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1860 Buildings 31-35 in South Region of Springettsbury Township

Area Near Longstown in what is now Springettsbury Township; from Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County, PA & Penn Pilot Aerial Photo, from Mar. 19, 1938, of Same Area (Annotations by S. H. Smith, 2015)
Area Near Longstown in what is now Springettsbury Township; from Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County, PA & Penn Pilot Aerial Photo, from Mar. 19, 1938, of Same Area (Annotations by S. H. Smith, 2015)

At the top of this illustration, I’ve pointed out, and marked, five 1860 buildings in the area near Longstown within what is now Springettsbury Township. At the bottom of the above illustration is a 1938 aerial photo of the same region. I’ve zoomed in on the 1938 aerial photo to provide better detail in locating the 1860 properties (s31) through (s35). Within this ‘Enlarged View A’ I’ve also pointed out an area that I’ve marked ‘See Enlarged View B;’ that is utilized in the post: Location of Strickler’s Cemetery in Springettsbury Township.

‘Enlarged View A’ of Penn Pilot Aerial Photo, from Mar. 19, 1938, of Area in Springettsbury Township near Longstown (Annotations by S. H. Smith, 2015)
‘Enlarged View A’ of Penn Pilot Aerial Photo, from Mar. 19, 1938, of Area in Springettsbury Township near Longstown (Annotations by S. H. Smith, 2015)

I’m working my way around Springettsbury Township, normally ten buildings at a time, until all buildings from 1860 are visited. This post was restricted to five buildings, due to the wide scatter of the final buildings in the South region. See the post: Springettsbury Township building tally during 1860, for my specification of the four regions.

Other posts in this series include:

Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County contains the owner/occupant of most buildings; for example (s32) is U. Strickler. Additional information on U. Strickler can be found by consulting the 1860 Census of the United States; where one discovers this is Ulrich Strickler, a 69-year-old, farmer, with $11,200 in considerable real estate holdings.

The results after consulting 1860 Spring Garden Township census records are shown below. Spring Garden Township 1860 Census records must be used because Springettsbury Township was formed from the northeast part of that township on April 20, 1891. The order of visitation, of the census taker, often provides assistance on who are neighbors and the tabulation of “value of real estate” separates the landowners from the renters or tenants:

StCensusS31to35

One of these 1860 buildings still stand. The farmhouse of George W. Horn stands just south of the circle in St. Andrews Court; within Heritage Hills Golf Course. George Prowell’s 1907 History of York County, PA notes a unique fact about this farmhouse in Volume II, page 928:

George Horn was reared on [a] farm in Windsor Township, and though he had few opportunities for attending school, was a great reader and became very well educated. He was an expert in figures. Especially conversant with the Bible, he could quote passage after passage verbatim. He was an active member of the United Brethren Church, and was for many years class leader.

Mr. Horn started in life as a blacksmith, but after a few years he gave up that calling, and about 1857 bought a farm of 119-1/2 acres in the southwestern part of Springettsbury Township [It was Springettsbury Township when Prowell’s history was written in 1907, however Spring Garden Township when George Horn purchased the farm in 1857.] The line between that and York Township passed directly through the place and the oven was so situated that bread was baked in York [Township] and eaten in Springettsbury [Township].

The front 2-1/2 story part of the house, located in Springettsbury, is mostly obscured by trees and shrubs; plus a much later wooden enclosed entrance. The following is a photo of the back of this farmhouse; i.e. that part of the house located in York Township.

Nineteenth Century George W. Horn Farmhouse located on Heritage Hills Golf Course (2014 Photo, S. H. Smith)
Nineteenth Century George W. Horn Farmhouse located on Heritage Hills Golf Course (2014 Photo, S. H. Smith)
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