Chapter 1

The Leiby Family and Newport

 Louise Bechtel Beard was the beloved daughter of Horace Beard and Katherine Leiby Howe Beard.  
Louise's grandmother's, Margaret Leiby. Her grandfather was Samuel Leiby.

The American Indians inhabited the shores of the Juniata River. The country north and south of this locality was too rugged and not suitable for Indian villages, therefore they located along Big Buffalo and Little Buffalo Creeks. As early as 1754 the Indians sold a large portion of their land to the English at Albany, this later becoming the property of the Penns. The area was a favorite for illegal squatters before Indians yielded the land at the Treaty of Albany in 1754. Sherman's Valley was the scene of Indian attacks in 1755 and 1756In 1758, Secretary Peters ordered the Indians to move and they left for points in Ohio. As early as 1774, we find the first settlers trading and clearing the forest.  *  "The same environments, the same mountains, the same fertile valleys, the clear brooks, the rushing streams and clear waters of the blue Juniata appealed to the white man as well as the red man." *

 "We find the settlers coming in the trail of the Indian becomes the post road, later the military road, and the highway of the white man. Clearing the wilderness the forest became fields, the fields became gardens; the log cabin soon gave way to better homes and the homes made the Settlement of Rider's Ferry." “The first efforts made for communication through the Valley were primitive roads built by the settlers. In 1769, the first mail route was established by the Colonial Government."*

 About 1775 David English bought large tracts of land from Thomas and John Penn. On February 8, 1775, David English patented a tract of land where Newport is now situated.  He had warranted it and another tract in December 30, and 31, 1762, one called "Antiqua," and the other, "Grenada." +

 Louise Beard's great-great grandfather, on her mother's side, was John Frederich Leiby. He was born 14 MAY 1768 in Spitzberg, Berks County PA, and died 26 AUG 1846 in N. Middleton Twp., Cumberland County PA. He was the son of Gorg Michael Leiby, who was born 3 JAN 1723/24 in Steinsfurt, Baden Germany, and died BET. 1807 - 1808 in Berks County PA. His mother was Barbara Schollenberger. They had eight children. John had an older sister, two older brothers, three younger brothers and one younger sister. They all grew up in Berks County. Two of John's brother went west to Kentucky, while his other siblings remained in Pennsylvania.

 David English sold 199 acres to his son, David English Jr., on June 12, 1783, who on April 2, 1789, sold the same tract to Paul Reider.  Through his will, dated August 6, 1804, the property descended to his sons, Paul, John, Daniel, Abraham and Ephraim.  Of these sons, Paul, John and Daniel, after coming into possession, plotted the property into fifty-four lots, with the necessary streets and alleys.  The first plan of the town extended only from Mulberry Street to Oliver, at the tannery, and from the river to Second Street.  They kept the upper part and laid out the town along the Juniata River and Little Buffalo Creek.  The Reiders established a ferry, which was in use until the bridge was built. The town was first known as Reider's Ferry, and then as Reidersville, as houses began building.  *

At the time the area was known as Ridersville. Paul Rider, great grandfather of the Riders and the Demarees, conducted the first store near Little Buffalo Creek, here also the Raider mansion house [first house built] stood.  The second house was built on the corner of Market and Water [Front] Streets, where Jesse Butz, Sr., was long in business. *

 Paul Rider's son, David, moved the business here to be near the ferry.  The river was the only means of transportation. Wheat, lumber, also pig iron from Juniata Furnace, was loaded upon arks and keel boats at the mouths of Buffalo Creeks. The arks were carried down stream never to return. The keel boats were carried down stream and brought back by being poled up river.*

 The third house was built by a Mr. Meredith, of Milford, and was later owned by James Smith.  The fourth and a blacksmith shop were built by Fred Orwin. + 

John Frederick LEIBY was married Ana Margaret Lambert in 1789 in Cumberland County, PA. Anna Margaret LAMBERT was born 26 JUL 1768 in Albany Twp., and died 3 MAY 1837. She was the daughter of Nicholas LAMBERT and Dorothea UNKNOWN. They had seven children: John, Elizabeth, Jacob, James, Sarah (born 1783), William (born 1799) and Samuel (born 1804).  Frederick and Margaret (Lamper-same as Lambert) Leiby and their six children migrated from Berks County to this area about 1800. In 1802 the Leiby farm was located on the banks of Little Buffalo Creek 12.  Their youngest child, Samuel Leiby, was born on Jan. 1 1804 in Cumberland Co. (now Perry Co.). 11  Samuel was born at the farm ½ mile from Mannsville, Center Twp. In a section called Pleaseant Valley.463  Samuel was baptized February 20, 1807 at the age of three years. His parents were the sponsors.11 Samuel Leiby was baptized by Rev. Sanno, a minister of the church [Christ Lutheran Church in Bloomfield], as shown by his taufschein." 156

A turnpike was built on the east side of the Juniata in 1807. The following year the first public passenger and freight service was inaugurated by stage coach and Conestoga wagons, requiring the Rider's Ferry. This was an important point for military dispatch bearers and post riders from Washington D.C. by way of Carlisle, Sulphur Springs across Middle Ridge into Rider's Ferry and thence across to the to the National Pike. During the French and Indian Wars, army and army supplies for General Braddock and Col. Armstrong were moved westward by crossing at Rider's Ferry. *

In 1810 more roads were built.  A road [2nd St], starting at market St followed the west bank of the river to near the Little Buffalo Creek, forded the creek between the Episcopal Church and Snyder's Mill [then John Kibler's Mill] and then passed between the house and barn [now owned by Wertz] and continued over a small elevation and joined the present road [RT 34], which was the main valley road to New Bloomfield [which did not exist at the time] and on to Carlisle.*

The area we know as Perry County was still part of Cumberland County. It wasn't until March 1820, that Perry County was created by an act of the legislative body. Perry County was named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813. * The county was formed in order to eliminate trips to Carlisle. In 1820 Sherman's Valley boasted forty-eight grist and merchant mills, a forge, ten fulling mills, sixty sawmills, eight carding machines, four oil mills, a furnace, two tilted hammers, and a powder mill. Waterpower was king.  Bloomfield, the county seat after 1827, bears the name given to the tract of land in the original patent. It is said that it was laid out in the month of June 1822, when clover was in bloom. It was not incorporated as a borough until March 14, 1831. The post office name for Bloomfield is New Bloomfield. +

About this time the first warehouse was built by Abraham Demaree [Kough warehouse] on Water [Front] Street. A house on the corner of the alley above the warehouse was built which was later enlarged and used as Demaree's home and general store.*

The first hotel was built in 1825 by Ephraim Bosserman and was kept by Samuel Sipe. It was located on Market Street near the river. The second hotel was the Huggins House on the north-west corner of 2nd and Market. Elsewhere in A Sesquicentennial Commemorative Book is stated “The first hotel on the ‘Newporter' site was built by a man named Collar, but later kept by Sipe. This was partly destroyed by fire, then later rebuilt as the Gantt House (north-east corner of 2nd and Market), under which name it was totally destroyed by fire in 1874." *

In 1825 there was also a house above the Jones warehouse, on Front Street.  There was only one store in Newport then, and that was kept by E. Bosserman and Samuel Beaver. * 

In 1825 a public school came to town. There was an early school building in Newport known as “The Old Mansion"where the children of Reidersville were taught. The first public school house was built along the banks of the Little Buffalo Creek. It was a small one story house belonging to John Reider. In 1826 John Rider gave a portion of ground, which is located at the extreme south end of 5th Street as the first community burial ground. The graveyard was cared for by the community and it was the custom each spring for men, women and children to clean up the property.*

About this time Samuel Leiby decided farming was not for him. He left his parents in Mannsville and moved to Newport to become a merchant. Samuel Leiby went into business in Newport in 1826, then but twenty-two years of age.+  

 The first house on Second Street was built by Dr. Dolan. In 1829 the land west of Second Street was all in wheat.  The first house built above the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad through the center of the town.  Samuel and H. Gantt built and owned the next two buildings above the railroad.  In 1829 Daniel Reider erected the first house built of sawed logs.  The second house on Second Street was the warehouse later operated by Kough's as a grain and commission house.  In it was stored the first lot of flour ever placed on sale in Newport.  It was shipped from the mouth of Little Buffalo Creek in an "ark", as the river boats were then known, to Port Deposit.  Besides the flour the cargo consisted of pig iron from Juniata furnace, then operated by Mr. Everhart.+

The canal was completed in 1829 [or1830]. In 1826 the state was bonded for 40 million dollars for canals, thus providing for the construction of a canal through Riderville. One could say that it was built by hand, with picks and shovels. It was one of the great engineering feats of its day. * Jacob Loy, one of the supervisors of the Juniata system, hired a large group of hard-working Irish men.  The digging of these canals would require backbreaking pick and shovel man-hours and these high spirited, rum-drinking Irishmen were just the ones for the job. Newport didn't have a tavern in the town at this time, so when the boys wanted to let off a little steam, they headed for Milford or the Blue Ball Tavern. During that time, John Sipe opened a tavern in Newport and was rewarded with a very prosperous business.*

In June or July, water was first let into the canal it leaked so badly that it had to be taken out and the canal repaired. It was not filled again until September. Major Jacob Loy was the first man to sail his boat, “Juniata”, with the first flour from Perry County to Philadelphia. It took four weeks to get there! “The story of the naming of Newport goes thus: Back in 1830 a canal boat slowly came to a stop just at dusk at one of the camps established by the boat crews along the newly completed Juniata River section of the Pennsylvania Canal. As he moored the craft for the night one of the boatman called to the group ashore: “We've found a new port!"The boatman proceeded to explain his discovery of a spot below that was admirably suited for camp purposes at a settlement known as Ridertown. The camp was moved to the new spite and the early settlers referred to it as “the new port”. Thus Ridertown became known as Newport. Henry Tate built the boat yard along the canal near Little Buffalo Creek. For many years this was one of the town's most important industries. Many canal boats were built and repaired here.*

The first passenger service on the canal was inaugurated by packet boats from Harrisburg to Lewistown. Service from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh on the canal passed thru Newport. The fare was first four cents per mile which included meals and sleeping accommadation on the four day trip. Passenger service was only a minor utility of the water route. Vast resources of Pennsylvania passed through the canal to the great port of Philadelphia.  At the height of the canal era Newport boasted of nearly forty boats and 100 boatmen. A good size boat yard was located in Newport, just a couple hundred feet from the Episcopal church on Little Buffalo Creek.*

In 1830 John Sipe brought booze to Newport! No whiskey was sold between Duncan's Island and Lewistown until John Sipe opened a tavern in 1830 on the site of “Turnbaugh Place”. . .”a snorting business was carried on in the sale of rum to the large force of Irishmen employed on the canal”.*

 Samuel's brother, James Leiby, married a girl named Nancy Graham from Levenworth, Kansas about 1830. 333  Samuel was known to be a western traveler. Did he and his brother travel to Kansas in 1830? They would have had to travel by wagon train!

“Samuel Leiby was indermarried with Eve Smith the first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty one A.D 1831."

Eve Smith was the daughter of John  and Catherine Lesh Smith. 11, 3   Eve Smith. born 1810, by a mill at Lesh's Creek in Bethel Twp, Berks Co., was the daughter of John and Catherine Lesh Smith. Eva was a child in arms when her parents migrated to Perry Co. She died in Oliver Twp. 1876; she is buried in Newport Cemetery and a member of the Reformed Church. 464  Records the birth of Eve Smith (Leiby), daughter of John Smith and Catherine Lesch on Oct. 23, 1810 in Bethel Twp., Berks Co. Baptized by Rev. Hendel. Sponsors were  Balzer Lesh and wife Salome (who were the baby's grandparents). Her taufschein was printed in Hanover, Pa 1826. 12

The Smith family owned extensive land west of the Juniata River. The Smith land was border on the north by David English, on the west by Paul Rider's heirs. The land, south and east of the Smith property, was probably still owned by John Penn, grandson of William Penn and open to homesteaders.*

In  Churches Between the Mountains, a history of Lutheran Congregations in Perry Co., by Rev D.H.Focht, front piece shows Christ Lutheran Church, New Bloomfield. Here began the romance between Eve Smith and Samuel Leiby when the latter helped the former from her horse as they came to catechize. This book shows she was confirmed in 1818. Samuel Leiby was baptized by Rev. Sanno, a minister of this church, as shown by his taufschein." 156

In order for the Smith family to go to church, they had ride by horseback or stage coach on the road from the Big Buffalo Creek, along the west banks of the Juniata River, to Little Buffalo Creek. There they had to ford the Little Buffalo Creek and continue over a small elevation and join the main valley road to Bloomfield [which did not exist at the time] to church.

Meanwhile the Leiby family came from Centre Township from Little Buffalo Creek. Did they have to travel all the way to Newport to join the main valley road to Bloomfield?  Or was there a post road between Middle Ridge and Bloomfield? Each family had to travel at least five miles! At that time church was an all day affair. Families brought their noon meal to eat between morning and afternoon services.

Mary Smith Toomey and Magdalene Smith Graham were twin daughters of John and Catherine Lesh Smith, and sisters of Eve Smith Leiby. 591,595  Eve had three other sisters: Sarah Smith Toomey (1825-1894) 480 , Barbara, and Magdaline. There is a group photograph, taken in 1830, of John and Barbara Smith Thoman and daughter, Mary Thoman. 481  Magdaline was married to Thomas Graham. 482

Eve's mother was Catherine Lesh , daughter of Balthazer Jr. and Salome Brotzman Lesh. Catherine born July 18, 1792 in Berks Co. and died Aug 23 1870, buried in Newport. She was married about 1809 in Berks Co to John Smith (b. 1791, d. 1838 in Oliver Twp. buried in New  Bloomfield.) 287   Balthazer Lesh Sr. was a soldier of the American Revolution.  Balthazer Lesh Jr. made a table ( now the base of a museum case) about 1820) for his daughter, Catherine Lesh Smith. 462

Eve Smith's grand parents were Peter and Barbara Meyer Smith, and Balzer and Salome Lesh. In 1802 Barbara Meyer Smith, widow of Peter Smith gave a release to administrators for her husband's estate. 1

About the time [1830] of Eve's marriage to Samuel Leiby, her father presented to her a Reformed Church Hymnal. 134   Was this so she could select her wedding music? There is a photo of Eva taken at this time.

There is a dower chest owned by Eve Smith Leiby, which has a date of 1808 on the front. 494 If you look inside the chest you may find some of her possessions:

·         “The Spiritual Voyage"owned by Samuel Leiby about 1830 592

·         Betty lamp owned by Eve Smith Leiby (about 1835) 13

·         Brass Candlestick owned by Eve Smith Leiby 15

·         Spice box owned by Eve Smith Leiby (1835) 20

·         Horse cookie cutter owned by Eve Smith Leiby (1835) 24

·         Dough Scrapper owned by Eve Smith Leiby (1835) 31

Eva Smith and Samuel Leiby were married February 1,1831. Their first child, Catherine Leiby, was born September 4, 1831 at the home of her grandparents, John and Catherine Lesh Smith in Oliver Twp. 465 Their second daughter, Margaret Leiby, was born in a house in Newport Square in 1833. 466  Catherine and Margaret were very close sisters and both attended Newport schools together.

The first schools of Newport were established by churches and paid for by general contributors. After the building was erected they were supported by subscriptions; each patron paying a fixed amount per month for each pupil. “The rate in some towns was two dollars a quarter, or three cents a day per pupil."In 1832-1833 Dr. Dolan had a school in a two-room building known as the “Barracks"located between the Central Hotel and the canal. Girls used one room and the boys the other. The old brick schoolhouse on 2nd Street and Mulberry was built in 1834 and held one session before the free school law was passed in 1834. In 1836 Daniel Rider, the land owner of the school, transferred the lot to the school trustees, John Kibler, George Carpenter and Samuel Leiby. This transaction was the first step in providing permanent schools for the children of Newport. The school must have continued as a kind select school for several years.*

1834 No more fording Little Buffalo Creek! A covered bridge was built across Little Buffalo Creek, later replace by an iron bridge. The first church built in Newport was the little brick Methodist Church on the corner of Walnut and Shrub Alley. The borough limits were extended from Little Buffalo Creek to Oliver Street. The first industry in Newport was the tannery built in 1837 by Robert Jordon located on the southwest corner of Walnut and Front.*

James Bell Leiby was born 1836 at the home of his parents, corner S. 2nd St. and Spruce Alley, Newport. He was educated in Newport schools and Cumberland Valley Institute, Mechanicsburg. 467  Their next child, John S. Leiby was born 1838, died 1839 and is buried in parent's lot in Newport Cemetery. 468    

Oliver Township was created in 1837. It was formed from portions of Juniata, Centre and Buffalo Townships. Originally this township contained all the land of Howe Township and part of Miller. The township was named as Oliver, to further honor Oliver Hazard Perry, since the county already using his surname.

Joshua Singer Leiby, son of Samuel and Eve Smith Leiby, was born 1840 at home of parents, corner s. 2nd St. and Spruce Alley, Newport and educated in Newport schools, New Bloomfield Academy and the Academy at Academia, Pa. School teacher in Juniata Twp 469, 561 Eva (Smith) and Samuel Leiby now had  five children.

Bloomfield Academy which was founded in 1836 and remained such until 1916. It was started by Robert Finley in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania as a Latin Grammar school with only six students. In 1840 the school was moved two blocks up the hill to its present location. The first original school building was built in the same year and is still in use as a reception hall and a museum.

On March 10, 1840 Governor David Rittenhouse Porter signed the Act to incorporate Newport as a borough located on the west bank of the Juniata River, within the limits of Oliver Township. The population at this time was 433 people, 212 males and 221 females. The village grew to be a town and in 1846 it contained 100 houses. The first burgess was Samuel Leiby.*

When the town was incorporated a school tax was immediately laid and provisions were made for a tax supported school. A new school building was erected. “The deed for this new school property was recorded in 1840, Lot No. 87 in the general plan facing Cherry Street, having been bought from Lewis Maxwell for fifty dollars…..”. This lower school was built in 1841, by Joseph Tate, for $190. This was the first school fully owned and supported by the school district of Newport. Wm. Kinsole taught the school for four months at $25 per month. Thus Newport had two schools. During the earlier years of public schools many experiments were made. One being to have eight months of school – March and April was one vacation: July was summer vacation and October was harvesting vacation. The school teachers' salaries were $18 and $16. [per month].*

Samuel Smith Leiby, son of Samuel and Eve Smith Leiby, was born 1843 at home of parents, corner S. 2nd St. and Spruce Alley, Newport. He was educated in Newport schools and Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. After school he was a farm manager. 471 Samuel Leiby was an incorporator of the Perry Co. Mutual Fire Insurance Co in 1843. 403

At this time Eva and Samuel Leiby had six children ranging in the ages from twelve to an infant. Samuel Leiby's store was in business carrying many items. Many items can be seen at the museum. In 1846 Eva Leiby gave birth to their seventh child, Elias Bixler Leiby, at their home at 2nd Street and Spruce Alley. Like his older siblings he too was educated in the Newport schools. Elias attended Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove. 472 Their last child, Eva Leiby was born 1849, and died two days later.

Eva Smith Leiby was a typical homemaker and mother of the 19th century. [7 surviving children] With her help and under her supervision at her farm home in Oliver Twp. wool was carded and spun; blankets woven; flax was spun; linen sheets and towels were woven; candles were molded. A dressmaker (Barbara Lenig, a cousin was there weeks at a time doing hand sewing for the large family. Making home wines, churning butter, baking, butchering, drying fruit, curing hams, boiling apple butter, etc.- all these home processes were typical of the day. It was in this home that Katherine Leiby Howe (Beard) lived for the first 16 years of her life, and the gracious hospitality of her grandparents so endeared them to her that she cherished articles belonging to them, and in this way many of these museum exhibits were preserved. 464

Did they have two homes? their town home in Newport and a family farm home in Oliver Township?  It is not clear where Samuel and Eve Smith Leiby lived. Catherine Leiby, was born 1831 at the home of her grandparents in Oliver Twp. 465, Margaret Leiby was born in a house in Newport Square in 1833 466  James Bell Leiby was born 1836 at the home of his parents, corner S. 2nd St. and Spruce Alley, Newport. Samuel Smith Leiby was born 1843 at home of parents, corner S. 2nd St. and Spruce Alley.  Yet Katherine Leiby Howe (Beard) lived for the first 16 years [1833-1849] of her life in the home of her grandparents in the farm house in Oliver Township. Eve (Smith) Leiby's grandfather. John Smith. died in 1838. 287

In 1847 the congregations of the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Reformed churches cooperated in building of The Union Church of Newport on the north east corner of 2nd and Walnut. The three congregations worshipped there for about 25 years. *  Now the Leiby family were Lutherans. It is documented that they were members of the Reformed Church

Samuel Leiby boarded the first train that passed through Newport and rode to Millerstown. 403 The Pennsylvania Railroad was chartered in 1846 and the first train reached Newport in the summer of 1849, just before the harvest. *  The first railroad depot was on Third Street. It was then a small room in one corner of the warehouse of Abraham Demaree Later a station was built on Third Street just above Walnut Street. In 1849 Eve Smith Leiby gave birth to their 8th child. An infant daughter was born but lived only two days. The child was buried in Newport Cemetery. 473

In 1851 Samuel Leiby traveled west, as indicated by his traveling bag in the museum.  495  Why did Samuel Leiby go west in 1851? He was forty-two years old, with a wife and seven children at home

A covered bridge, the first bridge across the Juniata River, was built by contractor Isaiah Kirkpatrick  A charter for the bridge was granted in 1846. It was a wooden structure and its building begun in1851 and completed in 1852. It was a toll bridge until 1884 when the county purchased it for $13,583 and declared it free. The building of this river bridge was a financial undertaking on account of the scarity of money. The company was finally obliged to issue scrip money known as “Shin Plasters"for the payment of their bills. The Rider Ferry becomes obsolete!*

 

Eva Smith and Samuel Leiby gain a son-in-law. Their first child, Catherine Leiby, married Frederick Kholer. 54 Frederick came from Trappe, PA to Newport. He clerked in the store of Samuel Leiby, where he met Catherine. He married Catherine Leiby in 1852. They moved to Mifflin (Wila) where he had a store. He lived only six months after his marriage, dying of Asiatic cholera.  He was buried on the Samuel Leiby lot in Newport Cemetery. He was a member of I.O.O.F. Tradition says he was the handsomest man in Perry Co. His friends esteemed him highly; he died at the age of 25. A letter written by his widow from Richfield refutes the trapper location which was first thought correct. 55,56  Catherine Leiby Kholer was a widow at the young age of twenty-one.

 

Catherine Leiby Kholer then married Dr. Robert Brown, who lived several years. 465 Dr. Brown was a first cousin of Dr. William Rudy Howe and they had offices together in Newport.  This is when Margaret Leiby met William Howe. Robert was the first teacher in Evergreen School, Oliver Twp. 60 Dr. Brown had been married before and had a son, Harry. 59   They had a baby boy, Samuel (Sammy), born 1852. Sammy died when he was a little boy, about the age of six. 58, 465   In the museum is a child's crib quilt and coat that were owned by “Sammy”. 61, 62  Dr. Brown died in 1859. 46

Margaret Leiby was confirmed in Lutheran Church 1851 and attended Miss Paine's School, Carlisle 1854. 466  In the museum are two drawings from drawing book used by Margaret Leiby at Miss Paine's School, Carlisle, PA 1854 121 In 1854 William Howe presented Margaret Leiby the book The Passion Flower, A Gift of the Heart . 118 Is this an indication of LOVE? Margaret Leiby was very close with her sister, Catherine Leiby Kohler Brown, and visited her often. Catherine and Robert Brown enjoyed many good time together with Margaret Leiby and William Rudy Howe. Catherine owned an accordion and use to play on it and sing; one song being “Oft on a Stilly Night”. 310   Did they partake in the social life on the Juniata Canal?

 

Newport and the Juniata Canal were in their hay-day. Certainly the Leiby children and the family enjoyed the canal activities. Below is an excerpt from New Series, No. A-21THE OLD PENNSYLVANIA CANAL by Mrs. Jessamine Jones Milligan Note: This paper was read by Mrs. Milligan at the meeting of The Historical Society of Perry County at the meeting held May 25, 1925 at Newport, Pa.

To many of us present the old canal is one of our dearest memories, for as children we swam in it during the summer and skated upon its frozen surface in winter. Even to write about the skating makes me still feel a little shaky as I recall how we used to skate what we called "ticklish farmer." But all that is now changed----the old has given way to the new and mule power has been supplanted by steam and electric power.

The next place of interest along the canal was the old stone house used then as a tavern, located at the bend of the river a couple of miles below Newport on what was once the Demaree and later the Oliver Rice farm, the site presently [1925] being owned by Ralph Bretz. This was then known as the “Powers Tavern”, the ferry there having the same name, while opposite the ferry was the Fetterman place. This old tavern was used by young people of Newport, as a place to hold their parties, going and returning by boat.

    I recall hearing my parents tell of at least one party held there. Some young bloods headed by a Dr. Ralston, who at that time was located in town, stole the boat and team and brought them to Newport, leaving the young people to walk home after discovering that their boat and team had disappeared. Losh”s Run and Bailey's were the favorite picnicking grounds as long as the canal remained in use. The Union Sunday school picnic for Newport was invariably held at one of these places, the trip being made in a flat-bottom barge drawn by mules and decorated with flags. The barges were sometimes strung with lanterns although the time selected for the picnic was usually such as would supply moonlight for the return trip. The old Newport Germania Band usually accompanied these picnics and dancing would sometimes be indulged in, and indeed these picnic days were gala days for the youngsters. We always embarked on South Front Street, in front of the Kough warehouse or the Rider “butcher shop”. Lots of funny incidents occurred on these trips which I wish I had the time to recount.

In the year 1855 Samuel Leiby sold a plot of ground, located on the corner of Second and Market streets, to John S. Demaree who built the first business block in town. Samuel Leiby, whose store had been at this location, moved his business to the Market Street side. * Margaret Leiby married Dr. Wm R. Howe Oct 23, 1856 at her parent's home in Oliver Twp. She was a choir singer, Sunday School Teach, charter member of Women's Missionary Society of Newport Lutheran Church.

April 27, 1857 Town Council passed a law to remove the nuisance produced by hogs running at large. Hogs must be kept in pen or enclosure within the old borough limits. The Street Commissioner would “take up & pen all hogs that are found running at large.., for which he shall be entitled to 25 cents for each hog & 12 ½ cents a day for feeding… if not redeemed by owner in ten days they shall be exposed to public sale.."*

Samuel Leiby died 1867 in Oliver Township and is buried in Newport Cemetery. 403  

Reference Legend:

Numeric indicates the museum inventory I.D. number

* reference from A Sesquicentennial Commemorative Book for Newport, Pennsylvania 1840-1990 

+ found on the internet