The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-03-22
A LITTLE WAYNE COUNTY
HISTORY
Taken From Goodrich's Old History
"A Sketch of Its Early History
and of the beginning of the ID.
Il III. Canal.

N ii. Canal.
The territory which constitutes
the counties of Wayne and Pike, was
set off from the county of Northamp-
ton, by an act of the Legislature
passed on the 21st day of March,
1898. The original boundaries OF
wayne county therefore, were the
northern line of the state on the
north, the Delaware river on the
Ieast, Northampton (now Monroe) on
the south, and Luzerne and Susque-
mamma counties on the west. The
area was 1892 square miles and the
population was 2,562. Wilsonville,
small manufacturing village, was
lhrst proposed for the county seat
but it was found not to be satisfact-
|ory. By an act of 1893 a deed was
made for land four miles from the
forks of the Dyberry, and the land
was divided off into lots and a pub
lie square for the county buildings.
This location was called Bethany and
frame court house was removed
there from Milford, in 1905. The
conditions of the county began to
prosper with the growth of the pop
lllation and the frame court house
hnd Jail at Bethany we're completed
end court was held regularly there.
The first county commissioners were
Eliphalet Kellogg, Johannes Van Et-
Ten and John Carson. Great dis
fontent had been manifested for some
ime by the people along the Della
ware below Milford, on account of
he location of the county seat at
Bethany and in 1914 the legislature
with the consent of the people set
bff the lower end of the county and
made new county and it was called
Pike with the seat of justice at Mil
Ford.
Nathaniel B. Eldred was the first
president judge to be elected by the
people in 1851, and James Mumford
IND Thomas Tracy were the first as
Fociate judges then elected. Da-
nascus was one of the first town
3hips and was established in 1898.
Hcighty-seven years ago the borough
pr Honesdale, now a beautiful town.
Fas covered with hemlocks and lau-
8els. The wolf and the fox roamed
here unmolested. After the discov-
|ry of the stone-coal, as it was called
nd after the greater discovery that
produced an excellent fire and
burned in the crate in 1908, in the
alleys of the Lackawanna and Wyo-
nlng, 1t was useless unless it could
ave ready market where it would
le purchased and used. Then it was
nat Maurice and William WurtZ, of
Philadelphia, devised the plan of
constructing a canal from the Lack
waxen to the site of Honesdale to
ne Hudson river at Kingston, a dis !
ance of one hundred and eight |
hiles. They carried out their plans |
icing aided by many capitalists.
In 1929 the Delaware and Hudson |
anal company was organized and
ailroad with inclined planes was
put In operation. The upper part of
fhat is now Honesdale was owned
y Jason Torrey and the lower part
Tas bought by the Delaware and
hudson Canal company, of Samuel
kimble. One of the chief patrons
the canal was Philip Hone, a
Fealthy merchant of New York, and
ut of respect for him the place was
hlled Honesdale. 1t was the head |
I canal navigation and was first
fid out in 1926 and was incorporat-
as a borough on January 26,
S31. In the winter of 1841
lTouSn the SOllcltatlonS OF Ebene-
PR Kingsbury, then State Senator,
act for the removal of the coun-
seat from Bethany to Honesdale
Fas passed. A court house was
pmmenced here in 1841' and the
ooks and papers were brought from
bethany, and the first court was held
ere in I843. The first court house
as of wood and cost $4,000. The
rst court was held at September
essions, 1S43. This was torn down
l 1877 and court was held in the
ew building in 1880. The present
purt house was soon after completed
nd remains yet a witness to past
ges. A sealed book to the doings
over 30 years up to the present
me, Wayne county men took part
P the war of the Rebellion and did
hlliant service. Many illustrious
en- have gone out of Honesdale to
lme and put glory on the shoulders
1 their county and town.
ss