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Full-Text Articles in History
She Spoke For Those Without A Voice, John M. Rudy
She Spoke For Those Without A Voice, John M. Rudy
Civil War Era Studies Faculty Publications
Statistically, about 50% of Adams County’s history has been women’s history since the dawn of time. But it can sometimes be painfully difficult to find out about the women of our county and their experiences. And as with most history, it is the troublemakers who stand out in the records. Luckily one of Adams County’s greatest troublemakers, Elsie Singmaster Lewars, is easy to find in the files of the Adams County Historical Society. Mrs. Lewars had the courage to speak for those without a voice. [excerpt]
Dan Sickles, William H. Tipton, And The Birth Of Battlefield Preservation, John M. Rudy
Dan Sickles, William H. Tipton, And The Birth Of Battlefield Preservation, John M. Rudy
Adams County History
Thirty years after the battle of Gettysburg, the small Pennsylvania town was once again besieged—only this time, the invaders were not rebels, but entrepreneurs with an unquenchable thirst for profit. The most visible sign of their voracious commercialism was an electric trolley line (“from which the shouts and songs of revelry may arise to drown the screams of the suffering”) belting the battlefield. The Gettysburg Electric Railway Company’s venture raised a host of new questions regarding the importance of battlefield preservation. Most significantly, it prompted Americans to ask if they had any obligation to set aside for posterity the land …
"Remembrance Will Cling To Us Through Life": Kate Bushman's Memoir Of The Battle Of Gettysburg, Brian Matthew Jordan
"Remembrance Will Cling To Us Through Life": Kate Bushman's Memoir Of The Battle Of Gettysburg, Brian Matthew Jordan
Adams County History
Kate Bushman never expected that the Civil War would visit her tiny town. Nor could she have predicted the life altering impact of Gettysburg’s grisly scenes, indelibly etched into the folds of her memory. The best evidence of that transformation is the remarkable memoir of the battle and its aftermath that she obediently entered into her leather-bound scrapbook sometime in the early 1870s. Leaving no room for pretense, she recognized that the events she witnessed were significant, and that hers was important historical testimony. No longer just another devoted wife, mother, and Unionist, she was “an eye witness.” [excerpt …
A History Of The Early Fairfield Town Lots, Timothy H. Smith
A History Of The Early Fairfield Town Lots, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
In 1732 Charles Carroll of Maryland received a grant of 5000 acres of land in present Adams County, Pennsylvania, from the authorities of Maryland. Soon after, a survey of that land, known as “Carroll’s Tract” or “Carroll’s Delight,” was conducted. At that point in time there was still some dispute over the location of the boundary between the two states. A temporary line was agreed upon in 1739, and a more permanent line (very near that temporary boundary) was surveyed by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon during the 1760s. And even though it was established that Carroll’s Tract was in …
Northern Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Northern Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
Each lot history give the original lot number, original owner, the current address, the owner of the lot in 1860, a description of the lot or dwelling in 1860, a recital of ownership with as much detail as is known, a comprehensive lot history, any known residents in 1860 (may be different than lot owner), and any family notes on any residents mentioned in the lot history. The research is comprehensive, but not necessarily exhaustive. Thorough information for all lots was not always available to the researcher.
Southeasterly Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Southeasterly Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
Each lot history give the original lot number, original owner, the current address, the owner of the lot in 1860, a description of the lot or dwelling in 1860, a recital of ownership with as much detail as is known, a comprehensive lot history, any known residents in 1860 (may be different than lot owner), and any family notes on any residents mentioned in the lot history. The research is comprehensive, but not necessarily exhaustive. Thorough information for all lots was not always available to the researcher.
Southwesterly Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Southwesterly Town Lot Histories Of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
Each lot history give the original lot number, original owner, the current address, the owner of the lot in 1860, a description of the lot or dwelling in 1860, a recital of ownership with as much detail as is known, a comprehensive lot history, any known residents in 1860 (may be different than lot owner), and any family notes on any residents mentioned in the lot history. The research is comprehensive, but not necessarily exhaustive. Thorough information for all lots was not always available to the researcher.
1860 Fairfield Town Lot Owners, Timothy H. Smith
1860 Fairfield Town Lot Owners, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
Lot owners are divided into directional quadrants; northeasterly, northwesterly, etc. Each quadrant then lists the lots by number, given the owner's name in the year 1860.
Presentation Of The Early Fairfield Town Lots, Timothy H. Smith
Presentation Of The Early Fairfield Town Lots, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
What follows is a preliminary study of the Fairfield town lots, focusing on the owners and appearance of the lots up through the American Civil War. Because the existing records are sporadic, some of the lots were more difficult to research than others and will require further research at some future time. This was anticipated going into the project. But it is hoped that this study will provide a foundation for that future research. Undoubtedly, there are many surviving Fairfield deeds still in private hands. It is anticipated that this study will bring attention to the subject and lead to …
Rural Fairfield Property Histories, Timothy H. Smith
Rural Fairfield Property Histories, Timothy H. Smith
Adams County History
Each lot history give the original lot number, original owner, the current address, the owner of the lot in 1860, a description of the lot or dwelling in 1860, a recital of ownership with as much detail as is known, a comprehensive lot history, any known residents in 1860 (may be different than lot owner), and any family notes on any residents mentioned in the lot history. The research is comprehensive, but not necessarily exhaustive. Thorough information for all lots was not always available to the researcher.
An 1858 Patent Office Report: The Joy Of Being Wrong, John M. Rudy
An 1858 Patent Office Report: The Joy Of Being Wrong, John M. Rudy
Interpreting the Civil War: Connecting the Civil War to the American Public
I love being wrong. I think every historian should love that feeling. Finding that one small piece of evidence that puts a crack in your perception of the past and makes you restructure your view of the flow of history is a joy.
I had one of those moments a few weeks ago at Adams County Historical Society, digging through the vertical files for random things. I go digging every week or so, simply immersing myself in the raw material of the past and seeing what floats to the surface. [excerpt]
Adams County History 2011-2012
A Century Of Brickmaking At Berlin Junction: A History Of The Alwine Brick Company, Duane F. Alwin
A Century Of Brickmaking At Berlin Junction: A History Of The Alwine Brick Company, Duane F. Alwin
Adams County History
The Alwine family name had been associated with brickmaking in York and Adams Counties at least since the early 1850s, when Peter Samuel Alwine started his first brickyard on a farm in Paradise Township of York County.1 He learned the trade of brickmaking during his youth and by the age of seventeen had become a skilled artisan. He learned how to make bricks by working in the spring and summer months at a brickmaking operation in Peach Bottom Township, located in the southeastern corner of York County. He did not set up his own brickyard until later, and following his …
Girl Abducted By Indians, Kevin L. Greenholt
Girl Abducted By Indians, Kevin L. Greenholt
Adams County History
Who was this girl? Why was this account not known to others who had researched Indian abductions in the Adams County area? A former volunteer at the Adams County Historical Society suggested that I look into these matters. Using the collections of the historical society, the Pennsylvania 27 State Archives, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington, D.C., my search began.
It should be noted before going any further that the 1765 date, which is repeated in various accounts of this abduction, is incorrect and will be examined later. Also incorrect is the fact that the Zimmerman/Carpenter …
"The Last Full Measure Of Devotion": The Battle Of Gettysburg And The New Museum In Schmucker Hall, Bradley R. Hoch, Gerald Christianson
"The Last Full Measure Of Devotion": The Battle Of Gettysburg And The New Museum In Schmucker Hall, Bradley R. Hoch, Gerald Christianson
Adams County History
Schmucker Hall offers an unprecedented opportunity to interpret the role of religion in the Civil War and the American expenment in democracy. In particular it can give palpable expression to major themes in Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address concerning the battle itself, the conflict as a time of testing, the sacrifices of those who fought here, and the hope these sacrifices bring to the young nation for a new birth of freedom.
Built in 1832 and named for an abolitionist and founder of Gettysburg Seminary, Samuel Simon Schmucker, it is the original structure on the oldest continuously-operating Lutheran seminary in the …
Mapping Gettysburg: Baltimore Street In 1910, Danielle C. Hiss, Megan L. Gray
Mapping Gettysburg: Baltimore Street In 1910, Danielle C. Hiss, Megan L. Gray
Adams County History
In 1910, the town of Gettysburg was a thriving, bustling place. The Civil War was long over, and the town had begun to profit from tourists who wished to see the site of the famous battle. Business boomed. Merchants moved in and out of buildings and young families set up housekeeping in their own homes, raising their children and getting off to a running start in their chosen professions. There were cars in the streets next to the old horse-drawn buggies and electricity had begun to replace the gas lamps and candles of the Victorian era. For all that the …
March Into Oblivion: A Footnote, Larry C. Bolin
March Into Oblivion: A Footnote, Larry C. Bolin
Adams County History
In the above-titled work in 2006, this writer briefly discussed the possibility that President George Washington traversed present Adams County in October 1794, during his return from Bedford to Philadelphia, a belief long and widely held locally. No credible assertion of the President's presence here in 1794 was possible at that time. Recently however, a forgotten narrative was "rediscovered"; its author, Jacob Eyster, gives some substance to the previous mere speculation. After extensive research, this writer was graciously requested to produce a sequel to his prior speculative writing. [excerpt]
Book Review: Heart Language: Elsie Singmaster And Her Pennsylvania German Writings, Anna Jane Moyer
Book Review: Heart Language: Elsie Singmaster And Her Pennsylvania German Writings, Anna Jane Moyer
Adams County History
Heart Language: Elsie Singmaster and Her Pennsylvania German Writings
By Susan Colestock Hill. Foreword by Charles H. Glatfelter. Pennsylvania German History and Culture Series. The Pennsylvania German Society. The Pennsylvania State University Press. 2009.
A new century with all its energy and expectations had slipped into place and challenged Americans with fresh promises. The year was 1900. Elsie Singmaster had spent two years at Cornell University immersed in writing classes, and she would return home to Gettysburg eager to write. Her professors had been encouraging. She would always remember one of them who commented on her work for the day …
Adams County Votes For President, 1804-2008, Charles H. Glatfelter
Adams County Votes For President, 1804-2008, Charles H. Glatfelter
Adams County History
Adult male Europeans who were living in what is now Adams County, Pennsylvania, when York County was formed in 1749 could not vote to choose either their king or their governor. Thanks to the royal grant of 1682, their governor in 1749 took the form of two Penn proprietors, named Thomas and Richard. Thanks to the political principles of the first proprietor, William Penn, adult male Adams countians could participate in electing some of the officers responsible for the orderly operation of government in the province. They could vote for two representatives in the provincial legislative assembly, three York County …
Black Labor At Pine Grove & Caledonia Furnaces, 1789-1860, Troy D. Harman
Black Labor At Pine Grove & Caledonia Furnaces, 1789-1860, Troy D. Harman
Adams County History
Black labor operating under various degrees of freedom found a suitable working environment, if not a safe haven, in several iron forges of South Central Pennsylvania, from the late 1790s through the 1850s. Primary accounts indicate that two in particular, Pine Grove Furnace of Cumberland County, and Caledonia Furnace of Franklin County, harbored runaway slaves to augment their work force. Pine Grove records, dating from 1789 – 1801, specify names of “negro” employees, verifying that black labor coexisted with white, but day books, journals, and ledgers do not denote status.1 Whether they were free men, or slaves rented out by …
Register Of Births Of Dr. Isaac Pearson, Kevin L. Greenholt
Register Of Births Of Dr. Isaac Pearson, Kevin L. Greenholt
Adams County History
Born June 6, 1824 in Huntington Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, Isaac William Wierman Worley Pearson was the son of Isaac and Mary (Wierman) Pearson. By the time he was fourteen years old both of his parents had passed away. In 1848 he began the study of medicine under the tutelage of Dr. Hiram C. Metcalfe of York Springs, Adams County. He completed his medical education at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia during the winter of 1849 – 1850.
He returned to Adams County in 1850 and when the federal census was taken on September 25, 1850, the now Dr. Pearson …
Will The Real James Duncan Please Stand Up?, Charles H. Glatfelter, Wayne E. Motts
Will The Real James Duncan Please Stand Up?, Charles H. Glatfelter, Wayne E. Motts
Adams County History
From 1956 through 1967 viewers enjoyed one of the most popular early television shows, To Tell the Truth. Host Bud Collyer would call on three contestants, standing side by side, to explain briefly who they were. Giving different stories, all claimed to be one and the same person. When they finished making their presentations, the host would turn to a panel of four, asking them to identify the only contestant who was in fact telling the truth about himself or herself. Then Collyer would ask that person to please stand up.
There were two contemporaries, both named James Duncan, who …
The Lincoln Highway: Coast To Coast From Times Square To The Golden Gate, Wayne E. Motts
The Lincoln Highway: Coast To Coast From Times Square To The Golden Gate, Wayne E. Motts
Adams County History
The Lincoln Highway: Coast to Coast from Times Square to the Golden Gate
By Michael Wallis and Michael S. Williamson (WW Norton, New York and London, 2007 293 pages includes bibliography)
The book is divided into chapters by state following the highway from east to west. It is lavishly illustrated with color images of stops on the journey from the early days to the present. Of course, the roadway in Adams County is today US Route 30 and passes through the borough of Abbotstown to the western end of the county near the Michaux State Forest. Adams County highlights include …
'A Beautiful Dream Realized': John S. Rice And The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Of The Battle Of Gettysburg, Brian Matthew Jordan
'A Beautiful Dream Realized': John S. Rice And The Seventy-Fifth Anniversary Of The Battle Of Gettysburg, Brian Matthew Jordan
Adams County History
"We have real cause for being proud of our past and the heritage it has given us ... We have a rich past ... along with this heritage we have had thrust upon us a deep responsibility," John S. Rice said in 1959. Indeed, it was the same sense of deep responsibility that had motivated him in anticipation of 1938. That year marked the seventy- fifth anniversary of the cataclysmic, three-day battle that was waged in the fields and farm lanes surrounding the seat of his native Adams County, Pennsylvania. Rice's cognizance of the importance not only of the Battle …
John Charles Wills: Reminiscences Of The Three Days Battle Of Gettysburg At The Globe Hotel, Benjamin K. Neely
John Charles Wills: Reminiscences Of The Three Days Battle Of Gettysburg At The Globe Hotel, Benjamin K. Neely
Adams County History
John Charles Wills left the fullest account of what happened at and around the Globe Inn in the borough of Gettysburg during the Battle. In July of 1910, the Gettysburg Compiler interviewed Wills and printed a short story of his observations and experience during the Gettysburg Campaign entitled, "Battle Days at Globe Inn." In September of 1915, Wills once again shared his memories of the Battle of Gettysburg, this time in greater length. Fifty two years had passed since the battle occurred and Wills was approximately 77 years old. The 1910 and 191 5 reminiscences are remarkably similar indicating perhaps …