The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-04-28
Original.
History Of Columbia County.
Copyright secured according to act Of Congress.
NUMBER XVI.
MADAME MONTOUR.


A sketch of this celebrated woman and
her family will be properly introduced by
short description of the magnificent ridge
which bears her name.
Montour's ridge rises somewhat abruptly
on the West Branch near the mouth of Chill
lisquaque creek, and starting out in a north
east course becomes the boundary between
the townships of Point and Chillisquaque in
Northumberland county, and between Point
and the townships of Liberty and Mahon-
ing in Montonr county, near Danville,
where Mahoning creek breaks through to
the North Branch-thence becoming the
boundary between Valley and Mahoning,
and West Hemlock and Cooper, in Montour
county; and between Hemlocl' and Montour
in Columbia county; breaking down again
where Hemlock creek flows through into
Fishingcreek, and again short distance be-
yond where Fishingcreek rolls between its
precipitous sides north of Bloomsbury off
into the North Branch; then rising again
and throwing toward the surface its rich
iron deposits north and east of Bloomsbury,
and sinking forever, after developing mil
lions of tons of limestone, north and east of
Espy.
An axis Of elevation passes nearly along
the middle of the ridge, composed of hard
gray and reddish sandstone, which are COW
cred along both sides sometimes nearly and
sometimes quite to the top by states and
shalcs of overlying series, the lower part of
which consists of yellowish or greenish
States containing thin strata of limestone,
in which are impressions of shells and other
fossils and near these a very valuable layer
of brownish red iron ore from six inches to
over two feet in thickness, also containing
fossil impressions. This ore is found on
both sides of the ridge as far east as the vi
cinity of Bloomsbury, where the strata con-
verge over its top as it sinks away on the east,
and finally disappears under the everything
red shale in the neig hborhood of Espytown.
In the states above the iron ore are some thin
layers of dark colored limestone, succeeded
by thick bed of red shale, which forms the
upper portion of the series. Overlying this
red shale is limestone formation, which
encircles the ridge outside of the red shale,
and which may be seen not far from the rv-
er above NorthumberlaEd and along the
| railroad from Danyille TO Bloomsbury dip
ping under the Fishingcreek above its
mouth and passing under Bloomsbury it rises
again near Espy, and extends nearly to Ber-
,ri,ly ,uhara II 81 iplyu hanno III tha
lying slate. A splendid body of mantel and
roofing slate of the very best quality develops
itself on Little Fishingcreek about mile
above Bloomsburg. 1t has been wrought
and approved by competent workmen and
judges and needs only capital and enterprise
to become a recognized industry of the
county.
Thus it will be seen that Montours ridge
is useful az well as ornamental, rich ms well
as rugged yielding right at our doors iron
ore, limestone, slate and building stone in
almost unlimited quantities,
Madame Montour, who gave her name to
this beautiful range of hills, is parsonage
of considerable importance in the early his
tory of Pennsylvania, and especially of the
Susquehanna region. Her birth, her char
acter, and her actions have been the subject
of romance and of history. She has been
the victim Of yituperation as well as the hero
inc of eulogy, Her name has been used to
dignity and horrify the Wyoming massacre
But neither romance nor history, neither vi
tuperation nor eulogy, seem to have don,
her justice,
| Madame Montour makes her first appear
ance in our history at council held at Phil
adelpha on the Sd of July, l727 betweer
the Hon. Patrick Gordon, Lieutenant Gov
ernor, and his council on one side, and di
vers chiefs of the Five Nations, the Conesto
goes, Gangawese and susquehanna Indian
on the other The council being met anC
seated The Governor told them by NJ
Montour, French woman who had liye'
long among these people, and is now inter
pretress, that he was glad to see tbem al
well after SO long journey, and was nov
ready with his council to receive what the
have to say" The meetings continued sey
eral days, Madame MontouT making the in
terpreiaiions between the parties. She Wa