REYBURN


LUZERNE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA


Reyburn, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is a small community north of Koonsville on the road to Muhlenberg.

In 1939 there was a one room school house that housed eight grades. the interior of the school included a large furnace and a ceramic water tub from which the students got their drunks. The desks had ink wells as well as the carved initial of many previous students. Outside were the two outhouses separate by a shed for the coal used in the furnace. This school was still standing in 1950 but has since been torn down.

Across the road stood the Reyburn Bible Protestant Church. The church had a separate hall in the rear of the building. the lower level of the hall was built so horse and buggies could park in the shelter. The upper hall had a large kitchen area and stage. Many local happening were held here including one of the favorites - the box social. The gals made up a dinner in a fancy box or basket keeping a secret which one was theirs and then the guys would bid on the boxes and get to eat dinner with the owner. Christmas programs in the church included all of the little Sunday School children getting up and reciting their "pieces". Sunday School was held with each the grades taking a separate pew and everyone had their classes at once including the adult women's class and the adult men's class. No fancy individual classrooms.

"Over the road" was the general store run by Ray and Edna Martin. A parrot always sat near the back of the store and never was very friendly. Here you could get your gas, kerosene, food but most important was the penny candy counter. why in those days Camel cigarettes cam with what must have been an early rebate - there were two shinny pennies packed on the side of each pack.

One of the major families in the community was Rev. Bruce BELLES, his wife Rose with their eight sons and one daughter. Their daughter was Edna Belles MARTIN who ran the general store. The sons were John married to Lizzie; Samuel married to Leah; James married to Eleanor; Alf married to Lorene; William married to Ida; Russell married to Loretta; Robert married to Harriet MORGAN; and Vernon married to Mildred VOSLER. Many of the descedents of these people still live in the area.

Other area surnames were BILBY, BLACKBURN, LANNING, HAGENBAUGH, BAER.


This Town History was donated by Ruth.

Back to Town History Page

Copyright © 1998 by Pat Krivak.