The Townships

By Christopher Miller
Here we are, at the end of the line of my Townships stories. Wayne Township, just right down the road from all of the others.

What many readers do not know is that Wayne Township contains a good plethora of history and fascinating stories that go further back than the Revolutionary War. Oh yeah, this is going to be a good one.

Wayne was one of the 12 original townships of Clinton County being named in honor of a Revolutionary War General by the name of “Mad Anthony” Wayne. He had a bit of a George Washington appearance to him, but back in those days any man wearing a white curly wig sort of had the same resemblance.

If you are a fan of the Batman comics or movies you’re in luck – “Mad Anthony” was an ancestor of Bruce Wayne, so Wayne Township can tie itself into the Batman legacy by name. Major bonus points, Wayne Township.

Long before the Europeans arrived to these hills, Native Americans were found heavily in the area, viewing the many springs as sacred. This was the Susquehannock Tribe who mainly occupied the area, thanks to the book A Township Called Wayne written, with appropriate credit due, by that other history guy Lou Bernard. (I guess he’s not all that bad of a guy after all considering he “wrote the book” on Wayne Township…a bit pompous, but he is my friend.)

Interestingly enough, Historical View of Clinton County and probably that other book written by that other history guy mentions that the first “white man” to settle in the township was William McElhattan, of whom we all know as “the next exit north of Lock Haven on U.S. 220 North.” Respectfully though, he was an Irish immigrant from having come to Pennsylvania colony in 1760. (I bet you were thinking I was going to say the United States but nope – I taught history and you can’t pull the wool over my eyes…I know my early colonial history!)

McElhattan heard of the fine land near “Big Island” (Great Island) and came up the river to about one mile west of where McElhattan Run (named after his arrival) enters the river. He was considered a squatter, never obtaining a warrant for the land. The Hamilton’s and Quiggle’s were also among the earliest settlers of the area, and many of their ancestors now continue to reside within the township.

Readers of this article may want to pick up a copy of A Township Called Wayne from the Ross Library as there are many stories in here that I cannot publish in the newspaper as I have a word limit (technically no, but Lynn would be mad if I rambled on too long). The stories include Catherine Smith, who was locally known as a gun maker, having walked over 4,000 miles to and from Philadelphia multiple times, and for having big teeth. (Don’t worry, Lou was already paid for writing this book.)

Another notable settler was Robert Love, who was among the “Fair Play” men and was part of the passing of the Pine Creek Declaration of Independence, or the Tiadaghton Declaration as most locals know it. For those that don’t, during the early summer of 1776 local pioneers held their own council and voted on declaring independence from all allegiance to Great Britain and declared themselves free and independent. Ironically enough, this also took place on 4 July 1776 but has since been lost to history, but that depends on who you ask (see Lou Bernard, Ross Library, Lock Haven).

A monument to Fort Horn still stands at the bottom of Spook Hollow Road by the railroad tracks. This fort was only a stockade fort and was not supplied with any arms but the muskets and rifles of the settlers. These remains were visible until 1856 or so.

The first school house of the area was opened in 1807 and was taught by the father of a former County Sheriff in an old, abandoned house. It had such a positive reputation in the area that students from Jersey Shore, Pine Creek, and Nippenose attended.

Wayne Township, in the mid-1800s, was also known to be the meeting place for the “church camp meetings” of yesteryear. These camp meetings were times of great prayer and rejoicing, one such meeting bringing in over 3,000 people on a sweltering August Sunday afternoon in 1887. Special trains were run in order to meet the demand, one such train “stalling out” on the tracks over the lack of traction to get it moving forward.

Wayne Township’s early days was primarily agriculture with very few manufacturing located there, such as lumber and shingles. Flour and feed mills were located within the township.

In more recent history, Wayne Township was home to the statesman, diplomat, folklorist, writer, and whatever-he-wanted-to-do-when-he-grew-up “Most Interesting Man in the World” gentleman farmer Henry Wharton Shoemaker.

Shoemaker, who was responsible for most of the historic monuments within Clinton County, came from a wealthy upbringing in New York City and was descended from Quiggle’s on his mother’s side. His grandparents owned a mansion locally known as Restless Oaks (no, not the restaurant, but that is my wife’s favorite in the area). From here he wrote and interviewed the aged of the area, recording songs, poems, and stories of the fabled mountain man brought back to life.

Wayne Township is also home to Zindel Park, a hidden gem that contains lava-rock from the Mount Etna Volcano in Sicily, and the reservoir at the end of the winding path through the woods.

In modern times, when people think of Wayne Township, they might also think of the Wayne Township Landfill that hugs U.S. Route 220 by the Clinton-Lycoming border.

Close to 1,600 people call Wayne Township home today, nestled in between the mountains, river, and Pine Creek to the northeast.

Don’t forget to pick up your copy of A Township Called Wayne by Lou Bernard. If you’re lucky he might even sign it for you.