Lou’s View: LOCK HAVEN IN 1833
By Lou Bernard
Assuming you’re reading this on the day it came out, it’s an anniversary. November 4th is the anniversary of Lock Haven’s founding.
“But wait,” a couple of you more observant readers are saying. “Didn’t we do this back in March?”
No, a different anniversary, though I commend you for remembering that. Respect. In March it was a hundred and fifty years since Lock Haven was incorporated as a city, which is not the same thing as its founding. Here’s the deal: In 1833, Lock Haven was founded as a borough. In 1839, Clinton County was founded, and then in 1870, Lock Haven was incorporated as a city of the third class. That’s the timeline, just so everyone’s on the same page.
So Lock Haven was created on November 4, 1833. I’ve written about this before, but every one of my columns is someone’s first, so let me have another crack at it.
It was the fall of 1833 when Jeremiah Church arrived to visit his brother Willard, narrowly missing the Irish-German Canal Riot of August. Jerry Church was from New York State, had been thrown out of school at thirteen for trying to kiss the teacher, and had traveled around the country charming his way into jobs. Our town founder, ladies and gentlemen!
Staying in a local hotel, Jerry Church loved the area, and made plans to purchase the land from Dr. John Henderson, who owned it. There was only one problem—Jerry didn’t have anything like the money necessary, so he found an anonymous donor, who backed out at the last minute. Jerry went to Williamsport and found another anonymous donor, who loaned him the money. This was probably Judge Alexander Jordan, which is where Jordan’s Alley got its name. (Didn’t know there was a Jordan’s Alley? Study the map a little.)
Another alley, Sarah’s Alley, came from Sarah Spear, the only single woman in town in those days old enough to marry. That’s right—One woman, Sarah Spear, was the entire dating pool. I’m sure she felt popular.
It was November 4, 1833, when Jerry Church held the public auction of lots. The first lot was sold to Frank Smith, and it was on the corner of Water and Jay Streets. Smith was a hotel owner and one of the founders of the Thespian Society, a group of hotel managers who put on shows for the public. So that was the social scene in early Lock Haven—You invited Sarah Spear to the Thespian Society.
The biggest lot, a hundred and twenty acres, sold for nine thousand dollars to James Jefferis, a retired pirate from Chester County. This was on the south side of Lock Haven, and the Jefferis family (who had been instigators of the Irish-German Canal Riot, by the way) farmed the land.
Jerry himself didn’t stay in Lock Haven forever, by the way. He had a home built on Church Street, plus a tree house that he would sit in, playing the violin. (I’ve heard rumors that he had more than one tree house, but I’ve never seen any proof.) He stayed long enough to have a daughter, Margaret, without getting married. About twelve years in, in 1845, he traveled west, eventually founding Carlisle, Iowa, as well. That’s right, we have a sister city you never knew about. (I’m actually friends with the historian out there, Melody Kirk, and we trade information. If anyone should be friends, it’s us two.)
This all would make Lock Haven, what, a hundred and something? A hundred and eighty-seven this month. Math isn’t really my thing. I’m much better at history. And I hope you’ve enjoyed this bit I wanted to share with you, on the anniversary of the community.
