News and Notes from Samuel Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania

November 23, 2024 | by Terry Diener

Samuel Hazard was born in Philadelphia, the son of the nation’s 3rd U.S. Postmaster, Ebenezer Hazard, Samuel carved out a career as an archaeologist and historian, and was curator of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

His writings included "Register of Pennsylvania" (16 vols., 1828-36); "United States Commercial & Statistical Register" (6 vols., 1839-42); "Annals of Pennsylvania, 1609-82" (Philadelphia, 1850); and "Pennsylvania Archives, 1682-1790" (12 vols., 1853). [1]

His Register Of Pennsylvania; Devoted To The Preservation Of Facts And Documents And Every Kind Of Useful Information Respecting The State Of Pennsylvania, is filled with news from the Susquehanna Valley. Here is a sampling of the information found among Hazard’s sixteen volumes referencing the Susquehanna Valley.


KNITTING MACHINE TO MAKE STOCKINGS - We have been very much pleased with a little machine for knitting stockings shown to us a day or two ago by Mr. John McMullen, of Birmingham, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It occupies about a cubic foot, and is operated upon by turning a crank, which requires no more power or skill than a common hand organ, except when necessary to widen or narrow the stocking, a stitch is dropped or added by hand. The machine does the work of six expert knitters and is very simple. It is superior to the stocking loom, as that requires an apprenticeship to learn to work it and is not calculated for families. The present machine can be worked by any intelligent little girl after a few minutes’ instruction, and is not costly-fifteen dollars including the patent right. The machine we saw is best calculated for knitting wool, but we believe it can be readily adapted to cotton, silk, or linen, at pleasure. There are none of the machines for sale, the proprietor only wishing to sell patent rights, except in Pennsylvania. Any further information may be obtained from Mr. McMullen, whose address is given above. - American Farmer [2] McMullen was given the John Scott Award, created in 1816 as the John Scott Legacy Medal and Premium, presented to men and women whose inventions improved the "comfort, welfare, and happiness of humankind" in a significant way.

Volume 11 Hazard's Register January 1833 to July 1833 May Page 286


THOUSANDS OF SHAD AT SUNBURY - The Sunbury Beacon of Monday the 26th of April says, "Not less than from four to five thousand Shad' were caught on Saturday last within a quarter of a mile below the dam. Upwards of five hundred were taken by one dip net and several others averaged two and three hundred each. We understand that several hundred were caught with dip nets yesterday."

Volume 5 Hazard's Register January 1830 to July 1830 Page 304


MORE COAL - Several miles above Dunnstown in Trimble Township, Lycoming County, on Lick Run, three-quarters of a mile from the West branch of the Susquehanna; there has been opened an inexhaustible bed of coal by Mr. John Hepburn, of Northumberland. The coal is of a superior quality to any that we have seen in use in this part of the country, it is Anthracite, of a beautiful appearance, light and porous, and burns lively when put into a coal grate, or stove; it emits no sulfurous smell, but has the effluvium of tar. Three hundred tons of this excellent mineral are now lying at the quarry and will be on to the market as soon as the navigation of the riyer will permit. — Lewisburg Union Co. Hickory

Volume 5 Hazard's Register January 1830 to July 1830 Page 240


SUCCESSFUL TRIP - The Miltonian canal boat, Capt. James Blair, returned from her trip on Tuesday last, after an absence of six weeks. She left here in May with 1000 bushels of wheat for Philadelphia, delivered her cargo in prime order; took in a load of oats for Pottsville; loaded at that place with coal for Philadelphia; and has now safely returned to our shore from the latter place, with 20 tons Nova Scotia plaister. She has had a prosperous trip. – Miltonian Page 47

Volume 6 Hazard's Register July 1830 to January of 1831 Page 47

 

EMIGRANTS -We understand that during the course of last week, one hundred and ninety emigrants arrived at this borough in canal boats, all from the county of Durham, England. They are represented as very steady and industrious. – Pottsville Journal

Volume 6 Hazard's Register July 1830 to January of 1831 Page 47

 

OUR TOWN - Eatables of almost every description are at present and have been for some time, scarce in this village. Some wagon loads of provisions would sell for excellent prices. We hope our northern or southern friends will have compassion for our citizens and supply the town with an assortment of the good things of the world; if they do not, we will have to live on salt pork and maple sugar. A fortnight since, a pound of coffee could not be had at any of our stores, of which there are nine or ten, and other necessaries are equally scarce. Plenty generally abounds in our borough, and the present scarcity is one of unusual occurrence, owing, we suppose, to the opportunity the fine sledding last winter presented to the farmers of conveying produce, &C. to market elsewhere. Bradford Settler.

Volume 7 Hazard's Register January of 1831 to July 1831 Page 287



BRADFORD COUNTY OX. - We had an opportunity of seeing this fine animal before his departure for New York and believe him not inferior to any of his age in the state in size and beauty. He measures six feet in height nine feet four inches in girth —in length, eleven feet seven inches, and is supposed to weigh between twenty and twenty-five hundred. He was raised by Dr. Barstow, of Wysox, and is five years old; —his limbs are straight and formed so as to bear his body with perfect ease. It is supposed that at least a thousand or fifteen hundred pounds might be added to him in the course of a year or two. - Bradford Settler

Volume 7 Hazard's Register January of 1831 to July 1831 Page 416

 

TIOGA COUNTY COAL - A bed of stone coal has been discovered, on Wilson's Creek, Tioga County, about seven miles south of Wells- borough. It has been opened, and quantities of coal have been taken out, which are represented to be of good quality. One stratum is five feet thick. The beds are situated about one mile from the summit level of the ridge dividing the north and west branches of the Susquehanna, the country presenting great facilities for either a canal or railroad.

Volume 12 Hazards Register July 1833 to January 1834 Page 62


CANAL CELEBRATION. The Lewisburg Cross Cut, consisting of a dam across the river, three locks, and about three-fourths of a mile of canal, making a complete communication between Lewisburg and the West Branch Canal, being this day, (October 26th, 1833,) finished; and upon letting the water pass from the canal into the river, a large number of citizens collected to witness the operation of an improvement in which all appeared to feel a common interest. It was proposed that a meeting be organized at the house of Col. Christian Shroyer, for the purpose of making a public expression of sentiment relative to those concerned in procuring for us this improvement. Lewisburg Chronicle

Volume 12 Hazards Register July 1833 to January 1834 Page 313


RESCUED AFTER FLOATING FIFTY MILES ON SUSQUEHANNA RIVER ICE - On Saturday evening last, the ice in the West Branch which had formed since the last freshet took its departure for the Chesapeake Bay. The river was exceedingly high, and it passed smoothly, doing but little injury as we have yet learned. An incident, however, occurred, which is we think without a parallel in the history of ice freshets upon the Susquehanna. About dark, on Saturday evening, Mr. Joseph Bailey, of the island opposite Jersey Shore, in endeavoring to secure a flat boat, which lay near the lower end of the island, exposed to the loose ice, ventured into it, and at that moment a large quantity of ice came in contact with the boat, broke the rope by which it was fastened, and drove it past the point of the island. The river being entirely covered with floating ice, his lamentable cries for assistance were in vain — no human power rescued him from his perilous situation. At about midnight, several citizens of Jersey Shore arrived at this borough and gave the alarm. A light was placed upon the bank of the river to attract his attention, and in a few minutes, he passed by, without the least possibility of saving him. He informed us that he was almost perishing with cold and fatigue and that he was not able to escape from the ice with which he at first started. All hope of saving him except at the bridge was now abandoned and an express sent on to Milton. He passed over the race ground rapids, and the breach of the Muncy Dam before daylight and arrived at Milton about nine o’clock in the morning after a voyage of near fifty miles. The spirited citizens of Milton, whose conduct upon this occasion is deserving of the highest praise, had every means prepared to save the life of a fellow being, which ingenuity could invent, and it is with unbounded pleasure we state that they were successful. He was drawn up by a rope suspended from the bridge, amid the shouts of the assembled multitude.

Who can imagine the feelings of his relations and friends during his absence particularly his bosom companion and aged mother. Ten thousand deaths would have been more tolerable, than the agonizing state of uncertainty which involved his fate. Tongue cannot describe the feelings which were excited in our own borough, where none were bound to him by the endearing ties of conjugal affection or material love. - Lycoming Gazette Williamsport February 8, 1832

Volume 9 Hazards Register January 1832 to July 1832 Pages 105-106

 

CANAL NOW LINKED BETWEEN HUNTINGDON AND HOLLIDAYSBURG - It cannot fall to be a source of gratification to the friends of Pennsylvania policy, and to everyone who feels an interest in the growing greatness and prosperity of our state, to witness each successive link in the great chain of our internal improvement, one by one arrive at its completion. It is with feelings of the greatest pleasure that we are this week enabled to announce the pleasing intelligence of the departure of the first boat from this place (Huntingdon) to the junction of the Allegheny, Portage Railroad. This is an event which could scarcely be anticipated to be accomplished at so early a period by the most sanguine observer of the progression of the system, and certainly reflects lasting credit on the conductors of the work.

According to a previous arrangement, a party of the citizens of this borough and vicinity embarked yesterday on board the Packet Boat, John Blair, Capt. Beckwith, to participate in the celebration of the event at Hollidaysburg. A piece of artillery prepared for the occasion, well mounted and efficiently manned on board a flat which accompanied the boat, will impart life and animation to the scene. About eleven o’clock A.M. they took their departure, in fine spirits, and apparently in unanimous participation of the feelings of hilarity and satisfaction which such an occasion is calculated to inspire.  Huntingdon Republican Advocate December 1832

Volume 10 Hazard's Register July of 1832 to January 1833 Page 265


ANCIENT OAK TREE ON MUNCY MOUNTAIN – An oak was recently felled by Messrs. Valentine and Thomas on the north side of Muncy Mountain, Lycoming County, which was found, upon counting the growths, to be 460 years old, and to have been marked by a cutting instrument 390 years ago, the age of the tree being about 50 years. The instrument used in making these marks, was probably a hard stone carved or ground into a shape, bearing some resemblance to our axe, but much smaller in size. Such instruments have frequently been found since the settlement of this country by whites.

That the marks made upon this tree at the early period just mentioned, were with a sharp instrument wielded by the hand of man, an examination of the section of the tree, which has been preserved, will at once make perfectly manifest. – LOGAN Bellefonte Patriot

Volume 11 Hazard's Register January 1833 to July 1833 Page 96