HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY,
IN PENNSYLVANIA,
FROM THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT
TO THE PRESENT TIME
BY SILAS WRIGHT
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PREFACE
In the summer of 1865, the first
data for these pages was gathered. Since that time the work has been
pursued with whatever of vigor time and circumstances would permit. Here a
fact, and there an incident were jotted, until all the available sources of
information were sought out, the old men and women wherever possible were
visited, and their narratives heard and noted, all the old and most of the
recent files of county newspapers were ransacked. Letters were written to
many persons, not all of which were answered, and the facts of much of the
descriptive part of the history first obtained or former versions of them
verified from their replies.
Valuable aid is hereby acknowledged from the works of Sherman Day, I.D. Rupp,
Rev. D.H. Focth, J. R. Sypher, Hon. Thomas H. Burrowes, Hon. Samuel P. Bates and
several series of articles which appeared in the county papers, one under the nom
de plume of Philanthus.
Since September, 1871, holidays and leisure time from the routine of daily duty
in the school-room have been given to the preparation of this volume until at
the end of eleven months of persistent work, the MS is read to be placed in the
hands of the publishers, and from them the book to be sent forth to be
criticised and compared with others of a similar kind. Whether it will
receive the dictum of good, bad or indifferent is a question of moment after
having finished the most ordinary undertaking; but it becomes of much greater
consequence when years have been given to its accomplishment, hence it is with
no little degree of solicitude that the author sends forth this first born of
this intellect. Go then, history of my native Perry, and may others have
all the pleasure and none of the trials in reading and studying your pages that
I have had in composing and writing them."
No one who has never attempted to collect materials for even a short article of
by-gone events, can reckon the degree of difficulty that attends a labor of this
kind. Often the most careful research, from title page to finis, of a
large volume of old records, you are not able to add a half-dozen lines to your
manuscript. Writing local history is an elegant work for leisure, and
cannot be hurried beyond that spended pace.
The following special features will doubtless aid the reader in making up his
estimate of the merits of the work:
1st The general divisions into sections, each which again subdivided into
chapters, is thought to be the best and most logical arrangement that could have
been adopted, because it admits of the treatment of the greatest variety of
subjects within the compass of the book.
2nd. Especial attention is called to the Educational Statistical
Statement, from the fact that some of it has been compiled from data which could
not be obtained at Harrisburg.
3d. The Official Vote was compiled at great labor owing to the difficulty
of obtaining the different years. It is believed to be a very valuable
addition to the work. In preparation of both the political and war
records, Mr. Henry Hopple's scrap-book was found to be a valuable auxiliary.
4th. The Natural History, Flora and Geology should attract attention and
induce somebody to push further investigations into their inviting domains.
5th. "The War Record" will preserve the names of those who so
signally "made and preserved us a nation," as well as give an account
of their doings.
6th. The Alphabetical Appendix embodies many short biographical sketches
and incidents which could not have been given in any other part of the work.
Without the hope of large pecuniary reward, but rather trusting that it may be
the means of doing good, this little volume is humbly entrusted to the public by
the author.
S.W.
Millerstown, July 31, 1872.
Listed below are links to various chapters of
the above book which was written by Silas Wright; Lancaster PA; Wylie &
Griest, Printers, Book-binders and Stereotypers; 1873.
SECTION I. INTRODUCTION
Chapter
I: Indians & First Settlers
Chapter
II: Villages, Towns, and Formation of Perry County
SECTION II. THE WAR RECORD
(The chapters of this particular section of the book are
contained in various places on the website; click on the appropriate links
below.)
Chapter
I: Revolutionary War, 1775-83
Chapter
II: War of 1812-15 (Description)
Chapter II: War of
1812-15 (Muster Rolls)
Mexican
War; 1846-48 (Muster Rolls)
Chapter
III: 1861 to 1865 (Civil War)
SECTION III. EDUCATION
Chapter I. School History up to 1854
Chapter II. The Superintendency,
1854-1872
Statistical Table
SECTION IV. PHYSICAL.
Chapter I. The Geology
Chapter II. The Flora
Chapter III. The Natural History
SECTION V. STATISTICS
Chapter I. Official Vote from 1820 to
1871
Chapter II. Census of Districts from
1820 to 1870
APPENDIX
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