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Aaronsburg
History of Centre and Clinton Counties, John B Linn, 1883, p301
"Aaronsburg was laid nut upon the Alexander Grant warrantee by Aaron Levy in October, 1786, and therefore bears the earliest date of any town in the county. In 1804 he conveyed all his interests in his large bodies of real estate in Centre County to Simon and Hyman Gratz, and after that titles to lots were derived from the Gratzes.
Its wide streets, its freshly-painted white houses, tastefully ornamented with beautiful flowers; its churches, the first that is seen of Aaronsburg; its school-houses and academy, please the eye and impress the mind with admiration. In the busy month of June the scene from the mountain north of Aaronsburg is truly imposing. With its numerous fruit-trees in the streets and around the houses, the village looks like a town in the midst of a large orchard, while as far as the eye can reach lies Penn's valley, dotted with its green groves, waving grain, and fields of corn. On the right is Elk Creek, which in the distance seems like a thread of silver, and the mists of Pine Creek greet the eye in the south.
The first house of any consequence built in the town is that now occupied by James P. Coburn, Esq. It was built by Frederick Henney, his initials and the date of the building being cut in a stone inserted in the west gable end of the house. The following is a copy of Aaron Levy's dedication of the land, number of lots running from No. 1 to 612, 60 by 230 deep.
AARON LEVY'S PLAN OF THE TOWN OF AARONSBURG.
"To all people to whom these presents shall come. I, Aaron Levy, of the town of Northumberland and county of Northumberland, in the State of Pennsylvania, merchant, send greeting. Whereas, by force and virtue of sundry good conveyances and assurances in the law duly had and executed, I, the said Aaron Levy, became seized in fee simple of, in, and to a certain tract or parcel of land situate, lying, and being in Potters township, in the county aforesaid, adjoining David Duncan, David Watts, Sheakspear, and others, part of which said tract of land hath been laid out in small lots for a town by me, Aaron Levy, and called in the general plan of said town, ' Aaronsburgh,' and in consequence thereto have laid out, and lots of ground granted to sundry persons, adventurers of said town under certain reservations in their several conveyances mentioned (except whet shall be hereafter excepted and reserved). Now know ye that I, the said Aaron Levy, at the request of several adventurers of the said town, do hereby acknowledge, confess, and declare that the several lanes, streets, and alleys of the said town of Aaronsburgh called Aaron's Square, Plume Street, Wine Street, North Street, White Thorn Street (then West Street), Pine Street, Rachel's Way, Chestnut Street, East Street, shall be hereafter forever open public roads or highways for all persons making use of the same, and that the several lanes and alleys of the said town, to wit, Blackberry Alley, Cherry Alley, Strawberry Alley, Apple-tree Alley, Mulberry Alley, Gooseberry Alley, Walnut Alley, Spruce Alley, Union Alley, and Liberty Alley, shall likewise remain open and be for the we and benefit of the owners of lots of ground bounded on and adjoining the same; and I do further declare this plan of the said town of Aaronsburgh to be an accurate plan, and that the several ways, streets, lanes, and alleys therein delineated shall be and remain firmly fixed to all intents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever. But be it remembered that the said Aaron Levy hath excepted and reserved, and doth hereby except and reserve, ninety feet in breadth, and from East Street to West in length in Aaron's Square in said town, allowing at the same time thirty feet fronting the buildings on each of said streets for public uses. But he, the said Aaron Levy, doth confess and declare for himself, his heirs, and assigns to surrender and deliver up the said ninety feet above reserved to the public as soon as he or his heirs shall see the said town of Aaronsburgh settling and improving, and that there is an absolute want of said ground so reserved for public uses and buildings. But the said Aaron Levy doth hereby further confess and declare, from the date of these presents, the reserve of ninety feet in the centre of Aaron's Square as aforesaid described shall not be obstructed by him, the said Aaron Levy, or his heirs or assigns, but shall ly and remain free, clear, and unobstructed for the public uses of the town of Aaronsburgh. In testimony whereof, I, the said Aaron Levy, have hereunto set my hand and seal the fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty six.
"AARON LEVY [Seal.]
"Sealed and delivered in the presence of us,
"John Aurand,
"Christian Gettig"
INHABITANTS OF AARONSBURG IN 1802
Albright, Jacob, gunsmith
Allen, Obediah
Armstrong, Wm., wagon-maker
Benck, John Matthias
Bollinger, Michael, Esq.
Bowers, George
Bright, George, hatter
Brown, John, shoemaker
Brown, John, smith
Calighan, Philip, tavern-keeper
Crisman, Felix, tavern-keeper
Dewalt, Philip, nailer
Donner, Philip, shoemaker
Duncan, James, store
Fibs, David, joiner
Frank, George, Stiller
Henney, Philip
Herring, Jacob, tanner
Horton, Christian, physician
Kirk, Michael
Klapper, Michael, physician
Kreamer, John, joiner
Kreps, Christian, tanner
McPherson, John
Mitchell, John
Mussina, Lyons, store-keeper
Ox, Peter
Sowerwine, William
Storm, David
Wise, Henry
Young, John, joiner
Zettlemeyer, Godfrey
ADDITIONAL RESIDENTS IN AARONSBURG, 1810.
Bollinger, Jacob, wheelwright
Goldman, John
Haller, Jacob, clock-maker
Henney, Daniel, turner
Hess, George, hatter
Holloway, Joseph, cooper
James, James, tailor
Miles Samuel, tavern
Miller, Henry, tanner
Mitchell, William, nailer
Rockey, Wendle
Shearer, George, shoemaker
Spyker, Daniel
Storm, Widow
Stover, George
Taylor, William
The First Store-keeper.-James Duncan was the first store-keeper in 1790, and April 1, 1798, a postoffice was established at Aaronsburg, and Mr. Duncan appointed postmaster. He was born in Scotland in 1758, and came with his father to the place where Lewisburg now stands some years before the Revolution. His father erected a cabin there in 1773, in connection with William McMurray, lying between Millheim and Aaronsburg. On account of Indian troubles, David Duncan and his family returned to York County in 1782, and subsequently removed to Fredericksburg, Va. Two of his sons, David and Enos, removed to Kentucky and were progenitors of well-known families in that State and Louisiana. James, having had some altercation with his father, wrapped his clothes in a handkerchief, had one of his brothers row him over the Rappahannock, and walked to Lewisburg, where he worked as a day laborer. His father wrote to him to sell the tract of land above mentioned, and allowed him all he received over fifty dollars. With this start he went to Northumberland, selected a small stock of goods, which he could carry on horseback, and made his way to Aaronsburg in the year 1790. He was the-first sheriff of Centre County, Oct. 28, 1800, built Elk Mills, at Millheim (now Mussers) in 1817, and rebuilt Spring Mills in 1822. He took John Forster into partnership, and the firm of Duncan & Forster was known all through Western Pennsylvania. Even after stores were established at Bellefonte, people passed them by to deal with Duncan & Forster, on account of superiority in quality, cheapness in price of the latter's goods, and long credit - usually a year - they gave their distant customers.
There is yet a razor in use, in possession of Hon. James Macmanus, purchased fifty years ago at their store, which in times gone by was borrowed and used by lawyers traveling the circuit, and which the late W. M. Potter, Esq., always borrowed when he left home for other counties."
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