the former mill, on the same side of the creek. The Shoemak- er mill was purchased by John Clark and Benjamin Sharpless in 1809 and the machinery removed to the stone mill (McKelvey mill) across the creek, which they had just built. In 1811 Mr. Sharpless established a paper mill in the old Shoemaker mill, which was later enlarged, and then torn down when the owners rebuilt on the present site, a group of four large brick buildings on the north side of the creek. At the time of the rebuilding of the Brobst mill there was a regular line of boats on the Susquehanna and the proprietor became the chief man of the town of Catawissa, operating the mill, a store and other enterprises. Other merchants of the days of the town’s early growth were Thomas Ellis, Stephen and Christopher Baldy, Daniel Cleaver, Ja- cob Dyer and Samuel Brobst. There was little money then in cir- culation, trading being conducted by the interchange of products and goods. The shad fisheries ranked among the principal sources of income, fish being exchanged for salt, at the rate of six cents each. From an old magazine in the possession of the Columbia County Historical Society the fact is gleaned that in August, 1801, there were but forty-five houses in “Catawissy,” one of which was stone and the rest mostly log. At that time an old Indian burying ground near the river had washed out and some of the skeletons were exposed to view. One of the first buildings in the town was a market house, built soon after the village was laid out in lots. There appears to have been but little need for this public building and it soon became a home for the stray cows and hogs of the place. An old resident said that it was a noted resort for the elusive flea and was declared a public nuisance. It was decided in 1820 to demolish it, and a short time thereafter a loud explosion in the night sounded the knell of the building. Slight effort was made to discover the per- petrators of the deed, and the building was not replaced. In 1831 a proposition was made to build a town hall and market house on the site, but the proposal brought on an acrimonious discussion which defeated the project and caused the dissolution of the only fire company in the town.
Hughes, who opened a store at an early date on the river bank near the foot of South Street. Joseph Heister followed with a store on Water Street, near Main. He sold out to John Clark, who kept it for some years. The few farmers remained near the town, for better protection from the Indians, the most prominent ones in those days being the Watsons, Jacksons, Lounts, Lloyds and Hayhursts. The first justices of the peace were George Hughes and William Mears. The first mill in the county was built on Catawissa Creek in 1774 by a member of the Society of Friends whose name cannot be as- certained. It was so crude in construction as to be frequently out of repair, in which event the farmers had to go to Sunbury to get their grist ground. In 1799 Christian Brobst rebuilt this mill. It was later operated by Hollingshead & Scott, and last by T. M. Fields, who received it from his father. It was burned in 1912. The fall of water was slight, so the wheel was one of the widest and smallest in diameter of any in the county. In 1797 a mill was erected on the north side of the creek, by Jonathan Shoemaker, and at once received the cream of the patronage of that section of the town. In 1709 Christian Brobst built a mill about a quarter of a mile above
A $5 bank note from the First National Bank of Catawissa.
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