Newspaper cutting by the Centre County Historical Library and Museum, Pennsylvania Newspaper and publication date unknown (Unknown).

AN EARLY SETTLER

A Brief Sketch of the Life of

John Weisel, Esq.

Something About Pioneer Life

in Lycoming County

Interesting Reminiscences of a Venerable and Useful Citizen

The subject of this sketch, John Weisel, Esq. of this city [Williamsport, PA]

was born on the first day of April 1805 in Tinnecum [Tinicum] township, Bucks

County, the residence of his father, [John] George Weisel, being at the time

on the banks of the Tinnecum river where it empties into the Delaware. In

the fall of the same year his father moved his family to this section of

country, settling in Loyalsock township, at that time, now Eldred, and

occupying that winter a little house that stood on the premises where a Mr.

Mosteller now lives, situated near the Quaker meeting house. Shortly after

his arrival in this vicinity his father purchased a small tract of land in

Hepburn Township and erected a house thereon. He then cut a road through the

woods to his new home that winter and in the spring of 1806 he moved his

family and household goods. In the year 1808 his father erected a new mill

on the banks of Mill Creek and in the spring of the year 1810 he began the

erection of a grist mill. Mr. Jacob Hyman had the contract to do the

carpenter work, John Fields, father of Firman Fields, Esq. of Fields Station,

being an apprentice under him at the time. A man by the name of Jacob Shane

was the millwright, Mr. William Ball, a brother-in-law of Mr. Weisel who

afterwards became the owner of the mill, being an apprentice under Shane at

the time. Philip Pence, an old Revolutionary soldier, cut the stone, taking

him many months to complete the job, he procuring the stone in a quarry along

Lycoming Creek. The grist mill was completed in the fall of the same year,

and began operations. The mill is still standing and is now known as Ball's

Mills.

Although but five years old at the this time, Mr. Weisel says he distinctly

remembers that the country was infested with wild animals, such as bears,

wolves, etc. As an incident, he relates that one evening a bear came to the

residence of his uncle Abraham Utterhold, and made for the hog pen in which

were several fine fat hogs. His uncle being in the barn at the time, seized

a pitchfork and undertook to drive bruin off, but to no purpose, as the best

succeeded in breaking in the pen, and seizing one of the porkers, he made off

for the hills with it. The next day, Samuel Weisel, an older brother,

succeeded in shooting the animal, which on being cut open was found to be in

very lean condition, not an once of fat on his carcass. This fact explained

that hunger had compelled the bear to make such a bold dash for food. Mr.

Weisel worked on the farm for his father until the year 1825, when he then

began to work at what was called a carding machine, which was situated in a

small building about one-fourth of a mile from the grist mill, and which had

been in charge of his oldest brother, William, for a long time. His duties

consisted in carding the wool into rolls, which were then taken to the house

where the female portion of the family xxx, was taken to the weaver who wove

it, it was then taken to what was known as a fulling mill where it was fulled

and sheared, and then was known as cloth. He continued to work at the

business until the time of his father's death which occurred in 1836? In

1837 he was united in marriage to Miss Sitney [Sidney] Mackey, Jacob Grafius,

Esq., performing the ceremony at the residence of the bride's parents, which

was situated in back of what is now known as Warrensville. The best man on

this occasion was the father of Captain D.B. Eise, proprietor of the Crawford

House, who is now living in one of the western states.

After the death of this father, Mr. Weisel took charge of the mill property,

paying the other heirs for their shares. He carried on the business until

1840 when he sold out to William Ball, his brother-in-law, whose nephew,

George now owns and operates the mill. After selling out, Mr. Weisel moved

to what in now known as Warrensville, which place he afterwards laid out, and

purchased a property of Samuel Carpenter, consisting of one hundred and

twenty five acres of land, and a saw and grist mill, paying $7,000 for the

same. He resided here for thirteen years, when he sold the property to

Squire Milnor and his brother-in-law, a man by the name of Whitefield,

receiving for the same $8,000.

In 1853, on the first day of April, Mr. Weisel removed with his family to

this city [Williamsport] and purchased the piece of ground on which his

residence is now erected, No. 35 East Third Street. At the time of the

purchase the improvements consisted of a small frame building. He bought the

property from Hon. Judge Eldred, paying $1,500 for it. On the eighth day of

the following March, his mother died, being 93 years old to the day. Mr.

Weisel continued to live in this building until it was destroyed by the great

fire of 1871. Shortly after the destruction of the property he began the

erection of the three storied brick property in which he has resided ever

since. Mr. Weisel was at one time the owner of considerable real estate

situated in this city. In 1846 he bought of Lentz & White, members of the

well known lumber firm of White, Lentz & White, ninety town lots situated in

what is now the eastern extremity of the city limits, paying for them the sum

of $3,400. These lots fronted on Washington Street, between Almond and Lower

Vine streets, and extended back into Lloyd's addition. Mr. Weisel disposed

of a large number of these lots.

Mr. Weisel has been elected to fill several positions of trust. In 1844 he

was elected County Commissioner to serve three years, taking the place of

Daniel Strieby, Esq., deceased. At the time of he served, John Steck, of

Hughesville, farmer Thomas Wood of Muncy, Hugh Russell of Larry's Creek, and

William Platt, of Clinton Township also served. A new Commissioner was

elected each year, tow holding over. He was also elected a Justice of the

Peace in the Second Ward of this city at the time the Eighth Ward was formed

but he never lifted his commission.

Mr. Weisel is now living at N. 35 East Third Street, this city with his

estimable wife, Elizabeth, who is but ten months his junior, she being born

in the town of Bellvidere, New Jersey. A remarkable thing in regard to Mrs.

Weisel is that she has never been sick a day in her life. Mr. and Mrs.

Weisel had three children born to them, Elizabeth A. who died a few years ago

in White Deer Valley; Mary Jane Fullmer, who resides in this city, and Dr.

George Weisel, a well known physician of Williamsport.

Mr. and Mrs. Weisel had three children born to them, Elizabeth A. who died a few years ago

in White Deer Valley; Mary Jane Fullmer, who resides in this city, and Dr.

George Weisel, a well known physician of Williamsport.