker Hall. Tickets are now available for $15. Stop in the church office at 616 W. Mahoning St. or school office at 205 Chestnut St. Must be 21 to attend. All proceeds benefit SSCD School. n April 16: Coping with Loss Support Group, 7 p.m., at First Church of God. April 17: Blood Drive, 12:30 to 6 p.m., at SSCD Church. Benefits the American Red Cross. n April 18: “A Vision for Punxsutawney” public workshop, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Gobbler’s Knob. Anyone having questions, call Katie Donald at 618-5591 or Marlene Lellock at 938-1000. Originally scheduled for March 21, but rescheduled due to weather. n April 21: Punxsy Phil’s Weather Extravaganza for Girl Scouts, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Includes the Weather Discovery Center, Gobbler’s Knob, a walking tour, etc. Register at www.gswpa.org. n April 21: Spaghetti dinner, 4 to 7 p.m., at Grange Church of God. Pay by donation. Fundraiser for youth to go to church camp. n April 21 & 28: Punxsy Community Blood Screening, at Punxsy Area Middle School, sponsored by Punxsy Rotary Club & Punxsy Area Hospital. n April 22: Legacy Five in concert, 4
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20 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
Continued from page 4 played the lead female role of Aldonza. He also recalls, with satisfaction, his dying scene in House for Sale, another show he did with Dinsmore. A theatrical role the community relished for years was Curry’s portrayal of Mother Ginger in Van Dyke and Company’s ballet productions of The Nutcracker. He says he had to learn to walk on stilts wearing her huge skirt and not to become unbalanced by all the little dancers hiding under it. He turned that role over to Mike Momyer. Long after his high school stint as Student Council president, Curry took on another government role in 1970. His father, Samuel T. Curry, was a Punxsutawney borough councilman at the time. Inspired by his father and his own desire for public service, Curry ran for a borough council position in the fall of 1969 and served three terms until 1981. His greatest satisfaction from that experience was being a member of council’s Architecture Review Committee that selected the architect who designed the individual buildings that are now the Mahoning East Civic Center. The teacher, artist, civic volunteer, and public servant was recognized for all his contributions to the community as he was named Punxsutawney’s Man of the Year in 1982. One of Curry’s most cherished jobs is his volunteer role as faithful recorder and teller of the Punxsutawney area’s authentic history. During Groundhog Day activities this past February, frigid as the temperatures were, he was on an open, tractor-pulled hay wagon presiding over thirty-minute-long historical tours and telling visitors about the town’s early history and development related to streets, architecture, businesses, and industries. A trustee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society, Curry has been involved in preparing exhibits at the Society’s Bennis House where he’s researched and labeled many of the mining exhibits in the basement with painstaking accuracy. He’s worked preserving old photographs and identifying their subjects. He’s an ardent keeper of old records that are his primary research sources. He is, literally, Punxsutawney’s historical conscience, committed to getting all the stories told accurately and dispelling “false news.” Curry’s wife’s support of his work and historical research has been invaluable, and he’s acknowledged her role in these words: “My wife has supported my need for ‘space’ in our house (called a studio, by some) for placing art materials and media about the house and keeping the art processes active and undisturbed for periods of time. This need was easily accommodated after son Scott left for college and moved on in his career; his bedroom was empty, so it became my space. And she supported, with tolerance, the clutter that appeared from my gathering, organizing, filing, and storing papers and research materials about Punxsutawney area history. Then she’s given me undisturbed time to compose writing about themes and topics.” For relaxation, Curry likes to read, but it’s no surprise his choice of material is nonfiction, mostly history. He’s embraced digital media, too, which is vital to his research, so he likes to read online news, as well as newspapers from different areas. He is a fact-finder, dedicated to truth in reporting history. At age eighty, S. [Samuel] Thomas Curry
says, “I’m glad to be alive and have a passion I can pursue.” He sees some of the organizations with which he’s been involved struggling for lack of new members. But he embraces change. “We need the new generations to inspire,” he adds. During his long career as teacher, historian, artist, and responsible citizen, Curry has been an inspiration and role model for those new generations. •••
Spring Cleaning
Continued from page 10 have rented and are refitting the room formerly occupied by Mr. H. B. Hilton as a drugstore, in which they will intend starting a bank. We learn it will be in operation during the coming week, but did not ascertain who is going to ‘run the machine.’ A bank is something badly need in this place, and no doubt will do a large business.” During the weeks that followed, a detailed account described the beginning of this needed business. May 26, 1870 – “[W]e are informed that the Indiana County Deposit Bank proposes to put in operation a branch of their institution in Punxsutawney... A banking-house is very much needed in the thriving town of Punxsutawney.” June 23, 1870 – “The new safe for the Bank in our town arrived yesterday, and that institution is now in operation.” June 30, 1870 – “THE MAHONING BANK. – This institution is now in operation, and we are pleased to say that it is arranged and conducted in the most complete manner ... The safe, purchased in Philadelphia, is of the latest style and manufacture, and its completeness renders it absolutely impossible for any burglar to gain access to it.” Among other details was the announcement that M. J. Dinsmore of Punxsutawney was selected as clerk. Local stockholders, “men of large wealth and property, and experienced in financial matters,” were listed. During the remaining years of the nineteenth century, two additional banks were organized – the First National Bank in 1883 and the Citizens Bank in 1890. In January 1901, the Punxsutawney National Bank opened its doors for business, and in December 1901, the Farmers and Miners Trust Company began business. The Mahoning Bank discontinued business in 1902. With coal mining in the area, and its related industries, immigrants from eastern and southern Europe entered and settled in the area. In the weekly Punxsutawney News, research revealed bits of “banking history” that are not included in published histories, but reflect the culture of a changing society: “The Italian bank at this place could not stand the pressure of the Walston bank and so had to sell out and quit business” (March 27, 1889). “A bank for the convenience of Hungarians has been established in the Zeitler building, but we fear the cashier will have a lonesome time as the foreigners have friends at the mines who usually transact their business in that line” (April 9, 1890). In contrast to that early history, and nearly 150 years later in 2018, there are eight financial institutions in Punxsutawney available for Punxsutawney area residents. Of them, two have historical roots in Punxsutawney’s banking history – S&T Bank and PNC Bank. •••
Historical Society’s
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Continued from page 15
AND Wildlife Museum BIG TRUCK PLAYGROUND Gift Shops Panels honoring Ringgold Township’s World War I and World War II soldiers were erected before the end of WWII. (image courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)
A family photograph taken in 1946 shows twoyear-old Joseph R. Pifer playing cowboy. (photo courtesy of the Punxsutawney Area Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.)
as part of the Manners Collection) is one of many examples of young children and their playthings shown in Gallery One. Galleries Two and Three interpret grade school and teen years while Gallery Four is all about the history of education in the Punxsutawney area. The Griffiths Galleries are free and open to visitors from 1 to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. Visitors may want to come in often to take it all in. Group tours for family, friends, and organizations may also be scheduled by calling the Society at 938.2555 or by sending an e-mail to punxsyhistory@outlook.com. Marty Armstrong is a member of the Collections Committee of the Punxsutawney Area Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. •••
Men from Ringgold Continued from page 15
Deibler, and Thomas Shilling. Reports indicate that a large crowd, including persons from Punxsutawney, attended the event. Township Secretary William Snyder has determined that the panels and a new flagpole were initially placed near the old store close to Route 536. Subsequently, the memorial was relocated to a position near the Methodist Church in Ringgold. Not currently in public view, the panels with the recurring surnames of those who served during each war suggest that some families sent multiple sons off together. Ira (b.1891) and William (b.1895) Caylor, for example, were both sons of Frank and Mary Alice Raybuck Caylor of Dora. Harry (b.1894) and Lawrence (b.1898) Dinger were the sons of Elias and Lydia Buchtell Dinger, also of Dora. These relationships are documented in the Society’s surname files. Several other men with the same surname are known not to be brothers but may have been part of larger, extended families. Some
names do not appear in the Society’s surname files at all, which could mean that those men lived their lives elsewhere or that they went by middle rather than first names at some point in their lives and both may not have been reported in their obituaries. Alternative spellings complicate matters. All these difficulties are grist to the genealogist’s mill and might well be resolved with additional research into military records and online resources. And, though the names of men who have the same surnames can provide clues to possible relationships, one should never forget that maiden names of the men’s mothers and wives may be keys to cousin or in-law relationships. The second clipping dates from August of 1917. Members of the local registration board felt they had duplicate registrations from the same man from two locations, perhaps confused as to where he should register, and took the precaution to prevent his registering twice. The forms showed similar names, the same birth date in 1895, the same height, hair, and eyes, and each man having a wife and child. Herbie Sherry of Timblin appeared for his examination, which he passed, and waived the exemption allowed for his family status. (Note that Herby Sherry is included with the Ringgold Township list above, though with a different spelling of his name.) Several days later, his twin brother, Erbie Sherry of Mayport, appeared for examination and also passed. He, too, waived the family exemption available to him. Herbie and Erbie were sons of Daniel F. and Mary Ellen Martz Sherry. Only Erbie appears in the Society’s surname files, but the obituary of their mother refers to her son Herbie living in Cadogan (a community in Armstrong County near Kittanning). The longer list of WWII soldiers, not surprisingly, reveals many of the same family surnames, including Caylor and Himes, of which there were each six men known to have served. Of the Himes men named, Kenneth and Reed can be identified as the sons of Clayton and Orpha Mauk Himes of Dora as shown in the Society’s WWII clipping file compiled by Punxsutawney librarian Miss Mildred Harlan. Also in Miss Harlan’s records is a third brother, Russell Himes, who also served during WWII. Among the Caylors were two sons of Mr. and Mrs. D.P. Caylor of Ringgold: Harold, and Paul Daniel. •••
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Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 21
Free Class Teaches Advanced NWS Weather Spotter Practices A re you a weather watcher? Do you check the skies often when storms are approaching? Would you like to perform a public service? Have you had the basic weather spotter training? Then you might be a candidate to become a SKYWARN® weather spotter! The National Weather Service (NWS) Pittsburgh office in conjunction with the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center is presenting free training on being a volunteer weather spotter on Thursday, April 12, at 6 p.m. at the Weather Discovery Center facility at 201 N. Findley St. in Punxsutawney. The course generally runs for two hours. A Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the NWS Pittsburgh office will present this advanced SKYWARN® training course, which picks up where the basic course leaves off going more in-depth with weather identification, storm fundamentals, severe weather features, and tips for reporting to the NWS. Fred McMullen, warning coordination meteorologist with the Pittsburgh NWS, says that storm spotters are part of the first line of defense against severe weather. “Spotters can give their communities the precious gift of
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time when a storm is approaching. Seconds and minutes can save lives,” says McMullen. The NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service and access to communications, such as HAM radio, to join the SKYWARN® program. The ranks of volunteer storm spotters include police, fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, and concerned citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes, or who have a responsibility for protecting others are also encouraged to become a spotter. Since the program began in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enable NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods. To register for the free Advanced SKYWARN® weather spotter class, visit weather.gov/pbz, call 9381000 or e-mail info@weatherdiscovery.org. Walk-ins will also be welcome on the night of the program. •••
(“From Our Past,” researched by S. Thomas Curry, features items of interest from past editions of Punxsutawney and area newspapers.)
March 14, 1888 — John A. Weber now occupies his new house on West Mahoning street. This is certainly one of the most tasty and convenient dwellings in town. It is finished from attic to cellar and is supplied with gas and water. It is being furnished in good style throughout and Mr. Weber and his family should certainly enjoy life. (Punxsutawney News) [Note: The house at 314 West Mahoning Street is the location of the law offices of attorney Nick Gianvito.]
March 23, 1906 — The ladies of the Wymodosis Club and their husbands were delightfully entertained at the home of Dr. and Mrs. John E. Grube in their handsome W. Mahoning Street home last night. Supper was served at eight o’clock and the remainder of the evening was spent in pleasant social intercourse, games and music. (Punxsutawney Spirit) [Note: The new house of Dr. and Mrs. Grube was completed in 1904, built in a row at the same time with the houses of T. M Kurtz and G. W. Goheen. The Wymodosis Club was a women’s group formed to stress the value of personal service and responsibility to the community.]
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22 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210
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TEMPORARY TAGS AVAILABLE
We Offer Year-round Service Please call for an appointment 938-7070 Fax: 939-7070 76 Harvest Lane, Punxsy
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Jumpstarts • Tiltbed Wheel Lift Service Lockouts • Towing Tire Changes
Triple R Performance llc. Kim Rhodes Gary Rhodes
814-365-2158 or 814-590-4006
Reasonable Rates & Courteous Service
SPECIAL: 4 lines of UNLIMITED TALK, TEXT, & DATA for $100/mo.
21892 Rt. 119, Punxsutawney
814.246.4600
312 Commons Dr., DuBois 814.299.7159
Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210 – 23
Hours: Mon. & Fri. 10 - 8 Tues., Thurs., Sat. 10 - 4 Closed Wed. & Sun.
If these hours don't suit you, we can meet by appointment with no purchase necessary.
Rt. 536 North Freedom between Ringgold & Mayport
24 – Punxsutawney Hometown – April 2018 - Issue #210