LOYSBURG

From 1820 to 1835, “Morris Cove”’ from 1835 to 1844, Loysburg; from 1844 to 1882, Pattonville; from 1882 to the present, Loysburg.

Many surveys of land in South Woodbury township are originally in the name of Hon. Charles Cox.

Martin Loy, sr., settled here probably before the Revolutionary war, taking title from Mr. Cox. The definite date is unknown. However, in the cemetery at Loysburg there is a marble slab covering the grave of Miss Mary Loy who died in 1800 and was 16 years of age. Then, too, in 1812, Martin Loy was buying grain in Loysburg, as a receipt in the possession the writer shows.

Mr. Loy was a progressive business man. He cleared and cultivated two large farms. He opened and conducted a store. He built and operated a mill in 1801-1802, where the present mill now stands. Soon people began to gather around this settlement and a number of small houses were built. The village was called Loysburg and that name prevailed until 1844 when Major James Patton and Colonel John Bingham bought the Loy interests and changed the name to Pattonville. It was Pattonville until after the Civil war when a number of citizens decided they would like to return to the old name of Loysburg. They petitioned the postoffice department to have the name changed, and this was done, so we ceased to be a “village” and became a “burg.”

Major Patton and Colonel Bingham were brothers-in-law. I think married to sisters by the name of Scott. Colonel Bingham did not long remain in Pattonville, but sold his interest to Major Patton who thus became sole owner.

In 1860 James Patton sold to Daniel Bare, father of D. M. Bare. D. M. Bare moved to Pattonville and a year or two later he and his brother-in-law, Andrew Spanogle, became owners of the property. In 1865 they sold to W. H. Aaron. The property has since remained in the hands of Mr. Aaron’s descendants and is now owned by his grandson, Earl Brown.

The little town is pleasantly situated in the midst of romantic scenery at the western entrance of the Loysburg gap through which flows one of the finest streams in the state of Pennsylvania.

If you would see the beauty of the village, you must see it at sunset looking from some location along the mountain side to the east. Lying on the edge of this rich agricultural section, within a few minutes’ walk of the mountains, it is always admired by those who come to see. I shall not attempt to describe it. Come some summer evening and a half hour before sunset walk up “The Gap.” You will see a picture that any artist would be glad to paint.

In those early days from 1765 to 1800, men were busy cutting timber, building and operating “up and down” sawmills, burning brick, erecting buildings, laying the foundations of our civilization. However, it was not all work. They had their times of recreation and amusement. The Loys at Loysburg proper and John Snyder, one mile north, vied with each other in attempts to attract the crowds. Each had long level meadows and each had a race track and kept fast horses for the races, training them on their own tracks. At Loys the track extended from a point near where the school house now stands straight away one-half mile to the Lingenfelter house. Snyder’s track was probably a little longer.

A road then ran north along where Brown’s orchard road now runs, and kept along the base of Tussey mountain toward Waterside. The Loys built a road up the mountain to Bear spring where the Snyder brothers’ orchard is now located. There near that beautiful spring they erected a pavilion for dancing and picnics and when their friends came to see them they held high carnival at the pavilion. They erected stands or piles of stones three or four feet high and burned rich pine to light up the place. Tallow candles “fat lamps” and pine had to furnish light in that early day.

From Philadelphia and from Pittsburgh, their friends came to enjoy the hospitality of these pioneer settlers. The Loys as well as John Snyder had provided entertainment for the public by building the large house at Loysburg and the “Big Stone House.” Both were hotels. No license was needed in those days and each had a bar and sold liquid refreshments. A few years later Josiah Ritchey conducted a hotel in the large house now owned by Jacob Sell near the “big Stone House.” William Snyder built the house where Joseph S. Bayer lives and kept hotel.

From the earliest days of the settlers, muster days were great occasions. Men had to be trained for war. The colonies that had at such great cost of life and money won their independence from Great Britain felt it necessary to keep men trained to be used if needed in defense against any enemy that might make war against them. The, too, they must learn how to care for themselves in case of Indian attacks, so they had muster days when for miles they came, many bringing their families with them, for this was gala day for all.

The government sent officers to review the militia. For a while, my uncle, Daniel Karns, was the captain and trained the Loysburg company. He was followed in office as captain by D. M. Bare. Both these men were commanding figures. Captain Daniel Karns was six feet two in his stocking feet and straight as any man could be. D. M. Bare was a splendid figure of a man and much respected by all who knew him. After the Civil war, we had no more muster days. Perhaps we are as well prepared for defense if we ever need to defend ourselves, as when all men between 18 and 45 had to muster at least twice a year.

(Source: Historical Sketches of Morrison’s Cove, Rev. C. W. Karns, Mirror Press, 1933, pp. 44-5.)

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