Palmyra
Pennsylvania
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The Palmyra
History:
To the early settlers and hardy pioneers who settled at this vicinity, in this beautiful valley in Penn's Woods, it was a good land. The air clear and sweet, the springs plentiful, the streams of pure, clean water. Along the banks of the Swatara were trees of all kinds - cedar, cypress, chestnut, poplar, gumwood, ash, beech, black walnut, hickory, and oaks of all kinds. The fruits of the woods were there in abundance - the berry, chestnut, plums, walnuts, strawberries, grapes of all kinds, and peaches. The streams were full of fish, the woods of elk, deer, beaver, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels - of fowl there were turkeys, pigeons, partridges in abundance. Other animals valuable for profit by skin or fur were wildcat, panther, otter, wolf, and muskrat.
The most outstanding feature of this good land was the almost unbroken forest. In limited areas, however, especially along the streams, was the forest, not a jungle. There were also limited areas of treeless uplands. Small cleared areas near streams were mostly the sites of abandoned Indian villages. Larger cleared areas had resulted from periodic firing of the woods by Indians in search of game.
The land on which Palmyra now stands was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Indians to whom the white man gave the name Delawares, who were members of the Algonquin family. This Indian tribe once enjoyed great dignity and power. Other Algonquin tribes settling in Pennsylvania were the Shawnees, the Nanticokes and Conoys. Tribes of the Iroquoian family of Indians living in Pennsylvania were the Susquehannocks, the Conestogas, and the Tuscaroras.
The first white men came into this area about 1650, or before, and were explorers or traders. The explorers were mainly concerned with scouting the new territory and gathering first-hand information for the future purchase of tracts of land. The traders were concerned mainly with trade with the Indians. They carried with them the usual stock of trading goods such as blankets, beads, kettles, iron axes, guns, etc. to trade for the pelts of fur bearing animals.
That before the said commissioners proceed to sell any tickets in said lottery, they shall lay such scheme therefore before the Governor as shall meet his approbation, and shall enter into bonds to him for the faithful performance of their duty in selling the tickets, drawing the lottery, and paying the prizes, and paying over the net proceeds of the lottery.
And each of them, before entering on the duties of their appointment, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation diligently and faithfully to perform the duties hereby instructed to him ' and at least three of the said Commissioners shall attend the drawing of each day. And when the whole is completed shall cause an accurate list of the fortunate numbers to be published in one newspaper at Harrisburg and one at Lebanon, etc.
Section 3. And be it further. That Levi G. Hollingsworth, Daniel Wonderlich, Henry Longenecker, John Kean and Joseph Carmany be and they are hereby appointed Trustees to receive from the Commissioners aforesaid the net amount of the monies raised by the lottery, and it shall be their duty also to devise and plan and cause to be dug, made and executed such works, machinery and engines as will lead and procure from Derry Meeting House spring, or elsewhere, such supply of water as many be sufficient for the use of said village." THOMAS McKEAN, Governor
The citizens of Palmyra have always responded to the call of their country in time of war. On Bindnagles Cemetery are the marked graves of eleven men who took part in the Revolutionary War. Dr. John Palm, George Frantz, Jacob Lentz, Gottfried Zimmerman, Johannes Zimmerman, Johannes Schnoke (Snoke), Michael Maulvier (Maulfair), John Michael Malvier (Maulfair). Jacob Leyman (Lehman), Benoi Pew, and Frederick Horstick.
Less than 100 years later the citizens of Palmyra were again called upon to serve their country. With the fall of Fort Sumter in 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to preserve the Union. About 78 of Palmyra's citizens laid down their tools and donned the uniform of the Boys in Blue.
As earlier writer of Palmyra's history calls the growth of the village of Palmstown as phenomenal. Estimates by I.D. Rupp and Rev. J.W. Early estimate the population at 150-165 persons and some 20 dwellings in 1845. By 1875 the population had increased to 500 persons and about 100 dwellings. It is interesting to note that most of these people lived on two streets; West Main Street and North Railroad Street. By 1890 the population of Palmyra is listed at 1,768 persons. The growth of Palmyra has truly been amazing.
To the early settlers and hardy pioneers who settled at this vicinity, in this beautiful valley in Penn's Woods, it was a good land. The air clear and sweet, the springs plentiful, the streams of pure, clean water. Along the banks of the Swatara were trees of all kinds - cedar, cypress, chestnut, poplar, gumwood, ash, beech, black walnut, hickory, and oaks of all kinds. The fruits of the woods were there in abundance - the berry, chestnut, plums, walnuts, strawberries, grapes of all kinds, and peaches. The streams were full of fish, the woods of elk, deer, beaver, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels - of fowl there were turkeys, pigeons, partridges in abundance. Other animals valuable for profit by skin or fur were wildcat, panther, otter, wolf, and muskrat.
The most outstanding feature of this good land was the almost unbroken forest. In limited areas, however, especially along the streams, was the forest, not a jungle. There were also limited areas of treeless uplands. Small cleared areas near streams were mostly the sites of abandoned Indian villages. Larger cleared areas had resulted from periodic firing of the woods by Indians in search of game.
The land on which Palmyra now stands was originally inhabited by the Lenni Lenape Indians to whom the white man gave the name Delawares, who were members of the Algonquin family. This Indian tribe once enjoyed great dignity and power. Other Algonquin tribes settling in Pennsylvania were the Shawnees, the Nanticokes and Conoys. Tribes of the Iroquoian family of Indians living in Pennsylvania were the Susquehannocks, the Conestogas, and the Tuscaroras.
The first white men came into this area about 1650, or before, and were explorers or traders. The explorers were mainly concerned with scouting the new territory and gathering first-hand information for the future purchase of tracts of land. The traders were concerned mainly with trade with the Indians. They carried with them the usual stock of trading goods such as blankets, beads, kettles, iron axes, guns, etc. to trade for the pelts of fur bearing animals.
That before the said commissioners proceed to sell any tickets in said lottery, they shall lay such scheme therefore before the Governor as shall meet his approbation, and shall enter into bonds to him for the faithful performance of their duty in selling the tickets, drawing the lottery, and paying the prizes, and paying over the net proceeds of the lottery.
And each of them, before entering on the duties of their appointment, shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation diligently and faithfully to perform the duties hereby instructed to him ' and at least three of the said Commissioners shall attend the drawing of each day. And when the whole is completed shall cause an accurate list of the fortunate numbers to be published in one newspaper at Harrisburg and one at Lebanon, etc.
Section 3. And be it further. That Levi G. Hollingsworth, Daniel Wonderlich, Henry Longenecker, John Kean and Joseph Carmany be and they are hereby appointed Trustees to receive from the Commissioners aforesaid the net amount of the monies raised by the lottery, and it shall be their duty also to devise and plan and cause to be dug, made and executed such works, machinery and engines as will lead and procure from Derry Meeting House spring, or elsewhere, such supply of water as many be sufficient for the use of said village." THOMAS McKEAN, Governor
The citizens of Palmyra have always responded to the call of their country in time of war. On Bindnagles Cemetery are the marked graves of eleven men who took part in the Revolutionary War. Dr. John Palm, George Frantz, Jacob Lentz, Gottfried Zimmerman, Johannes Zimmerman, Johannes Schnoke (Snoke), Michael Maulvier (Maulfair), John Michael Malvier (Maulfair). Jacob Leyman (Lehman), Benoi Pew, and Frederick Horstick.
Less than 100 years later the citizens of Palmyra were again called upon to serve their country. With the fall of Fort Sumter in 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to preserve the Union. About 78 of Palmyra's citizens laid down their tools and donned the uniform of the Boys in Blue.
As earlier writer of Palmyra's history calls the growth of the village of Palmstown as phenomenal. Estimates by I.D. Rupp and Rev. J.W. Early estimate the population at 150-165 persons and some 20 dwellings in 1845. By 1875 the population had increased to 500 persons and about 100 dwellings. It is interesting to note that most of these people lived on two streets; West Main Street and North Railroad Street. By 1890 the population of Palmyra is listed at 1,768 persons. The growth of Palmyra has truly been amazing.