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New
Hamburg is the only
village in [Delaware] township, and is a place of considerable
importance.
It
lies near the left bank of the Shenango, west of the center of the
township, and is nearly triangular in shape, its greatest length being
800 yards, and its extreme width 467 yards. The old Erie Canal runs
along its south west side, and Lowango Run passes through it from the
north-east.
The
First Settler was Samuel Williamson
(about 1820), whose house stood near where George
Layman now [1877] lives, and was merely a rude, log shanty, and
whose saw mill—already mentioned—was near the spot now occupied by
the old tannery, subsequently built by John Stamm,
and the first in the village.
The
village was laid out eighteen years afterward, by Peter
Beil, but it was not until 1840 that he started its first store,
in company with George Kamerer and Eli
George. Meanwhile, several settlers had arrived, one of the
earliest of whom was a man named Allen, of
whose history no recollection remains. The old store building is now
used as a carriage-shop by the Scholler
Brothers.
The
First Village Lot was bought by Mr. George,
who settled within its present bounds in 1834, and built the first shop
(a tin-shop) in 1838.
The
First Justice of the Peace in the place was Daniel
Hecker.
The
First Resident Physician was Dr. Grier,
in 1839, but he remained only a short time, and, after his departure,
his profession was not represented in New Hamburg until Dr.
Harnett located there, in 1846.
In
1840, Charles Cotterman built the first
shoe-shop, and James Neihart the first
cabinet-shop.
In
the summer of 1842, the first hotel was built, and in the summer
of 1846, an addition was made, enlarging it to its present [1877]
dimensions. There was formerly a broad and shallow place in Shenango,
where it passes New Hamburg, which was forded until about 1843, but much
difficulty having occurred in crossing with heavy loads, it was then
resolved by the citizens of the township to erect a bridge there. Timber
was accordingly prepared, and the stringers laid across, when assistance
was obtained from the county, and the work was completed; but after a
few years of service, it was carried off by a freshet, and the county
replaced it with a more substantial structure, which remained until the
summer of 1876, when the present elegant iron one
was raised.
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In
1846, William Moyer’s variety-store, and a
frame subscription school house, were built in the village. The former was
first occupied by J. B. Warton, and the latter was burned, a few years
later, together with the dwelling of Henry George.
Another school-house was then built, which was subsequently replaced by
the present [1877] graded one, which is a brick building containing two
departments.
In
1866, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows established a lodge in New
Hamburg, and in the fall of 1871, built a hall, the lower part of which is
occupied by the drug-store of Fobes & Gamble,
established in June, 1874, and the upper part as a lodge-room, by the
Grangers, as well as by the owners. The Grange was organized in 1875, and
is in a prosperous condition.
On
the 14th of March, 1876, a fire broke out in the store belonging to Bell
& Haas, which defied all efforts to extinguish it, and after
destroying the building, spread to the adjoining frame, owned by Eli
George, and occupied as a shoe-shop, by Billig
Brothers, licked up the dwelling and out-houses of Mr.
George, and a dwelling owned by J. F.
Hammond, and occupied by Charles Bell, Jr.,
and the residence of William Moyer, where it
stopped from lack of more fuel. A considerable amount of valuable
furniture was destroyed, and also the entire contents of the post-office,
then kept in Beil & Haas’ building, The
total damage was about $10,000. George’s, Beil & Haas’, and Charles
Beil’s property was insured for part of the value.
Preparations
were immediately made to rebuild, and two elegant frame houses now [1877]
stand upon the scene of desolation, and there is no longer any indication
of the war of destruction.
There
are now in operation in New Hamburg, one variety-store, one drug store,
two blacksmith-shops, one carriage-shop, a wagon-shop, tin-shop, and the
usual number of shoe-shops. Aside from these, there are two churches,
already mentioned, a good hotel, and a post-office.
The
First Landlord was Moses Shounacher, and the
first postmaster, John George. The place has
two physicians and one resident clergyman. One mail leaves the office, and
one arrives, daily. An air of thrift and energy pervades the little place,
and there is every indication of continued growth and prosperity.
History
of Mercer County,
1877, pages 28 and 29
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