When the Circus Came to Town

Did you know that at one time it was commonplace to see an elephant or a zebra casually passing through Newtown? 

Circus man John O'Brien, of Frankford, Philadelphia, owned a 254 acre farm near Brownsburg which he purchased in 1874. On this farm he kept many of his circus animals, including elephants and zebras. He wintered some animals at his farm, and some in Frankford. O'Brien and his menagerie spent the winters at the Seven Star Hotel, in Frankford, the off-season home of the circus. John's farm in Upper Makefield is now Jericho National Golf Course.

O'Brian's (sic) Farm in Upper Makefield 1876

John O'Brien was one of those unique and successful characters not uncommon in this country, especially the newer portions of it, during the first five or six decades of the nineteenth century. Rough and illiterate, yet with a large stock of native shrewdness, he found his way into the show business, became wealthy, and at one time owned more show property than any other one man in the United States. It was only to strangers that he was known as John O'Brien. To his help and acquaintances he was simply Pogey. Pogey was an Irishman, but where he was born or where he lived as a boy I never knew. At the time I went to work for him he was the youngest show proprietor of any consequence in the country, being only thirty-five. By George Conklin. From “The Ways of the Circus,” Harper’s, 1921. 

Clown in front of the Bird in Hand

The October 24, 1874 Newtown Enterprise gives us a glimpse of what the circus was like, and the trouble that followed it.

The Circus - On Wednesday last Newtown seemed completely demoralized. The circus was coming, and there was no disposition to work or do business. The epidemic seemed to be general, and boys from five years old up, all went out to the Yardleyville pike to see the elephant and the circus come in. There was a large space of ground covered with tents, bug and little, main show and side shows. The procession of animal cages passed through the streets about 10 o'clock, headed by the band in a great chariot, (the musicians dressed in red,) the elephants, the camel, and the ponies. The wagons had once been gaily painted and adorned with banners, but after a long summer campaign they were sadly the worse for wear. Many of the horses were old and appeared to be worn out. The tents occupied several acres of the Phillips' meadow. In a short time the side shows were ready to exhibit their wonders, which were painted on the suspended canvasses in front of the tents. The man with the air-gun set up his tin birds, and the man who sold the big sticks of candy and the peanuts was playing his vocation, and there was something called the French pool stuck up on the fence. A gaping crowd of all sizes, colors and degrees stood around and sat on the fences. Evidently a show was something new in Newtown, and it must be attended to. The ticket office opened at 1 o'clock and the people rushed up to buy tickets. 

There was a fair attendance at both afternoon and evening performances. There was a very large number of animals, a dwarf, and the painted South Sea Islanders, a steam engine put in motion the automaton bell ringers, the organ turner, and bugler. The were two circus rings, with very creditable performances in both, the regular programme of circuses.We understand this show is the same as that exhibited throughout the country last year by Barnum, or a larger part of it. Last spring Mr. Barnum made an arrangement with John O'Brien of Frankford, by which the latter gentleman was to run the show this season. The animals, curiosities and wagons belonging to Barnum; the horses and mules to O'Brien. The net receipts were divided between them on prescribed terms. The show traveled over 4000 miles this season, through the western states, and in Canada, and has had rather a rough campaign. It is the largest traveling show now out, and a very large number of men were employed. It requires considerable executive ability to conduct such a concern properly. Some of the men connected with the show are very rough characters, and at nearly every place they exhibit there has been trouble between them and those with whom they come in contact. Some difficulties took place on Wednesday night at Newtown. While the evening performances were going on, several persons were standing on the ground in the rear of the tents. They were ordered off by the men in charge, and as they were going away, and on the Turnpike, stones were thrown at them. One stone struck William Barnsley on the back of his head, prostrating him to the ground, and inflicting quite a severe wound. No others were injured. A young name man named Kitchin was struck in the mouth as he was coming out of the tent.

But the greatest disturbance connected with the show took place at Atkinson’s hotel about 12:30 o'clock, after the performance was over. It is difficult to get at the particulars, for obvious reasons, as most well disposed and reliable persons were at home. Men were intoxicated, there was noise and profanity, and fighting and shooting. Edward Dillon, who resides near the Neshaminy, was there. He got into a difficulty with some of the showmen. He drew a pistol and fired. Whether others fired pistols or not, we do not know. One of the showmen was shot in the leg, another in the head. Dylan was badly hurt. The worst wound was in the mouth, several of his teeth being knocked out and his upper jaw badly lacerated. He also has several wounds about his head and body, mainly from beating and kicking. He was taken to his home about 4 o'clock. Dylan is badly hurt, but he is a man of a strong constitution, and will probably recover. James Morris was beaten and is somewhat hurt. Several others were hurt, and some can thank their heels for carrying them safe from the scene of action. Persons residing on State Street were kept awake by loud cries of profanity, the effects of intoxication. It was a night of drunkenness and disorder which will long be remembered by many of our citizens. No arrests were made.

About 6 o'clock the teams are got ready and left town, most of them going into winter quarters at Frankfurt. Some of the animals are taken back to Trenton, and from their ship to New York. Many of the men were paid off, and went home. Most of the performers went to Philadelphia and Schenk’s station in the morning stage and by 8 o'clock Newtown resumed its accustomed quiet.

Business generally was suspended in the town during the day. There seems to be some fascination about shows that we cannot understand, and nearly all, old and young, appeared to be demoralized, and wanted to go. We are thankful that such shows rarely come here.

Stunt horse rider

The newspapers made many mentions of the circus and the issues surrounding it.

A zebra belonging to O'Brien's menagerie, en route for the farm of the proprietor near Brownsburg, passed through town, stopping Saturday night at the Brick Hotel. Oct 10, 1874 NE

The "baby elephant," belonging to Mr. John O'Brien, Frankford, died this week after a short illness. The cause of the illness is unknown. It was valued at $7,000. Mar 22, 1873 NE

Four Elephants belonging to John O'Brien passed through Newtown at a late hour on Saturday evening last, en-route from O'Brien's farm near Brownsburg to Frankford, where they will be placed in winter quarters. It was with great difficulty they were induced to cross the bridge over Newtown Creek, near the residence of T. B. Scott. Nov 7, 1874 NE 

Some time since four of O'Brien's elephants were sent from his farm near Brownsburg to Frankford. They stopped over night at Worthington's Buck Hotel, Feasterville. A price was fixed on for their feed during the night. In the morning it was found that the animals had been taking liberties. They had lifted the roof off a corn crib and helped themselves, and taken liberties with apple trees. Mr. Worthington does not care to make a regular business of entertaining elephants. Nov 14, 1874 NE

O'Brien's traveling Circus and Menagerie, or at least most of the animals, etc. connected therewith, have gone into winter quarters near Brownsburg, where O'Brien owns a farm. Nov 6, 1875 NE

On The Move - The circus season has now commenced, and John O'Brien is making the necessary preparations to start his shows on the road. On Sunday the large elephant passes down the Buck road, on its way from Mr. O'Brien's farm, near Brownsburg, to Philadelphia. The horses and mules also passed through Newtown on the same day. Several newly painted animal cages went up to the farm on Wednesday evening, after some of their occupants, which "Porgie" has been housing there during the winter. Apr 8, 1876 NE 

A mob of armed men made an attack on the employees of O'Brien's circus after the close of the performance at Dover, Delaware, on Saturday night last. Ten of the circus men were shot, one named Henderson, it is thought fatally. Dissatisfaction with the show is said to have been the cause of the attach. No arrests were made and the circus paraphernalia was loaded on the cars and started for Cambridge, Md. Apr 28, 1883 NE 

O'Brien's Seventy Horse Act

A brief history of Upper Makefield Township, in talking about Brownsburg says:

A former resident recalls, as a boy, when the village was winter quarters for Barnum and Bailey's wild animals. This was about the time of World War I, before that the circus wintered in Florida. The animals were quartered with local farmers, the elephant barn on Brownsburg Road and the tigers' cages on a River Road farm.

O'Brien's Farm Complex 1938

John O'Brien went through some hard times and his farm was condemned and repurchased on multiple occasions. It seems like the circus business had its ups and downs, and luck wasn't always on O'Brien's side.

Feb 26, 1887 Newtown Enterprise

Many people thought the circus was shady, and O'Brien's business tactics were equally suspect. After losing the circus 3 times, he and his wife were charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud their creditors in 1887. 

John O'Brien died in September 1889, his obituary paints a portrait of a man who had it all and lost it.

John O'Brien - Our readers remember O'Brien, who ran a big show, and at one time owned a farm in Upper Makefield. The Dover, N.J. Iron Era thus speaks of him: "Those who attended the circus in Dover last week must have noticed the portly man who sat at the entrance and received the tickets. That man was John O'Brien, and he illustrates the ups and downs of circus life. Some years ago he was proprietor of some of the largest shows that traversed the country. At one time he presented his wife with $20,000 worth of diamonds, and one year he paid Barnum $10,000 for the use of his name. Today he dare not use his own name and is traveling with a mangy little combination of nobodies under a tent which is but a mass of tattered rags. 

Mr. O'Brien died at his residence on Sunday in Frankford, which had been his home since boyhood. Born in 1836, his first venture on his account was in driving an omnibus between Frankford and Philadelphia while he was quite a youth. This occupation proved so remunerative that he went to Vermont, and there took to horse dealing. A little later he bought a stage line in Washington, selling out at the outbreak of the war at a profit of some thousands of dollars. 

It was then that he entered the show business, on a very small scale at first, but advancing with such rapid strides that he was soon rivaling Barnum. He was in partnership with Adam Forepaugh for a while, and at that time was worth $250,000. In late years, however, he lost a considerable amount, though still retaining a good bit of property. 

O'Briend diamonds were formerly famous. They sparkled from the button holes of his waistcoat, and on every link of his watch chain, not to mention his massive rings, collar button and scarf pin. He was wont to swing a heavy sandalwood cane, with a perfect menagerie of beasts cleverly carved upon it. He leaves a widow and two daughters. 

With O'Brien's death, so too passed the days of Elephants walking through Newtown. 

The Schools of Woodhill

Woodhill Store "The Eagle" 1905

Prior to being a village, Woodhill, Upper Makefield Township, was known as "The Spread Eagle Hotel" or "Eagle Tavern." A post office named Makefield was established there in 1881. The village became known as Woodhill in 1896. The hilltop location of the village provides views of the scenic countryside and Jericho Mountain, which famously sheltered Washington and his troops prior to the Battle of Trenton. 

Today, Sol Feinstone Elementary School serves all of Upper Makefield Township. At one time, fifteen different school houses served the children in the immediate vicinity of them. They were Buckmanville, Dolington, Brownsburg, Taylorsville, Woodhill, Fairfield, the Salt Box, Highland, Brookside Schools, Betts Schoolhouse, Washington Crossing Elementary, Lurgan, Makefield Meeting and the Wiggins Springhouse. The Highland School was briefly at another location, the Reeder House, but other than that only Woodhill had multiple schools.

Sol Feinstone isn't the first school at Woodhill, nor is it the second. It's the third public school to serve the children in the area in the last 189 years.

Hayhurst School 1948 Pre-restoration

In 1804, a small one-room school was built by John Hayhurst on a piece of land just south of The Eagle, on the west side of Eagle Rd at the end of the lane to Hayhurst Farm, General Sullivan's headquarters preceding the battle of Trenton. This school was known as "Hayhurst", and later "Eagle". It served the neighboring school children free of charge. 

Hayhurst/Eagle/Salt Box

In 1834, an act was passed by Governor Wolf enabling local districts to set up free public schools. There was opposition to this law, as residents would be taxed for these schools. For the next 30 years, this Woodhill School was where the local children were taught in that section of Upper Makefield Township. After its disuse as a school house, the small stone building was used to store cattle salt by the merchants of the Eagle, and henceforth was known as the "Salt Box". In 1873 William Heston bought the Salt Box for $200, as a new school had been built a few hundred yards away. 

The Salt Box today

In 1872 another site a short distance south on Eagle Rd was selected for a new school, which would be known as the Fairfield School. The Fairfield School ran to grade 8, and graduations were held in Dolington for the whole district. There was a pot belly stove and the building lacked modern lavatory facilities. The Fairfield School was in use until 1952, when local landowner Sol Feinstone donated the land for a new school to be built to serve the ever growing population in the township. Today, the Fairfield School is a residence. Presumably with modern toilets.

Fairfield School

Sol Feinstone lived at Buckstone Farm, on Taylorsville Rd, later the David Library of the American Revolution and current home to DCNR. His contributions to American Revolutionary history are well-documented. He contributed globally and locally, and was a member of the Township School Authority. He presented the township with a deed for a parcel of land, 8 and 3/4 acres opposite the Fairfield School, on the east side of Eagle Rd. The land was known as the Isaac Yates Farm and was directly next to the Thompson Memorial Church, or Woodhill Chapel, then home to Alfred Neal. It is on the crest of the hill on which the village of Woodhill stands.

Woodhill Chapel 1905

The newspaper describes the location beautifully. Just look at how far you can see in distance in the image of Woodhill Chapel and the Eagle, both images taken by the Arnold Brothers.

The new school site appears ideal in many respects. It has a commanding position; north is the Jericho Mountain and the historic Jericho Valley, where the American Revolution was saved by the outpouring of food by its patriot people to restore Washington's beaten army to effectiveness to win the Battle of Trenton. Far into New Jersey can be seen on the East, with the Belvedere and Bound Brook Railroad and Bald Pate and the Sorrel Mountains. South and West are the rolling hills of Bucks County. Sep 4, 1952 Newtown Enterprise

Sleepy Village of Woodhill 1937

The new school would dwarf the previous two in size, because of the influx of students from the closed one-room schools into the township. This was a six room school building, compared to the two and one room schools preceding it. Groundbreaking began in July of 1953, with Robert Biddle III, president of the Upper Makefield School District turning the first shovel of dirt. 

Woodhill Elementary School 1950s

In 1963, a name change occurred. What was known as Woodhill Elementary School would now be known as Sol Feinstone Elementary School.

Resolved that in recognition of the services given the community by Sol Feinstone in serving on the initial Upper Makefield School District Authority, supervising the work of construction and donating the land on which our present school is situated, we, directors of the Upper Makefield School District designate the name of the school to be the Sol Feinstone Elementary School. Feb 14, 1963 Newtown Enterprise

Sol Feinstone Elementary School Today

In 1964, the Feinstones built a library addition to the school, about which Sol said in an interview:

It has a fireplace so the kids can sit near on a heated floor. It has a high ceiling. It gives them a lifted-up spirit, more so than in a place with a low ceiling. 

The Sol Feinstone Elementary School continues to serve the population of Upper Makefield today. The author is a graduate, and his children currently attend. Today, the school is at the end of a huge renovation that brought the building up to modern standards, and kept Sol's fireplace as the centerpiece of the library. Prior to the renovation, it had the oldest and most dangerous boiler room in the district, and was lacking central air in the majority of the building. The previous renovation was done when the author was in attendance, and required the 6th grade to be moved to Newtown Junior High School. There was one renovation before that, I believe in the 70s.

Woodhill has been the gathering place for students in Upper Makefield for almost 190 years, all three locations extant. With the current renovation project taking shape, it will be remain that way for generations to come.  

The Ghost of Cave Hollow

Mar 19, 1953 Newtown Enterprise

West of Woodhill stretches a strip of woodland, of several hundred acres, almost to Wrightstown, as wild as when Washington camped on Jericho Mountain and the band of tories watched him from the wooded hilltops west of Woodhill and north of Highland Road [Wrightstown Rd], in perfect security, for it would have taken a small army to dislodge them.

The branch of Jericho Creek runs south into this wooded area, crossing the Pineville Rd. by the Shannon buildings, then dividing into three branches on the Egypt farm to rise in the wooded area near the Highland Road. All these branches contained ravines 40 to 50 feet deep during their courses. The eastern branch, which passes about one-half mile from Woodhill, rises within a stone's throw of the intersection of Eagle or Highland (or Wrightstown-Washington Crossing) Road. This creek is known as "Cave" or "Cavey's Hollow" and, as its upper course is through Harold Lewis', his farm is known as the "Cave Hollow Farm". A branch of this Cave Hollow stream runs up to the buildings of John Wood's "Makefield Farm" and from an incident at a stone cottage along this branch, comes the story of the Cave Hollow Ghost.

At the time of Washington's camp on Jericho, the road to the Eagle (now Woodhill) ran from Ryan's Corner on the Durham Road, between Wrightstown and Newtown Township, and then straight across the woods and valleys in Upper Makefield, up the branch containing the stone cottage, passed the lane to the Hayhurst farmhouse, to the Eagle. General John Sullivan had his brigade at the Hayhurst farm building. An outpost was stationed at the stone cottage further west, then occupied by an unmarried carpenter named Jack Cave (or Cavey), who was reputed to have a considerable sum of money in hard cash, that is coin, not paper. After Washington left on his nation saving expedition to Trenton, the tories from the Egypt farm raided Jack Cave's cottage for they were now robbing and supporters of the revolution. They surrounded the house and boosted one of their number up to open a first story window. Jack Cave heard the noise and ran downstairs and grabbed his carpenter's hatchet. The Tory's right arm was just coming over the window sill. Jack chopped down, cutting the hand from the arm. The tory fell back and his hand fell inside the house. He was carried a short distance away by his companions and an effort was made to stanch the flow of blood but he died within a few minutes. Jack Cave used the diversion of the tory's death to escape from a back door. The tories surrounded the house again and set fire to it, intending to burn Jack Cave alive. The cut off hand of the dead tory, and the supposed hoard of Jack Cave fell into the ruins.

Marcus Doan, of Woodside, who lived on the Cave Hollow farm until well into manhood, said that about the beginning of the present century the mechanics and clerks of Woodhill, then a bustling business village would go down the lost road to the ruins and search for the treasure but, though they did find a few coins of small denomination, no sizable sum was ever recovered. It it said to this day that, on bright moonlight nights, the ghost of the dead tory will come out of the dark recesses of Cave Hollow and search in the ruins for the bones of his missing hand. 

The Lost Road to Woodhill

Local historian Harry W. Van Horn wrote many interesting columns in the Newtown Enterprise on various local history topics. One of his favorite to write about was the "Lost Road to Woodhill".

The Lost road to Woodhill Outlined. Washington's Supply Line While on Jericho Mountain Now Township Line. Nov 25, 1943 Newtown Enterprise

One Sunday last February, before the spring thaw made walking difficult, I set out to retrace the lost road to Woodhill (The Eagle) from Ryan's Corner, 3 miles above Newtown, and about 1 mile below Wrightstown, on Route 113, a section of the old Durham road.

This forgotten road was Washington's supply life line during his last stand camp on Jericho Mountain before the battle of Trenton, in December 1776. My quest was successful beyond my hopes for its course is as straight as an arrow and its first half, northeast from Ryan's Corner towards Woodhill, is the boundary line of Wrightstown Township, at the start with Newtown Township and later with Upper Makefield. Just north of the Highland road, however, where the Wrightsown-Upper Makefield line turns north at right angles, the road ceases to be a township boundary but continues on the same straight line to Woodhill, down the great gulch, just north of Mount Canaan, the high knob on the Highland road, just west of the present Eagle road, at Yates' corner. Thus, anyone with a map of Bucks County, such as put out by the County Commissioners by putting a ruler on a line from Ryan's Corner to Woodhill, at the angle indicated by the Wrightstown Township line can trace it as accurately as I did, with much less effort.

A person tracing on the map, however, will miss the weird picture that the historic highway presents, a straight avenue, down a deep gorge, lined with massive trees, apparently going nowhere. Not far from its shadowy course was the last home of the Delaware Indians, and another spot was the rendezvous of the Tories, who made the foray on Newtown in 1781, to capture the County Treasury. Farther along the old road towards Woodhill stands the ruins of the old stone cottage, which was burned by the Tories during the Revolution, after their attack had been repulsed, and which is the basis of the legend of the Handless Tory of Caves Hollow.

Confused yet? VanHorn calls Wrightstown Road the Highland Road, which has no relation to today's Highland Rd. You'd have to know which farm was known as Mount Canaan, and which of Yates' corners he was talking about to pinpoint the path of the road. The public apparently was still confused too, as Harry wrote about the subject again just 3 months later.

The Lost Road to Woodhill - Located by Local Landmarks (By Harry W. VanHorn) Feb 3, 1944

Many people have asked me to locate the Lost Road to Woodhill, Washington’s supply lifeline during his Jericho camp, by better known local landmarks than township lines.  It may be a common failing of those writing local history to use such academic directions as township lines.  MacReynolds, in his 1942 “Place Names of Bucks County” describes Hough’s Creek, sometimes known as the “Aqueduct Creek”, “A small stream wholly in Upper Makefield.  It rises in the angle formed by the lines of Newtown and Wrightstown”.

Now this description probably means very little to the average person but if the source of Hough’s Creek is described as just south of Highland Road, west of Mount Canaan, it would be more readily understandable.  This also happens to be the exact place where the Lost Road crosses the Highland Road.  At the recent sale of the Ellis farm, one-half a mile above Woodhill, I heard several groups discussing the course of the Lost Road to Woodhill.  Some of the new owners of estates were hopeful that it curved around to go through their places, but this is impossible in the case of the Lost Road because its main virtue was that it was straight, taking the hills and dales as they came in stride and some of the drops, going in and coming out of Mount Canaan gorge, are precipitous.  The old road started on the Durham Road, at Ryan’s Corner; it started right where now is the home of Fred and Eleanor Cope, for their house, built by William Ryan after the Civil War, did not exist when the road was in use.  Then the old road followed the present Stoopville Road, passed the residence of the late Abdon Lee to the first turn; there it left the present road, going through the field of the Worthington chicken farm (recently Adam Bennethum) and across the meadow of Walter Sanders and through the newer part of his house, and then between his house and barn, and up his back lane until it leaves his land just south of the Highland Road.  Here a piece of the old road is still extant; an open cut, with grown up hedge rows, running almost to the Highland Road.  After crossing the Highland Road it enters the right-of-way to the Collet farm and this first part is also the lane to the former Twining homestead, now Rose Sheer’s.  When the Collet right-of-way reaches the woods, at the edge of the great gorge, the Lost Road leaves it and runs across the upper edge of the ravine, on what was formerly the Mount Canaan place, then for about a mile, down through the edge of the wooded gorge, coming out in the open at the far end of the former Harry Doan place, now Lewis’, it crosses the VanHorn homestead, owned by the late Pemberton VanHorn (now Dr. Fischer’s), near the historic revolutionary out post of Cave’s Hollow.  It then goes straight over the Hayhurst place (now E. T. Buckman’s), east of the buildings, to the former Spread Eagle Hotel, at Woodhill. 

Got that? Abdon Lee, the Worthington chicken farm, Walter Sanders' meadow?  Maybe they were local landmarks in 1944, but today they mean nothing. Maybe some aerials will help piece it together. There's enough evidence of the road left in 1937 that we can see its path. The aerial is split in two sections.

Start of the Lost Road to Woodhill

End of the Lost Road to Woodhill

Still having trouble? Here's a modern aerial with the lost road outlined on it. 

Modern Aerial Lost Road to Woodhill

We start at Ryan's Corner (Stoopville and Durham Rd) and draw a straight line that follows the township line across Wrightstown Rd (which VanHorn called Highland Rd.) From the corner of the Wrightstown/Upper Makefield Township line we go straight through to the Eagle (at the corner of Woodhill and Eagle Roads).

Now we've found the Lost Road to Woodhill. There's other interesting lore about the area, such as a forgotten graveyard and the ghost of Cavey's Hollow.

Upper Makefield Creameries

A creamery is a place where milk and cream are processed into butter and cheese. Demand led to a creamery boom in Bucks County in the 1880s. By 1884, there were 36 creameries in the county. 

In Upper Makefield, enough farmers wanted a creamery that the public held a meeting to propose a location. This meeting resulted in a disagreement on the best location, so the two groups split and each built their own creamery at their chosen location. The creameries were very close together, setting up a situation where surely only one would come out standing. 

The Eagle Creamery was on the property of Kinsey Harvey, who owned a few tracts in Upper Makefield. The tract in question adjoined the lands of David Merrick. The Eagle Creamery opened in January of 1882.

1876 Atlas

Jan 14, 1882 Newtown Enterprise

The Makefield Creamery was on the farm of Joseph M. Scott, near the intersection of Eagle and Wrightstown Roads. Neither creamery are shown on the atlas, as they existed entirely between the atlas years. Makefield Creamery opened in May of 1881, a six-month head start on the Eagle. It opened with a "May hop", thrown by the young people in the neighborhood. 

1876 Atlas

June 26, 1881 Newtown Enterprise

In the summer of 1882, shortly after operations commenced, there was already a milk shortage at the creameries. This shortage caused the Eagle to suspend operations in October.

The next year, the Eagle reopened and we see an ad for ice cream from the creamery.

May 26, 1883 Newtown Enterprise

Unfortunately, less than 3 months later the Eagle Creamery ceased operations due to not receiving enough milk to continue. It was the third creamery to close, the market was over saturated.

Aug 11. 1883 Newtown Enterprise

Ultimately, the property was sold to Frank Harvey, who converted the creamery into dwellings and rented it out. In 1884 he also purchased the ice house of the former Eagle Creamery and opened a cider manufactory there.

Jan 26, 1884 Newtown Enterprise

At this time, the Makefield Creamery absorbed the business of the Eagle, and business was good enough that they opened a mill in the off-season.

Feb 2, 1884 Newtown Enterprise

The operations went smoothly for the next few years. In 1887 George H. Scott, who took over the business from Joseph, decided to pack it up and move to Erwinna. 

Nov 17, 1888 Newtown Enterprise

Locals still had other creamery options in Newtown and Yardley, as well as in Buckmanville and Pineville. 

Hardly 4 months later, the Makefield Creamery had a fire and was destroyed.

Mar 23, 1889 Newtown Enterprise

Two creameries were too many for Upper Makefield. At least the Eagle was repurposed, it could've been a worse ending. 

The Stone-Hacker’s War of 1852

A small-scale "war" was fought at Sucdder Falls in 1852, pitting local fisherman and stone-hackers versus the might of the men of the milling industry in Trenton.

In the mid-19th century there were many manner of water mills along the Delaware River in Trenton.  These mills were for grinding, sawing, fabricating and other uses and they needed power to operate. The principle system on the Delaware River for providing this power was the Trenton Water Power. It was a seven mile long power canal that helped fuel industrial development along Trenton’s waterfront. It was completed in 1834, failed early, then was reorganized in the mid-1840’s. At this time it became the primary energy source for Trenton’s mills. At least 20 mills drew their power from the canal. 

Water Power Map

The Water Power was constructed at the same time as the Delaware and Raritan Canal, but served a much different function, an industrial energy source. The D&R canal was primarily used for transportation.

In 1820 a dam was first constructed at Scudder Falls to throw water towards the New Jersey shore. In 1852 a new wing dam was built that allowed the canal to carry 8 feet of water. Some people were not happy with this new dam, as it was a nuisance to them and hindered their way of life.

The stone-hackers were a group of laborers, primarily from Lamberton, who mined the riverbed for cobbles. Their livelihood depended on unimpeded travel through the Delaware River. The group was not pleased, to say the least, about the new dam. It prevented their boats from passage through the falls and prevented fish from getting through the area. 

In August of 1852, fifty fishermen and stone-hackers armed with guns and pistols descended on the dam by boat. They set about dismantling the structure as onlookers watched and cheered from the banks. The few laborers who were in the process of working on the dam could do nothing to prevent the onslaught. The dam was torn apart and it was feared that the group would strike next at Well’s Falls (New Hope). 

1937 Aerial showing the Water Power

Peter Cooper was an industrialist, philanthropist and founder of the Trenton Water Power Company and Trenton Iron Company. He was sent for to parley with the Stone Hackers and come to an agreement in reference to the dam. No agreement was reached, the stalemate continued.

A primary concern for Cooper was the fact that the water to the power was greatly reduced with the absence of the dam. More than a thousand men were employed in the mills, and if the water stopped, the mills stopped. It was of paramount importance for Cooper to come to an agreement with the stone-hackers. Both groups had valid points as to why the dam should or shouldn't be built.

Are the thousands of persons employed in Mills on the Water Power to be thrown out of employ in this city merely to satisfy the whims of the few persons whose right to the river is certainly not greater than that of any other citizen of the state?  Aug 20, 1852 Trenton State Gazette

Another attack was rumored to be planned shortly thereafter. The dam had been repaired, at considerable expense. This time a channel was opened for the stone-hacker’s boats to pass, which should've solved the problem. The paper mused about the upcoming attack wondering why it was necessary since the boats could now pass freely. 

Trenton Water Power

Considerable commotion was caused by the threat of another attack. The papers ran the story every day, waiting for the attack to come. A handbill circulated that called on stone-hackers and fishermen to complete the destruction of the illegal dam at Scudder’s Falls, to-day. Men were held in readiness for the impending strike.

Finally they came. Only this time it wasn’t the stone-hackers, who were sated by the improvements that were made for their navigation of the falls. This time it was person’s upriver whom the dam does not injure in the remotest degree. It seems like pulling down the damn because the fashionable thing to do for some copycat criminals. It was said they did the act out of spite and malice. 

A local business tried to capitalized on the excitement to offer cheap groceries.

Sep 7, 1852 Trenton State Gazette

This next attack was a much stranger affair. Many people assembled, both onlookers and those intending to pull down the damn. The Sheriff was on site, along with nearby farmers and landowners who had differing opinions on the whole thing. Cooper was also there with his partners, who offered to take down 100 feet of the dam, which was shot down by the group. They wanted it all gone and were unyielding. 

After an hour discussion, the work on pulling down the dam commenced while Copper and the others looked on helplessly. Soon, the sheriff read them the riot act, which required him to wait another hour before he could make arrests. The whole time the workers kept pulling down the dam. After the hour was up he went in to make arrests, but they resisted and refused to comply. So the Sheriff took down their names with the intention of later prosecution and left them to their work. Ultimately, a few arrests were made for assault and various offenses in connection with the destruction of the dam.

The destructors message was clear. No dam whatsoever should impede the navigation of the river. 

Mills threatened to move their operations to another place if they could not get an adequate supply of water. Meetings were held with both parties in attendance. After the second attack efforts were made to organize a club to protect the dam. The men directly affected by this were ready to defend their livelihoods as well. The paper mused that a compromise should be made.

It is desirable that an arrangement should be made by which the interests of both sides should be protected. The fisherman and stone-hackers have too much at stake in the prosperity of the city of Trenton to desire that the chief source of that prosperity should be taken away. Such a result would be injurious to them, as well as to those more immediately interested. We hope, therefore, that all will come together in the spirit of concession and compromise. Aug 22, 1852 Trenton State Gazette

If each of the belligerent parties would consider duly the interests of the others, and instead of endeavoring to cause them as much injury as possible, would strive to do them as little - the stone-hacking and fishing interests on one hand and the Water Power Company on the other, might all be in a better condition than they are - and all have water enough and to spare. Aug 20, 1852 Trenton State Gazette

Ultimately, rising waters on the Delaware put the ordeal to rest, as there was sufficient water for everyone's purposes.

Sep 1, 1852 Trenton State Gazette

Newtown Library Company's 2nd Building

Established in 1760, the Newtown Library Company has had 3 different locations in it's long history. Up until the County Seat moved to Doylestown in 1813 the books were kept in the librarian's homes. In 1813 the books were moved to the vacant court house. Issac Hicks, father of Edward Hicks, donated a 15' by 15' square lot adjoining the sheds of the White Hall Hotel in 1824. A frame library building was built upon the site and occupied up until 1881, when Jesse Leedom purchased a small lot on the corner of Court and Centre and deeded it to the library for a new building. 

White Hall Hotel and sheds

After the donation of the land, funds were raised to erect the library. Initially, it was thought that the price of brick was too high and the building should be built of stone, which was to be donated by some of the subscribers. Eventually they settled on brick and hired prominent local craftsman Garret B. Girton to build the library. Excitement for the new building was high enough that many people showed up to help dig the cellar hole one afternoon. Additional funds were raised when Bucks County historian General W. W. H. Davis delivered a lecture without compensation at Newtown Hall for the benefit of the library. 

2nd Building of the Newtown Library Company

There was a barn on the site at the time of the sale, which H.C. Worstall bought and moved next door behind James Moore's blacksmith shop. 

Mar 18, 1882 Newtown Enterprise

We find many mentions in the paper of the building going up, surrounded by an iron fence. The full cost of the new library building and furnishings was $1,639.41. The building was of pressed brick with a slate roof and had a heater with gas pipes and fixtures. The cellar had a belting course of dressed stone.

Edward Hicks painted a sign for the first library which depicted Benjamin Franklin reading a book. The sign hung over the front door of the 2nd building and is currently on display in the 3rd building. Presumably, it was on display in the first building as well.

The Newtown Library Company occupied its 2nd building until 1911, when Joseph Barnsley bequeathed the library $15,000 for the erection of a free reading room in Newtown. The library sold it's building to prominent local attorney William R. Stuckert for $1,500, with the intention of using the proceeds to secure a lot on the corner of Centre and Congress. A colonial type building was erected on the site and continues to be the home of the library today. An addition was built to the rear in 1978.

3rd Home of the Newtown Library Company

As to the fate of the 2nd building, it's now hidden behind a squarish building appended to the front of the library by William R. Stuckert. Stuckert bought the lot off of John Kroger for $375. It's a shame that such a beautiful little building was forever hidden.

Oct 26, 1912 Newtown Enterprise

Court and Centre 1909

This is the 1909 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing the area at Centre Ave and Court St, which was very different at the time. We see a blacksmith shop, carpet cleaner and cobbler jammed on the SE corner, along with sheds on Court St. This area is now the Boone Garden of the Newtown Historic Association with one small building. It's hard to imagine it having three businesses on such a small parcel. 

The Newtown Library, circa 1882, was still freestanding. This was before the William R. Stuckert Building was jammed onto the front of the library in 1912. I often wonder why he chose to hide such a young and charming building behind a facade.

Oct 28, 1911 Newtown Enterprise

2nd Library Building

The store that's now Athleta, formerly Gap, was also different. It was a storefront appended onto the corner of a house that no longer stands. The store was called Flum's and served Newtown for many decades. Joe Flum passed away this summer. At 97, he was the longest living Newtown resident. 

Tomlinson's, later Flum's/Gap/Athleta

We see a glimpse of what some of the stores were at the time on State Street. Notions, Upholstering, Tin Shop, Clothing. Here's a nice RPPC from the era showing the storefronts on State. Note how fancy the fronts of 27 and 29 were, none of that remains.

25-31 S State St c. 1906

World Champion Chopper

In May of 1930, Peter McLaren, a "World Champion Chopper" came to Newtown to host a contest and perform feats of wood chopping. 

May 1, 1930 Newtown Enterprise

The contest was put on by J.J. Burns, proprietor of the Newtown Hardware House. Entrants had to cut a red oak log, 48 inches in diameter, in under 50% more time than McLaren did. Local lumberman John Zogorski entered the contest and failed to cut the log in the required time. Not satisfied with his result, he followed McLaren to Somerton in the evening for another try, in which he came within 25 seconds of the $50 prize.

May 8, 1930 Newtown Enterprise

John Zogorski

Zogorski Sawing Wood