The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-08-28
HISTORICAL DATA.
Early Happenings in Reynoldsville and
Some Facts of Interest to All.

What is now Reynoldsville was laid
out in 1880 by Charles G. Gaskill and
called Olney. Only one lot was sold.
Gaskill was agent for the land and
erected the first building, two roomed
log house on the east side OF Sandy
Lick, and on the south side of the turn
pike. This building was a tavern for
the new town and was opened by man
named Caldwell and was kept by Joseph
Potter until 1898. In 1882 the land on
which Reynoldsville nov stands was
hemlock swamp and the present Main
street was a long corduroy bridge.
Reynoldsville was originally an Indian
village and was such when Andrew
Barnett located in this wilderness. The
last Indians to tarry here was the
Johns family, in 1924. The present
town was laid out in September 1873 on
Warrant 1925. The plotting off and
the lots were sold by David and Albert
Reynolds. The first burgess was M. M.
Miner who was appointed and served
only few months. The first elected
burgess was DR.. j. W. Faust in March,
1874. When the town was incorporated
1t had about two hundred people. The
first coal shipped from Jefferson county
was from the Diamond Coal Mine at
Reynoldsville The first bridge built
across the creek was in 1922. The first
timber raft was run out on the Sandy
Lick to Pittsburg in 1S43. The first
circus exhibited in Reynodsville was
in 1S45. The first store in what is now
Reynoldsville was opened by Thomas
Reynolds in 1874. In 1874 he erected
the first tannery. Woodward Reyn-
olds was the first man to mine coal for
sale, in what is now Reynodsville.
about 1898. The first school in this
place was taughtin a little log house on
the east side Of Coolspring Hollow.
Patrick Feeley was teacher in lS47.
Between 1851 and 1860 the greatest
amount of rafting was done on Sandy
Lick creek. The early merchants In
Reynoldsville were Daniel Dunham,
Frederick Farmer, Washington Rhodes,
Henry H. Gordon and Charles
II Gordon. The early religious
services were held in house that stood
near the present site Of Burns hotel,
and which was occupied by Milton
Coleman. During a service in 1852 the
second story floor Of this house gave
way. The stove was upset and the con-
gregation was precipitated to the base
ment. Five persons we're so injured
that they died. The first white person
born within the present limits Of Reyn-
oldsville was David Reynolds. He is
still living in the town. In 1857, when
DR.. W. J. Mcknight, OF Brookville
practiced medicine in Winslow town.
ship and in the town OF Reynoldsville,
he came from Brookville on horseback.
He doctored in the families OF nearly all
the old pioneers. He is the only doctor
In Jefferson county living that prac-
ticed medicine in that year. The first
newspaper for Reynoldsville was print
ed In 1871 and was named the "Advo-
cate" The pioneer burying ground
was located near the school house which
stood in Coolspring Hollow. In 1857
when DIR. Mcknight practiced in this
place there were only about dozen
families living there. He performed
the first surgical operation in Reynolds
vile on the night OF November 16th,,
1873. Amputaied the arm Of John
McHugh in Franks Tavern, then the
Reynolds house.