The following is quoted from Thomas Murphy's 1928 History of Lackawanna County . 1 While somewhat more disjointed than one would expect from a newspaper editor, it covers many aspects of Dunmore history. (Remember that references to now or today refer to 1928 and do not necessarily reflect life in 2003.)
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First Settler
Dunmore was originally part of old Providence Township. It has an area of 8,23
miles and an average elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level. Its area at the
time of the incorporation was somewhat larger. A slice of territory was lapped
off when Roaring Brook Township was organized and a portion annexed to
Scranton. The old Connecticut-Cobb road ran through the town following the
route of present day Drinker Street. William Allsworth, a Connecticut
shoemaker, settled at the "corners" in 1783. He built a log cabin, made a
clearing in the primeval forest and opened an inn, which was visited frequently
by settlers on their way to Wyoming. In 1795 John West, Charles Dolph and John
Cary came as neighbors to Allsworth at the "corners." In the next few years
Phillip Swartz, Edward Lunnon, Isaac Dolph, Levi Depuy and John Brown came in.
Abundance of deer in the woods round about Allsworths, and roast venison, a
permanent fixture on the menu of the inn, is generally understood to have
prompted the pioneers of the region to call the little hamlet of half dozen
houses "Bucktown." Later when the first footpath from Blakely to the Roaring
Brook crossed the Wyoming or Connecticut road at Allsworth, it also became
known as the "corners." About 1809 Stephen Tripp erected a sawmill and later a
gristmill, "Bucktown's" original industries, on the Roaring Brook at No 6.
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Building of Turnpike
What may be said to have been the first impetus to the community round about
Allsworth's came with the building of the Philadelphia and Great Bend (Drinker)
turnpike between 1825 and 1826. Henry Drinker, chief promoter of the turnpike,
opened a store and tavern at the "corners." When Drinker, a decade or so later
turned his thoughts and efforts to a canal up the Lackawanna from Pittston to
present day Scranton and a railroad through Dunmore over the Moosics and told
of the promised financial aid from the son of the Earl of Dunmore, the little
colony quickly assented to his proposal to call the place Dunmore. While
Drinker tried his best to put Dunmore on the map it really remained for the
Pennsylvania Coal Company, as Dr Hollister says in his history to "turn the
pasture fields into a town liberal in the extent of its territory and
diversified by every variety of life."
2
To John B Smith of revered memory, more than to any other single individual
does Dunmore owe its pre-eminence. The Pennsylvania Coal Company and its works
have been the borough's chief standby for three quarters of a century and more.
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Pioneer Business Men
Dr Orlo Hamlin was Dunmore's first physician. His coming is set down as 1813.
He tarried but a year going to Salem, Wayne County. Joseph Tanner was the first
blacksmith. The original turnpike store was a small affair. The first real
merchandising emporium was opened in 1845 by C W Potter. J D Boyle opened his
store in 1853. James Yates is credited with being the earliest wagon maker in
Dunmore. The year before the turnpike was completed the first school was
opened. It was occasionally used for church purposes as well. This first school
was built on North Blakely Street where the William Penn School now stands.
With the building of the gravity railroad the community need for a post office
became apparent. One was opened December 17, 1849, with George P Howell as
postmaster. Succeeding him in order as postmaster were: Daniel Swartz, Francis
Quick, Henry Summers, S W Ward, George M Black, A F Weidner, Henry Summers, J G
Bone, D W Himrod, Thomas J Duggan, P J Duggan, Bridget T Mooney, Frank
McDonald, and Marcus Bishop. The Dunmore post office was merged with Scranton
on the inauguration of free delivery of mail February 1, 1902.
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Schools
Up to 1868 Dunmore had ungraded schools. The school houses were small and
poorly equipped. During 1868 the "Old Brick" high school was built. It was two
stories in height and built to accommodate the student of four schools. The
first principals were Wells, Vanamie, Supplee and Lamont. According to the
report for 1869 Dunmore at that time had seven teachers. The salary was $52 per
month for male teachers and $28 for female teachers. L R Fowler became
principal of the "Old Brick" in 1872 and continued in that capacity until 1892.
In 1890 the old school was demolished and replaced with a much larger structure
which was destroyed by fire about five years later. In 1892 Professor J B
Hawker became principal of the high school and borough superintendent of
schools. He was succeeded next year by Professor John E Williams. Musical
instruction was inaugurated in 1893 by Professor D T Johns. The business
department of the high school was organized in 1899-1900 with Miss Daisy L
MacCrary as principal. Charles F Hoban was made borough Superintendent in 1902.
During his nearly two decades of services Dunmore schools forged ahead and won
an outstanding place in public educational circles of the state. To W W Jones
and Mrs Martha Matthews Owens must be given credit for the wonderful progress
in music of the borough schools during Dr Hoban's time as superintendent. The
Alfred Mosley Commission (British) commented favorably on this feature of
Dunmore school work. For a second time the high school was destroyed by fire
May 30, 1908. The new structure was occupied February 1, 1909.
The Pennsylvania Oral School for the Deaf and Marywood Seminary and College, and the Country Day School (an exclusive school for children) are located in Dunmore.
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Borough Creation
With the carving out of the boroughs of Providence, Hyde Park and Scranton,
Dunmore found itself left in Providence Township. Accordingly early in 1862 a
movement was launched to have a borough created. This was authorized April 10,
that year. The borough hall on South Blakely Street was erected in 1887. Calvin
Spencer was the first burgess and F D Brown the first borough clerk. Edward
Loughlin was elected justice of the peace in 1865.
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Religion
Even though conditions under which the very early settlers in Dunmore lived
were hard and primitive, the Maker was not forgotten. Religious services were
held in the home of William Letchworth on Drinker turnpike previous to 1825.
Later the first school built in 1826 was used for this purpose. Rev James
Cullen, a pioneer Catholic priest, held servies in 1852 for the Irish Catholics
attracted to Dunmore from Carbondale by the gravity railroad and opening of the
mines. "In 1854" Professor Dayton Ellis, for many years principal of the high
school says, "a church was built on the present site of the Presbyterian Church
on Chestnut Street and was used by several different denominations. This was
the first church built in Dunmore." Rev Edmund Fitzmaurice was the first pastor
of the earliest Catholic Church, St Simons, built in 1856. The first Methodist
Church was built in 1861 and the present church of that denomination in 1881.
The Christian Church was dedicated about 1870; Episcopal Church in 1895; St
Anthony's (Italian) Catholic in 1894 and All Saints (Slavish) Catholic in 1905.
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Cemetery
Dunmore cemetery, on North Blakely Street, was first used in 1828 when Levi
Depuy set aside an acre of land for a burial ground. Gabriel Dunning, who died
in 1828, is said to have been the first person buried there. The cemetery now
covers over 35 acres. St Mary's cemetery dates back to about the time St Mary's
Church was built. Mt Carmel, another Catholic burial place, was blessed by
Bishop O'Hara in 1892. Forest Hill Cemetery is in Dunmore.
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Newspaper
Back in the early eighties Frank P Woodward, of Wayne County, who had
experience in journalism in Hawley, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, launched the
Dunmore Pioneer, a weekly paper in the borough. A fire June 27, 1889, destroyed
the publication office and Mr Woodward made no effort to revive the project.
The Dunmorean, a weekly, was established in 1912 by sons of P A Barrett,
veteran Scranton journalist.
The Scranton Gas & Water Company supplies Dunmore with gas and water, although some years ago an attempt was made to establish a Dunmore controlled gas company. W W Scranton, president of the Scranton company checked the move and later on as a precaution acquired the charter of the Dunmore company. Two storage reservoirs of the water company are in Dunmore.
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Gravity Railroad
The Pennsylvania Coal Company gravity railroad, running between Pittston and
Hawley and which passed through Dunmore, was completed in 1849. The
Pennsylvania for a time maintained a passenger service as well as handling of
freight and coal. The railroad and coal company was absorbed by the Erie and
Wyoming Valley Railroad Company in 1884, the gravity system abandoned,
locomotive power installed about the same time the shops were built in the
borough. The Erie and Wyoming Valley Company, which was a standing threat
against the domination of the big anthracite carrying roads was acquired by the
Erie Railroad in 1901 at a time when the independent coal operators were
threatened to extend its line to the tidewater. The D L & W Railroad Company
was built through Dunmore in 1855. In 1855 also a short line railroad was built
from Greenville, now Nay Aug, through Dunmore to Jessup. The road was abandoned
a few years later. The Winton branch of the D L & W was built through Dunmore
about 1874 to transport coal from Winton. The Laurel Line Electric third rail
system had a branch line into the Little England section of Dunmore, put in
operation June 20, 1904. The first horse car from Scranton over the Peoples'
line was run in 1869. The first electric car to the Corners December 11, 1888.
The first coal mined in the borough was taken from the drifts at the outcrop of the three Dunmore veins on the hill east of the present office of the Pennsylvania Coal Company in 1850. The coal was loaded on the gravity cars from a trestle about 300 feet from the foot of No 6 plane. The Spencer shaft is the oldest in Dunmore. It was sunk in 1855. Gypsy Grove shaft was sunk in 1857, No 5 shaft in 1882 or 1883. The breaker was built in 1884. No 1 shaft was sunk in 1885, breaker completed in 1888. The first train over the Pennsylvania gravity was run June 10, 1850.
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Fire Company Organized
Bucket brigades were relied upon to fight fires in Dunmore until 1885. On March
25th that year a number of boys organized the Columbia Hose Company. They
procured quarters in a small frame building in the rear of the Keystone garden.
Victor Burschel was made foreman. The following month a permanent organization
was effected, the name changed to Independent Hose Company No 1 of Dunmore. A
four-wheeled hose cart made by the members of the company was the first
equipment of this company. Young men from the upper part of the town shortly
afterwards organized the Neptune Chemical Company, procured a two-wheeled
chemical cart. Later on, however, the company was changed into a hose company
as the chemical equipment was inadequate. These two companies were recognized
by the town council and in 1887 Jabez B Dante was elected chief. In 1901 the O
S Johnson Hose Company was organized in the lower part of the town. This is now
known as the T F Quinn Hose Company. The John B Smith Hose Company was
organized in 1893 with a membership of 50. Quarters were purchased on Chestnut
Street, the company was named after the late John B Smith. In 1892 the Electric
Engine Company was organized, with 50 members, secured quarters in the
Petersburg section. In 1912 the Eclipse Hose Company was organized in the
northeast section of the town. At first it was known as the A D Spencer Hose
Company. The name was changed to Eclipse following a reorganization. The fire
department of the borough has had the following chiefs: J B Dante, F E Wagner,
Victor Burschel, James J O'Hara, J J Teevan, John D O'Neil, Luther Wert, John L
Decker and Frank J Murphy. The drill team of the Independent Company has
brought honors to Dunmore, having won prizes at Bloomsburg, Mahanoy City, Mt
Carmel, Shenandoah, Hazleton, Pottsville and other places. In the fire of
November 24, 1891, the Neptune Company's quarters were destroyed as well as its
apparatus. The first equipment for the John B Smith Company - a two-wheeled
hand-cart -- was donated by a number of prominent citizens. Fire Chief Frank J
Murphy is a member of the Thomas F Quinn Company.
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Bank
Up until 1902 Dunmore depended on Scranton for banking facilities. That year
the Fidelity Deposit and Discount Bank, of Dunmore, was organized. The first
president was P J Horan. In 1910 another bank -- the First National [Bank of
Dunmore] -- was organized in the borough with M J Murray as president. Both
banks are well conducted, with combined deposits of over $4,000,000. George C
Nye, a Dunmorean and a member of one of the oldest and most respected families
in the borough, is cashier of the First National Bank, of Scranton, the largest
bank in Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
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First Catholics
Roman Catholicism took root in Dunmore with the building of the gravity and the
opening of the mines. The first Catholics came from Carbondale and were:
William Lynett, Anthony Melvin, Martin Higgins, James Flynn, Garrett Nash, Hugh
Flynn and Michael Crane. For a time they went to Scranton to attend service.
Then for a period mass was said at the home of Garrett Nash by Rev James
Cullen. In 1855 the present church site was purchased from Charles Potter as
was land for cemetery purposes. The church was dedicated in 1856 and was called
St Simon the Apostle. James and Thomas Brehony, carpenters, who afterwards
became priests, worked on the structure. Father Moses Whitty said the first
mass in the church. Rev E W Fitzmaurice became the first resident priest
serving until 1870. He was succeeded by Rev Michael O'Brien, a member of the
first class ordained by Bishop O'Hara after creation of the diocese of
Scranton. A short time after during an outbreak of smallpox Father O'Brien
contracted the malady while attending a Catholic down with the disease and died
within a few days. Rev Gerald McMurray, who succeeded Father O'Brien, remained
as pastor until his death March 28, 1896. He built a new church. Father
McMurray's charge up to 1884 took in all that stretch of territory east of
Dunmore to Stroudsburg. One of his missions was at Gouldsboro borough. Moscow
parish was carved out of that charge in 1884. The name of the Dunmore church
and parish was changed to St Mary's of Mt Carmel in the nineties. Rev J B
Donlin, who followed Father McMurray, died October 11, 1891. Rev John J Ruddy
and Rev A T Broderick, in order, were the next pastors. Rt Rev A J Brennan,
auxiliary bishop of Scranton, was named pastor of St Mary's on Father
Broderick's death. In the fall of 1926 Bishop Brennan was assigned to the See
of Richmond and Rev M E Loftus [was] made administrator of the parish. Dunmore
gave many men to the priesthood, most notably among them Rt Rev E H Garvey,
first bishop of Altoona diocese and Rt Rev Monsignor T F Coffey, of Carbondale.
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Societies
A Catholic total abstinence or Father Mathew Society, was organized in Dunmore
in June, 1869. John Black was the first president. Along about 1875 there was a
rift in the organization following a number of younger members withdrawing and
forming the Young Men's Temperance, Literary and Benevolence Society. This
society purchased a site and erected a hall on Chestnut Street. Some years ago
the property came into the possession of St Mary's Parish. The hall has been
demolished and the Society since abandoned. The Emerald T L & B Society was
formed 1880. Originally it was called the Frogtown Society but when a charter
was sought in 1888 preliminary to the erection of a hall on upper Drinker
Street, Judge Archbald suggested a change in name. Division 53, A O H, was
organized in October 15, 1893, charted in 1894. William P Cronin was one of the
organizers, Martin McCormack was the first president, William P Cronin
financial secretary, William Walsh recording secretary, Patrick O'Boyle
treasurer. A cadet society was organized by the original Father Mathew Society.
E J Lynett, owner and editor of the Scranton Times, was financial secretary and
later librarian of the cadets.