Township · Huntingdon County

Dublin

3 stories on file, each with its sources. 36.8 square miles of land in the ridge and valley country of central Pennsylvania.

1,182

Population

36.81 sq mi

Land area

Township

Type

The founding record

Dublin township, one of the original six townships within the present limits of the county, was erected in October, 1767. The Cumberland county court records for that session describe it as "Bounded by Air and Fannet townships on the one side, and Coleraine and Barre townships on the top of Sideling Hill on the other side." Its original area has been much reduced by the erection of Tell and Springfield townships, both of which were taken from Dublin. It is situated in the extreme southeastern comer of the county and is bounded on the north by Tell township ; on the east by the Tuscarora mountain, which separates it from Franklin county; on the south by Fulton county, and on the west by Springfield and Cromwell townships, from which it is separated by Shade mountain. The Indian trail, over which early traders and explorers traveled, passed through this township. Among the early adventurers to follow this route were Conrad Weiser and George Croghan in 1748 and John Harris in 1754. A few land warrants, dated prior to the Revolution, indicate that white men had found a lodgment there, but little is known of the settlers of that period. About 1765 Alexander Blair and his wife Rachel came from Chester county and bought a part of the tract of land warranted to George Croghan near Shade Gap. John W. Jordan, ed., History of the Juniata Valley and Its People (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1913) · character 183,510 of the scanned text

Dublin township is situated in the extreme southern end of the county, extending farther south than any other. It is separated from Franklin county on the east, by the Tuscarora mountain, from Springfield and Cromwell townships, on the west, by Shade mountain, and is bounded on the north by Tell township, and on the south by Fulton county. The Indian war-path, upon which the traders and other early adventurers traveled, traversed this township, and therefore we trace the presence of white men back to the expeditions of Conrad Weiser and George Croghan in 1748. "The Shadow of Death" is mentioned by John Harris, in his " account of the road to Logstown," in 1754. The name has undergone some changes, appearing in warrants issued between 1762 and 1767, as the "Shades of Death." Within the recollection of persons still living it was known as " The Shades," and more recently it has been transformed into " Shade Gap," the name of a flourishing borough, and the only post-office in the township. In addition to the warrants dated prior to the Revolutionary war, there is other evidence attesting the presence of settlers before that period. There are graves scattered in out-of-the-way places through the township, of which no account is given except that they are the resting places of the earMilton Scott Lytle, History of Huntingdon County (Lancaster: William H. Roy, 1876) · character 512,083

Quoted from a work published before 1929 and therefore in the public domain in the United States. Spelling and punctuation are as printed, including nineteenth century spellings of place names. Scanned text carries optical character recognition errors; the character offset is given so the passage can be found and checked in the original.

3 stories

Stories from Dublin

From the county histories, on Dublin township. The passage below is printed exactly as it appears in 1913, including the spelling of the day and the errors the scanner made. It has not been rewritten, summarised or added to.

During the year 1800 Presbyterian congregations were organized at Shirleysburg and in Dublin township, Huntingdon county. At the latter place a log house was built the same year, but the church at Shirleysburg was not built until 1830. James Johnston, Samuel Woods and John Peebles were some of the early ministers. The McVeytown church was regularly organized in 1814, when John McVey conveyed to the trustees of the congregation a half an acre of land for the use of the church. A small stone building was erected the next year. Services had been held at this place by Rev. Matthew Stephens, James Simpson and others before that time. In the old church building was torn down and a more commodious one erected. Rev. James M. Olmstead came into the Juniata Valley early in and in April organized the church at Old Buffalo, where services had been irregularly held for a nimiber of years by Rev. John Linn and others. A log house was built that year and used until about 1850, when it was abandoned and a new one erected at Ickesburg. On June 7, 1825, thirty-two persons, members of the old Centre church, withdrew from that congregation and organized the Landisburg Presbyterian church, with Rev. James M. McQintock as pastor. Services were held in the school house for about five years, when a church was built.John W. Jordan, ed., History of the Juniata Valley and Its People (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1913) · character 847,847 of the scanned text

Sources

John W. Jordan, ed., History of the Juniata Valley and Its People (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing, 1913)

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From the county histories, on Dublin township. The passage below is printed exactly as it appears in 1883, including the spelling of the day and the errors the scanner made. It has not been rewritten, summarised or added to.

Alexander McElroy was also one of the pioneers who was under the necessity of braving the fatigues, sufferings, and dangers of a life in the forest. Upon the occasion of his coming over the Tuscarora Mountain with his family, upon their first visit to Dublin township, he performed a feat of daring that none but a pioneer would dare undertake. It was winter, the snow deep and frozen, so that there was a thick crust sufficient to hold ahorse. With difficulty " Aleck" and his little family had climbed up the mountain-side upon the slippery crust, and it occurred to the brave pioneer that he could go down the Dublin slope much quicker and easier than he came up from the foot of the Franklin side. Having a feather bed, which was the bulk of his household goods, he tied small and convenient bundle as possible, mounted his improvised sled, took their little child in his arms, bid his wife give him a start, and away he went down Tuscarora's northwestern slope, reaching the valley below in safety. It is said that no more daring feat was ever performed, and certainly not a quicker trip down the mountain was ever made than that of " McElroy's ride." James McElroy, brother of Alexander, was a "mighty hunter," and always carried with him his trusty rifle wherever he went, for he knew not the moment when he would have use for it.J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 1,726,437 of the scanned text

Sources

J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883)

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John Palmer's house in Shirleysburg was named as the voting-place. Dublin township and the remaining part of Springfield was thereafter to form the second district, and the right of suffrage was to be exercised at the house of George Hudson. The ninth district, erected in 1800, consisted of that part of the township of Allegheny lying west of the summit of the Allegheny Mountain. Cornelius McGuire's house was named as the voting-place. At the same time that portion of the sixth district lying northeastward of the following lines, to wit: Beginning in Forshey's Gap in Terrace Mountain, thence by a straight line to the mouth of Little Trough Creek; thence up Big Trough Creek to Philip Curfman's saw-mill; thence by a straight line to the line of the eighth district include the house of Joshua Chilcoat, Jr., was added to the first district, and the elections ordered to be held in the court-house in the borough of Huntingdon. A part of West township was also added to the first district, being the part lying south and west of the following bounds, to wit: beginning at Tussey's Mountain opposite the head of Nelson's Run, thence down said run to Shaver's Creek; thence up said creek to the road leading from McCormick's mill to the borough of Huntingdon; thence along said road to the line of Huntingdon township.J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883) · character 339,646 of the scanned text

Sources

J. Simpson Africa, History of Huntingdon and Blair Counties, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1883)

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Where it sits

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