Dissatisfaction Spurred Sandy Twp. Organization

May 15, 2011

DISSATISFACTION SPURRED SANDY TWP. ORGANIZATION

 

In 1872 the center of population of Brady Township was around Luthersburg.  All of the officials of the township, viz: Justice of the Peace, Tax Collector, School Directors, Overseer of the Poor, Constable and the Election Board, resided either at Luthersburg or very close to it.

            Luthersburg was the commercial center of the western end of Clearfield County, and the merchants of Luthersburg looked upon that territory as their legitimate field of trade.  The people in this locality regarded the persons from the northern end of the township, (now Sandy Twp.) in and around DuBois, rather crude and not entitled to anything except the few crumbs that they night let slip from their table.

            Not even a member of the school board was elected from this section.  Intermarriages took place outside of what was known as the “north country”.”  In fact, the population around Luthersburg was rather snobbish, and gave the “backwoods” the cold shoulder.

            In 1872, when this infant commenced to bawl for its rights, the other end of the township looked upon them with contempt and decided they had no rights.  It did not occur to the inhabitants of DuBois that they could go to the elections in a body and elect the officials, if they wished to do so.

            The old settlers of Brady Township complained bitterly that to get more and better schools would increase the tax rate.  If there were any poor around DuBois they were shunted off, if possible.

            The Supervisors likewise were from Luthersburg.

            This was a time when people worked out their road tax.  Of course, it did not suit the working men of DuBois to leave their work for a day and work out their taxes on the roads, and they paid the tax in cash.  The result was that the roads in the locality of the Supervisors and the “old timers” were well cared for, and little attention paid to the roads in and around DuBois.  This was a tax that the older inhabitants expected to be very materially increased on account of the muddy conditions of the DuBois roads.  There was a great deal of discontent in the vicinity of DuBois.

            The matter took shape about the last of August, 1877.  From an old newspaper published at  Reynoldsville on the 4th , of September, 1877, under the title “DuBois City Star,”” the following appeared:

            “There was a meeting of the citizens on last Tuesday evening for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of incorporating our town.  There was quite a large attendance of the property owners, but not so large as should have been, as it is a matter that they are directly interested in.  We hope all property holders will make it a point to be there on Thursday evening as the committee will have their report ready.”

            “The meeting on Thursday evening last was organized by electing J. B. Taylor, Esq., (probably J. P. Taylor) president, and Mr. W. H. Stanley secretary.  Upon taking the chair, Mr. Taylor stated the object of the meeting; after which there was quite an interchange of views by the parties present.  Mr. Hiram Raught put an end to their sparring by inquiring the object of the making a Borough and what benefit could be derived from it.  He was answered in such an able and convincing manner by Messrs. P. S. Weber and W. H. Stanley, that not only Mr. Raught, but others present, were shown that the town needs city government and needs it at once.

            Committees were than appointed to make a survey of the boundary and also a committee was appointed to secure a census, and then the meeting adjourned to meet at the school house on Thursday evening,

September 6.”

            No record of the meeting of September 6 can be obtained.  However, from a person present at that meeting, it has been ascertained that it was the consensus of opinion of that meeting that a town should be secured first, to get as far away from Brady Township as possible.

            This opinion was sustained, and an application was made to the Court of Quarter Sessions of Clearfield County for the erection of a new township, principally from the north end of Brady Township, a small section from Union Township and a part of Huston Township.  This move was successful, and the new town was organized in1878, called Sandy Township.

                                                                        (Reprinted from the City of DuBois

                                                                        By William C. Pentz

                                                                        Copyright 1932, Gray Printing Co.)

                                          From the archives of the DuBois Area Historical Society, Inc.

 

Tags :

PREV NEXT March 2024
SMTWTFS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

LANTERN WALK ATTRACTS 143 PARTICIPANTS

October 28, 2011
0 comments
.....

Penn State Volunteers Service Time

September 08, 2011
0 comments
.....

Photos from inside Historical Society

August 30, 2011
0 comments
.....

Railroads & Trolleys

July 06, 2011
0 comments
.....

Henry Shaffer

July 06, 2011
0 comments
.....

.....

.....