When mentioning Union County, Pennsylvania, many people immediately think of Lewisburg's rich history, fine buildings, and Bucknell University. But traveling west, the borough of Mifflinburg has its own history, stories, and people who shaped that area's future.

In October of 1892, Mifflinburg marked its Centennial anniversary, featuring a parade and speeches as part of the celebration. Among the speakers was John Blair Linn, who was born in Mifflinburg on October 16^th, 1831. Linn was a newspaperman, lawyer, and judge, who also wrote on the histories of Union, Centre, and Clinton Counties.    

He provided a detailed history of Mifflinburg beginning with the first settler in the area.

“Elias Youngman, laid out the town of Mifflinburg, naming the newborn village in honor of the then Governor of Pennsylvania, Thomas Mifflin.” Linn said in its early years it was known as Youngmanstown and Elias Youngman's neighbors in 1792, were patriotic officers who did efficient service in the Revolutionary War.

Among the first people to erect dwellings according to Linn were “The new village commenced housekeeping with about nine householders. From a contemporary assessment, it appears their names, occupations and sorts of dwelling were John Dreisbach, gunsmith, hewed log house and shop; Jonathan Holmes, mall hewed log house; Robert Holmes, shop keeper, hewed log house and chipped log stable. Henry Longabaugh weaver hewed log house; Nicholas Rudy, jobber, hewed log house and kitchen, round log stable; Nicholas Sampsel, carpenter, hewed log house; Christopher Wagner, house carpenter, chipped log house, hewed log-shop, round log table; Elias Youngman, chipped log house, frame and chipped log barn, occupation, "formerly a hatter;" George Youngman, Shopkeeper, hewed log house, frame shop and "shell-scutched" stable.

 In 1794, the first storekeeper, John Irvin, makes his appearance, and Henry Neal, the first tailor of the village. In 1795 came Nathan Evans, sadder, He was an active Christian and being the first to disseminate the doctrines of the Baptist Church in the valley. He was in the habit of preaching at meetings, though (he was not) a clergyman.”

As the town grew, Linn said those with various occupations settled in Mifflinburg. “In 1796 we note the entrance of the first schoolmaster, William Black, the tavern keeper, John Rockey; the brewer, Henry Hassenplug, and last, but not least, Jacob Rockey, who is noted in the assessment as for occupation, "doing what he thinks best. On April 1, 1798, a post office was established in Mifflinburg, and George Youngman was appointed Postmaster. In 1792 only one public road passed up Buffalo Valley, skirting the site of Mifflinburg.”

Linn remarked, “The tallow dip has disappeared with the log cabins and the "chipped log houses," and headlight oil gleams through plate-glass windows of nice brick dwellings. Now the facilities of the market are such that farms in the valley would be worth more, in many instances, than their present value today, were they clothed with the woods they were encumbered with one hundred years ago. In the olden times, almost every family kept a few sheep for wool.”

When Union County was formed from Northumberland County on March 22, 1813, a legislative act also established Mifflinburg as the seat of government of the newly formed county, with the first courthouse located at 406 Green Street and other government offices located in various other buildings throughout the town. It remained the county seat until 1815 when it was moved to New Berlin, and then to Lewisburg in 1855 where it remains today.

In 1845, George Swentzel set up Mifflinburg's first buggy business. Soon other buggy manufacturers set up their shops in Mifflinburg, and by 1855, with a population of 800, Mifflinburg hosted thirteen coachmakers. By the 1880s, with more than fifty buggy and sleigh factories, Mifflinburg became known as “Buggy Town” because its buggy makers produced more horse-drawn vehicles per capita than any other town in the state.

In his closing remarks at the October 1892 Centennial celebration, John Blair Linn’s words were not only fitting then but can be reflected upon in the 21^st Century.

“The record of the century now gone, in moral and material progress is a grand and noble record. Individual self-reliance, nursed by our free schools and the free spirit of our people, has done wonders. Young men and young women, it is now for you to show yourselves worthy of the high position attained by the labors of those who have preceded you. Thousands of fields of action today await your efforts, which, under your culture, may be made to yield rich harvests of good in the material world, and in the cause of temperance, humanity, and religion.”