Year: 1874

Feb. 9TH, 1874.
EDITOR JEFFERSONIAN--De Sir -
Thinking that perhaps short sketch o.


the history of this particular portion Of


our county would prove interesting to the


many readers of your valuable Journal, ]


will endeavor to give brief outline oI


its rise, progress and present condition.


In the summer of 1S48,, Adam Utt


Esq at that time resident of Stroud
township, in this county, not feeling salts
fed with his worldly prospects, aud being
of rather an industrious turn of mind
came to the conclusion that perhaps he
could better his condition and improve
his prospects by residence in some other
portion of this country. Acting upon
this idea, he gathered his family together,
and they took up their line of march for
the wild woods of what was then known
as Paradise Township, cutting their road
through the woods as they went. Select
ing suitable spot of ground, they i'm,
medat0ly set about making some improve
ments such as clearing a small piece of
ground and erecting thereon a shanty to
protect them from the incleneney of the
weather during the approachiug winter
At that time this whole country was COW
cred with an abundance of timber of near
ly every variety and in which was to be
found an abundance of game, such as
bears, deer, wolves, panthers, foxes, &c
The streams that came coursing down the
mountain sides aud through the valleys,
were literally filed with trout, and these
first settlers subsisted princi pally from
the products of the Immense forests by
which they were surrounded, and from
the speckled beauties taken from the
streams. During the summer season they
were engaged in peeling bark and in max
ing slaves, in which all hands, both male
and female, would take an active part
These were taken to Paradise Valley, a
distance of about FIVE miles, where they
were exchanged for the common necss-
saries of life. In those days, there can
be but little doubt but what the Esquire
lived happy lie for there was none to
nolest him or to interfere with any ar
rangements or plans he saw proper to
make and put in execution. He could
stand on the top of the mountain where
he then lived, and, stretching out his
hand over the vast expanse of county sur
rounding him, could truly say with one
of more ancient times


l am monarch of all l survey,


Ny rights there is none 10 dispute


From the centre all round to the creeks,


/ am lord of the fowl and the brute.


Part Of the brute creation, however, it
appears did not seem to acknowledge or
to recognize their subsection to the Els
quire, tor one night at about the mid
night hour he was awakened from a sound
sleep by what he supposed, and which,
on farther investigation proved to be, the
pillow rising up under his head, for upon
lighting a candle and investigating the
matter, he found huge rattlcsuake coiled
up under bis pillow. The old gentleman
thereupon came to the conclusion that
that part of his subjects, at least, were
getting rather intimate, and cultvating
too much of an acquaintance, and not be,
ing possessed of a very great anxiety to
become more intimate with them, he con.
cluded to move his quarters, which he
accordingly did, and took up his abode
int the valley on the spot now occupied by
him.


Shortly after this party of surveyors
and engineers came through this region
of country and laid out the present route
OF the Delaware, Lackawanna and Yves
tern Railroad, and soon had large num-
Der of men at work grading and building
the road.


Mr. William S. White, of Belvidere,
n. j., also came here about that time,
and after having taken up a large tract
of land, commenced the erection of an ex.
tensive tannery. A number of houses,
for the employees of Mr.. White were also
built, thus making quite village. About
the same time Mr.. Harrison Seb.ing also
located here and erected saw mill a
short distance below the tannery. Other
settlers began to flock 10 and soon the
sound Of the woodmaD's axe and the sharp
crack of the hunters rife could be heard
in all directions, and on every hand could
be seen the evidences of the thrift and
enterprise of the inhabitants. A Post
Office was established here which was
named White Tannery Post Office. A
Railroad Station was also established here
which the Company named Oakland Sta
tion, aud which gave rise to the nane of
the village.


About the year 1856, Messrs George
G. Shafer and Martin b Rinehart, of
Hunterdon Co, n. j., located here, and
after having purchased the mill property
of Mr. Sebring. immedia tely entered into
a co partnership uuder the firm name of
Shafer & Reinhart, and commenced the
manufacture Of lumber on an extensive
scale. They also purchased larger tract
of land and commenced clearing up
large farm. In the summer of 1862 they
enlarged their mill, and put in large
circular saw, and three smaller ones, 10
addition to the gate saw, for the manufac
ture of ceiling lath, paIings, &c since
which time they are shipping about 225
In ~, he houf R000 feat