Bischwind Bed & Breakfast

   The Bischwind Bed and Breakfast is an elegant Colonial style retreat located in our backyard in the Poconos just outside of Wilkes-Barre, PA and just past the infamous Bear Creek Dam of Bear Creek Village.   It is the Albert Lewis Mansion and is an attraction for honeymooners seeking the retreat of the Poconos.  Of course you don’t have to be a honeymooner to enjoy the elegance and seclusion of the Pocono hideaway, it is nestled only a few feet from Rt. 115 just past the Bear Creek dam.  The Mansion hosts guest in up to eight rooms; the Master’s Room, the Beehive Room, the Blue Room, the Bears Den, the Autumn Room, the Wolf’s Den, the Green Suit and the Theodore Roosevelt’s Room.  The mansion's amenities include an outdoor swimming pool and Presidential Dining Room as well as an outdoor dining where guests such as Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft had stayed.  The mansion is located on 8 acres just off of Bear Creek Lake.  The Bed and Breakfast is owned by Billy Dykins-English, the daughter Ms. Barbara Von Dran.  Barbara is a was a resident and now resides at the mansion  She is also

the daughter of Dr. W. R. Dykins, who had a dentistry practice in Nanticoke, 120 E. Broad Street right off the square.  Barbara told us her father died 29 years ago this November (2015).  Amazingly, the Bed and Breakfast as large and stately that it is, is managed by only three people the English/Von Dran family.  Interestingly enough, Barbara explained that the mansion was built on a boulder foundation that would shift from time to time causing doors to swing and the mansion to creek.  Haunted?

The setting…

Let the web of history unwind. The origins of this story begins right here in Nanticoke and will follow its threads through Bear Creek Village, the coal industry, the lumber industry and ice harvesting industries of our area and even St. Augustine, FL.  The Nanticoke Historical Society was  a guest of Barbara Von Dran as well as Charles Petrillo author of  Albert Lewis the Bear Creek Lumber and Ice King  and Ann Lewis granddaughter of Albert Lewis and Larry Newman, director for the Diamond City Partnership Downtown Wilkes-Barre’s Management Organization.

 The dining area was already prepped for a wedding party booked for the weekend with bows and white linen seating trim. The dining room, adorned with a crystal glass chandelier, a Steinway baby grand piano and a soft cream white color scheme and mirrors and crystal abound, all elegantly accentuating the stories that we were about to hear.

 As guests we were treated to coffee and confections but with an unexpected twist.  Barbara, as a follower of history and a member of our
Historical Society had arranged an unexpected presentation for us by three guest speakers: our own Charles Petrillo, historian, Ann Lewis, granddaughter of the mansion’s namesake Albert Lewis and
Larry Newman Executive Director of the Diamond City Partnership.

Ann was asked by Barbara to speak about her visit down to St. Augustine, FL in 2013 and started her presentation with a history of her grandfather.  The Albert Lewis mansion was the summer home of Albert Lewis. He also had a winter home in St. Augustine, FL.  Her purpose down in Florida was to be present at a dedication of a historic plaque for a horse and mule watering trough. Her grandfather had a love for these animals, beasts of burden, and purchased a tract of land on the south end of St. Augustine where the South Dickson Highway comes in to town and built the trough back 1904.  The animals would water down when entering St. Augustine after long journeys into town.

 Back in March of 2013 Ann was contacted via numerous emails by a woman by the name of Sheila Greenlee.  Sheila is a lifelong resident of St. Augustine, she has deep community roots and she enjoys genealogy and local history.  She describes herself: A fun time for her is to poking around in dense overgrown cemeteries, old houses and dusty libraries.   Sheila is a member of the St. Augustine Historical Society, The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Sheila explained in her emails to Ann about the horse trough that she didn't realize the significances of it, on a photo of the trough that Sheila had, on the back it was marked trailer park.

Sheila’s email to Ann Lewis (paraphrased from audio notes)

“The Albert Lewis trough served in 1904 at 92 South Dixie Highway. Lewis was a wealthy lumber baron from Bear Creek, PA and a great benefactor to St. Augustine and St. John’s County, who wintered there in St. Augustine. Lewis was a great benefactor of St. Augustine and St. John's County .  Albert Lewis planted palms, trees and flowering shrubs in order beautify many streets and avenues.  In March 1904 Albert Lewis purchased a parcel of property along current South Dixie Highway and built a brick trough that would service animals that were coming in and out of the city from the south.  This trough was completed in December of that year. The Hotels in St. Augustine were in full swing. The fruits and vegetables brought in from Hastings and Watry satisfied the needs for fresh fruit and produce.  Watry was also busy with lumber milling and turpentine.  Horses and mules continued to enjoy the benefit of fresh water from the trough up into the 1940’s.  The property became the site of a trailer park community: San Juan trailer park, which was in existence for over 50 years.  The trough transitioned into a planter and the bold lettering on its back advertising the trailer park was a familiar icon to local people. Albert left his mark on the community with many trees and palms that still line the streets.  His donations to various causes and his participation in building the good roads lead are immeasurable.  Lewis Point Road, built by Lewis, lead picnickers to his picnic pavilion at Watry Point.  Lewis Field, no longer in existence was a ball field at the south end of Marine Street where Console On Aging is now located, that was named for him.  Lewis Boulevard and Lewis Speedway were other business ventures for Albert Lewis and still bear his name”

In additional notes from Sheila’s research: “Albert Lewis was a winter resident very active in promoting St. Augustine.  In 1902 he purchased 500 acres on the North side of Watry Creek, today St. Augustine South and constructed a shell roadway from Watry Road eastward to his property. A short section of this road, US 1, still retains the name Lewis Point Road. With the advent of the automobile Lewis Point became a popular driving destination for winter visitors. Albert Lewis built a palm thatched cabin for picnickers.  He was president of the East Florida Prim Rose Association and Lewis Speedway, Lewis Ballpark that all still bear his name.”

In one of Ann’s personal notes she had mentioned that her father’s love and devotion to animals was shared with her grandfather and that they believed that one should care for the animals above themselves, that before they showered or rested or had a cold drink after his hard day of work, that the animals were watered, and fed, sheltered and protected first.

The next guest speaker, to which we were no stranger to NHS, was Charles Petrillo. Charles on numerous occasions has given presentations on a variety of topics, most noteworthy are Charles’ works on the history of Harvey’s Lake.  Charles has been down to the Mill House on several occasions and perhaps you have seen his presentations. If you missed him we apologize. The limited seating capacity (approximately 30 people) has been antiquated due to your generous support and interest in NHS so we are in the process of moving our venue to St. Faustina’s Cultural Center as circumstances allow. 

 Charles enlightened us on some of the many accomplishments of Albert Lewis.  He started out by bringing our attention to the Ice Industry of the region.  Albert’s time between the 1870’s to 1920’s was when he was known as the Lumber King of the Wyoming Valley but was also known as the Ice King of the Wyoming Valley.  Lumber and ice harvesting were huge industries in the Wyoming Valley.  Albert, who was born in Canada was a lumberman as was his father who settled to Buck Township, the largest township in Luzerne County.  For a while Albert who was also a lumberman worked on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and married into Lehigh Valley Family that was headed by Acai Packard, a multi-millionaire railroad tycoon.  Charles sited some interest facts about Albert:

·         He largely lumbered in the 1870’s in Hickory Run and White Haven

·         He bought 10’s of thousands of acres in in Bear Creek

·         He built the Beer Creek branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad
 that was necessary to get the lumber out.

·         He sold it to the Lehigh Valley Railroad

·         He was extremely charitable

·         He built churches for his workers.

·         The Alderson Methodist Church at Harvey’s Lake

·         The Lutheran Church in Noxen

·         Churches in Hickory Run

·         St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Eckley originally built in White Haven then moved with the creation of Eckley Village.

·         He built the original road from Wilkes-Barre to Beer Creek

·         Bear Creek Lake was used for Lewis’ ice harvesting.

·         The lumber used to build a series of dams gave out by the late 1880’s

·         He then converted the lumber ponds into ice harvesting ponds.

·         He acquired 10’s of thousands of acres on the Harvey’s Lake and Noxen Region.

·         He built the Harvey’s Lake Railroad, then later sold it to the Lehigh Valley Railroad.

·         He lumbered there with partners from Skull Family

·         1906 to 1908 he sold off all his Harvey’s Lake and Noxen properties.

·         He also had properties around Ricketts Glen where he also harvested ice.

·         By the late 1880’s he was largely out of lumbering and into ice harvesting.

·         He originally had an ice house called the White House on the other side of the dam.

·         He built the Lewis mansion in 1895.

·         He was extraordinary charitable unlike his competitor the Rickets of Ricketts Glen.

·         The Lewis mansion was substantially damaged in a fire around 1920.  It was rebuilt then Lewis died 6 months later.

All these facts and many more are in Charles’ book: Albert Lewis the Bear Creek Lumber and Ice King are well worth reading.

Barbara, before introducing our last guest speak interjected an amusing side story. While during a short break the subject came up about our former Governor John S. Fine.  Our President Julianna had stated that the Historical Society’s next project was to erect a historical marker for him.  The former Governor Fine had a home in Nanticoke and the High School was named after him. Governor Fine’s first wife Bunny was a shirttail relative of Barbara’s father. Her father, Dr. Dykins, during the time of prohibition used to go over to the Governor’s house and make gin in the bath tub. (LOL)

Larry Newman, our last speaker, is now the executive director for the Diamond City Partnership Downtown Wilkes-Barre’s Management Organization and in the late 1990’s Larry and Bob Janosov 
  had a private planning business in Wilkes-Barre and both at one time taught at Luzerne county Community College.  Bob spoke to Larry about how the residents of Bear Creek Village were looking for ways to get put on the National registry for Historic Places.  Larry, while addressing the residents said that he would also like to include the historic timber dam that had created the Albert Lewis mansion and had so much influence of the ice harvesting industry of Albert Lewis. The dam at that time had deteriorated and needed some significant restoration.  As a result the residents were looking for ways to get help with that work.  This was a community that was very interested in its own character, history and pride in their community. Bear Creek Village became the youngest municipality in Luzerne County when it separated from Bear Creek Township in 1991 to become the Borough of Bear Creek village. Larry had help significantly in getting Bear Creek Village put on the National Historic Register. Larry had worked with Bob Janosov on a national register nomination for the district that encompasses a large portion of the borough. Larry explained the importance of being placed on the National Historic Registry.  The National Register of Historic Places is the official Federal listing of those structures, sites districts and places that are significant in our Nation’s history.

He went to explain that being on registry was more like a badge of honor to be respected.  Being on the registry does not allow the Federal government to tell you what to do with your property. It does allow the registrant to take advantage of certain programs that are available. The only time the Federal Government will restrict demolition of a registered site is when public funds are invested in that site.

Larry and Bob started to work on nomination in the late 90’s. The district is about 222 acres. It comprises the historic area of operation of Lewis’ operations. The historic significances goes from 1880 to 1949 that would be the era of lumber and ice harvesting.  To be registered certain criteria must be met.

• General Themes - Industry: Ice harvesting
• Works of art or architecture 
• Recreation- weekend destination and summer residences

1)      General Themes in the United States that are Significant to History

a)      Industry: The Lumber and Ice harvesting – more so ice harvesting that was unique to the are - Charles Petrillo’s extensive research

b)      Recreation: where Bear Creek became a weekend retreat

2)      People in the United States that are Significant to History

a)      Albert Lewis-National significances

i)        Theodore Roosevelt – Lewis’s acquaintance

3)      Works of art or architecture in the United States that are Significant to History

a)      The Lewis Mansion

b)      The original Lehigh Valley Railroad Station in Bear Creek Village

c)       Albert Lewis’ old bowling alley

d)      Lewis’s boat house

e)      Grace Chapel-Albert Lewis’  own place of worship

Of course this story was comprised of notes taken from the presentation. NHS is not the author of this material nor claims to be.  We were fortunate enough to have been enlightened by the brilliant contributors: Barbara Von Dran, Ann Lewis, Sheila Greenlee, Charles Petrillo and Larry Newman.  These people were thrilled to share their stories with us and will be honored to share them with you.  Thank you all for the wealth of knowledge. So many fascinating stories with their roots firmly planted here in Nanticoke.

David Price Medal 1926

We have a small team that does our research.  Many hours of hard work and time is voluntarily dedicated to our cause and is invested in our efforts.  As of late, to help with our efforts to collect and archive our history we have started a Facebook page.  Since then we have been receiving a lot of photos and stories from our followers.  Facebook has dramatically helped in improving our visibility.  It has been a remarkable tool in bringing in the community.

One of the most remarkable events

One of the most remarkable events that has occurred was from a contact that has helped our efforts significantly.  A few months back through a Facebook contact Roger Gilbert, an acquaintance of NHS requested some information about a gold medal that he had in his possession, hoping that one of our followers would have some knowledge of this medal.  No one responded.  Roger posted that he was going to dispose of the medal.  We requested that he donate the medal to our Society.  Since the medal was gold and had some monetary value, Roger negotiated an agreement: an exchange of the medal for 2 lifetime memberships with the Society.

Researching the history of the medal

The Nanticoke H.S. Basketball Team won the District Championship by

defeating Luzerne and then went on to take East Stroudsburg. They took a 28-1 record into the playoffs at State College. In the tourney, they beat in succession Reading, Harrisburg Tech, and Erie East (44-35) in the finals. The team also entered the National Playoffs in Chicago and made it all the way to the semifinals including a win over Salt Lake City, Utah when they lost to Fitchburg, MA. Leading scorers in the tourney were Dave Price who scored 52 points and Frank Domzalski who scored 39. The whole populace greeted them that the PA Railroad Depot with a large parade and bonfire.

The Ultimate Homecoming

This Gold Medal was presented by the Nanticoke National Bank to the leading scorer of the 1926 State Championship team, David Price, who scored 52 points during the tournament held at Penn State University. Through the efforts of the Nanticoke Historical Society, The Greater Nanticoke Area School Board and the School District Superintendent it is being

Placed on permanent display in the trophy case next to the 1926 State Championship Trophy.

A moment of pride

On Thursday Jan 15 the Historical Society formally donated the medal to the school district at the monthly school board meeting. 

Vice President Ken James GNA School  Board displays the medal

Mr. Ken James accepted the medal that evening.  We spoke for a few moments after the meeting.  Mr. James reflected upon a time when students were proud of the their school, their teams and fellow classmates.  He spoke of times where lines of students, parents and residents would form around the building to support and cheer on their school. Mr. James has an abundance of stories that should be shared with the community and student body.  We hope in the future, that through the Historical Society he will share with us some of those stories  and  as a media outlet let us share with all to learn appreciate.

Help us Grow

Chet Zaremba NHS and Roger Gilbert present the medal to GNA

We hope that this has been the threshold under the door to be opened up in part of the effort to bring back the pride, where Nanticoke hosted events such as the Fair Days, holiday parades, school sporting events and much more. Avenues have opened up for us.  Mayor Wiaterowski has made for us the use of the city building when available. St. Faustina's Cultural Center is also available and if necessary

the high school auditorium. The larger venues are there but we need you to fill them.

 We have a treasure buried down at the Mill House for all to uncover.  You are welcome to come and explore.  In return we would really appreciate your support, financially and with your time. Come and feel the sense of community.  It is a wonderful feeling.

NHS

John Haydock at the City of David Excavation in Jerusalem.

In 1981, John Haydock, former mayor of Nanticoke, was among 120 International volunteers chosen by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to attend an archeological dig in the City of David, the oldest Museum. Haydock’s passion for archeology was evident in the 1970’s as he unearthed many stone knives and tools on a one-acre site in Huntington Township. One discovery of a spear point dated from 9000 B.C. Haydock had an extensive collection of Indian arrowheads and artifacts from the Huntington Township site.
section of Jerusalem. During the excavation, workers unearthed remnants of King Solomon’s Temple. Also during Haydock’s three-week expedition he was credited with uncovering a 14 inch stone statue from the Iron Age Period, which is about 1,100 B.C.  While there, Haydock was filmed by Israeli television crew after the discovery. His find went on to be displayed at the Hebrew University

Haydock at the City of David Excavation in Jerusalem.

City of David

Discovery of an oil lamp from 1800 BC

Iron Age Pottery

Incredibly rough terrain

City of David dating back to 1000 BC

A four-room house City of David 1,000 BC

Submitted by Judy Minsavage for NHS
Photos courtesy of Sally Gorgas

The Nanticokes- Reprint From our newsletter Fall 2014

The Nanticokes

People of the Ocean

In 1747, a small segment of the Nanticoke Indian population of the Eastern Shore of Maryland took to their dug-out canoes and paddled up the Delaware River then on to the Susquehanna in search of a peaceful place to settle. Leaving the only home they'd ever known and weary of a century of conflict with the English colonists, one can imagine their fear but sense of hope for a better life as they stepped on to the shore of what is now the city of Nanticoke. Seeing the abundance of pristine fertile land to farm, mountains to hunt and rivers to fish, tribal leaders must have thought their decision to migrate north a good one. Under the invitation and protection of the Six-Nation Iroquois, tribesmen built their wigwams and at night watched the flickering campfires of their Indian brothers, the Shawnee, across the river. Their new home seemed safe and far away from the colonists and their intolerance of all things Indian.
Despite their determination to make this their new
home, the Nanticoke would find their peaceful
existence short lived.

Who were the Nanticokes

Much of what we know about the Indians that populated Eastern United States was garnered

from accounts, stories, and maps documented by Captain John Smith in the 1600's. Smith recorded

the Indian settlements, governing systems, ways of life and rules of behavior. Listing the tribes and

their names was a challenge, so the English spelled them phonetically, resulting in several different

names for the same tribe. Smith documented Nantiquack (some spellings list as Nantiquak); in

what is now Dorchester County on the Delmarva Pninsula of Maryland, as the area in which the

Nanticoke lived. According to William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Volume 14,

Nantaquack translates to “a point of land on a tidal stream”. The Lenni-Lenape translate it as “people of the ocean.” The Nanticokes were also known as the Nantego, Unechtgo or Unalachtigo... The Nanticokes, a southern offshoot of the Lenni Lenape (Delaware) tribe, were farmers and traders. Nanticoke women harvested corn, squash and beans, which they called the "three sisters." The men hunted deer, elk, turkey, and small game, and fished in the ocean and inlets. As English colonists arrived and settled along the Eastern Shore in the 17th and 18h centuries, Indian tribes were squeezed out of their settlements. The Nanticokes primarily, a peace loving people, were caught in a struggle between maintaining their traditions and adhering to the English laws. A splintering of a tribe  During much of the 1600'S the Indian nations had to decide at what level they were willing to compromise to retain the land allotted them. At various times, while still in Maryland, the Nanticokes resorted to violence against the English. One final stand, in 1742, resulted in fierce reprimand of the tribe by the English after they were betrayed by a member of the Choptank tribe who informed the colonists of the planned uprising. Into the late 1600's and early 1700's the Nanticokes tried negotiating treaties with their adversaries, but the colonists found it hard to understand Indian traditions, resulting in missteps that again led to a series of conflicts.

The Nanticokes realized the colonists were determined to push them from their lands so the tribe

splintered. Some migrated north, others westward to Ohio, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Ontario, Canada.

Wanting to stay close to their homeland, a significant number of Nanticokes moved eastward into Delaware and settled in Indian River Hundred. A segment that traveled to Pennsylvania settled on the Susquehanna. There they stayed until conflicts between the Six Nation Iroquois and the English settlers threatened their peaceful existence. Avoiding conflict It is written, that by 1753, well before the French and Indian War of 1758 and the Revolutionary War of 1775 the Nanticokes left the Wyoming Valley migrating north to New York and Canada, in hopes of finding the life they once had before the arrival of the colonists. Only since an 1879 U.S. Federal Court decision, has the American Indian been considered "persons within the meaning of the law." It was not until 1924 that Congress recognized Native American people as citizens of the United State. It was not until 1978 that Congress signed into law the "American Indian Religious Freedom Act," giving the Native Americans the right to practice their religious beliefs. Today, according to the tribe's website, there are about 550 Nanticoke Indians in Sussex County Delaware and about 500 in other parts of the state. There are members living in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Canada. Though the Nanticoke did not find the peace they were looking for on the banks of the Susquehanna, they left a legacy along with their name, a hope for a better life. As we delve into the history of our city, we find that this area represented a chance for a better life not only to the Native Americans, but to many generations of people who emigrated to the United States in the 18 and 1900's. 

Quick action led to
first memorial.

It stopped raining shortly before noon that November day in Dallas, Texas in 1963. If not

for that simple fact, our country's history may have been very different. At 12:30 p.m.,

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in

downtown Dallas, Texas. The sun appeared and a last minute decision was made not to attach the

limousine bubble top, which would have quite possibly protected he, the first lady, and Texas

governor and Mrs. John B. Connelly from an assassin's bullets. In Nanticoke, it was 1:30 p.m.

a 62 degree day and workers had just finished lunch and were back on the job constructing the

city's new $400,000 grade school on Kosciuszko Street. Word of the president's death must have

passed quickly among the workers and city residents. Suddenly time stopped. Our city, a

country and the world were in mourning. Four and a half hours later school board president

Leonard (Mack) Mackiewicz, board members and visitors met and stood for a moment of silent

prayer for the murdered president, after which a motion was made by Gelso Biscontini and

William Matikiewicz to name the new educational facility set to open in 1964, the John

F. Kennedy Memorial School. Mackiewicz and school board directors Biscontini, Matikiewicz,

Andrew Dorak, J. Novak, Mauro Nardozzo and John Shipp voted to pass the resolution. The

quick action possibly made the school the first in the nation to carry the president's name. A

resolution mourning the assassination was also adopted at the meeting and sent to the president's

family.

Submitted by Judy Minsavage for HNS

What's Buried in Patriot Square?

(Reprint from our Summer Newsletter)

Our Newsletter is posted to Facebook, is available at our website on our Stories Page and is available by subscription thru  our office. http://www.nanticokehistoryonline.org/

Samantha Mill House • 495 East Main Street • Nanticoke, PA 18634• 570.258.1367

 What's Buried in Patriot Square?

The Susquehanna Coal Company laid out Nanticoke’s “Central Park”, now Patriot Square, in 1874 providing a place for residents to gather, discuss the events of the day and enjoy warm sunny afternoons. Locals did just that attending park concerts, shopping at the surrounding stores and enjoying the beautiful trees and flowers. In 1904, Commander George W. Simpson, Spanish-American War Vets made arrangements for securing a cannon for the public park, The gun was to be shipped from Ft. Wadsworth, NY, with 20 8-inch shells that would be placed in a pyramid at the base of the weapon. The cannon was placed on its concrete base and unveiled on July 4, 1904.

By 1909, city fathers were concerned with Central Park’s deteriorating walkways, unkempt trees and bushes, litter and vandalism. In July of 1912, Council members made a decision to spruce up the park and create a circular walkway in the center. Work was scheduled for bordering walkways along Broad, Market, Green and Prospect Streets as well.

While doing the excavation for the project, a young city worker, John Werth, uncovered a box described in the July 29, 1912 Wilkes-Barre Record as, “one foot in length, five inches in width and two and one-half inches in depth.” One can imagine Werth’s piqued curiosity as he lifted the box from its dirt-filled nest, handling it with care and pondering its contents. He immediately took it to his father, Street Commissioner Anthony Werth, who upon opening the lid, discovered the value of its contents worth more than he may have expected. The metal box contained a paper dated April 26, 1876, upon which, the following was written:

“Burgess of Nanticoke, Milton Stiles. John Werth, Jr, president of town council. Council members: Dr. William Barnes, George D. Morgan, S.S. Driesbach and Isaac D. Williams.”

One can only wonder what connection Anthony Werth had to the 1876 town council president, John Werth, Jr. No mention of a relationship could be found by this writer in Historical Society records. We do know, however, Commissioner Werth, named his son, the fellow who discovered the box, John. As Werth continued reading he must have recognized other names of prominent Nanticoke families.

“School directors, George Arrs, president; Jerry O’Brien, John Dunn, George Blakely, Samuel Keithline, Thomas R. Williams and Treasurer John Fairchild. Borough attorney, Dr. Harry Hakes. Street Commissioner, John Dunn. Constable, James Ryan. High Constable, John Dunn.

Principal business houses, Hildreth & Co., S.P. George, Silas Alexander, W.P. Jones, Evan Morris, George Hill, I.P. Vandermark, Charles Lewis, general merchandise. Druggists: Dr. A.A. Lape, and D.K. Spry; Clothiers: A. Hursh, George H. Aurback and C.H. Rich. Bankers: Washington Lee Co., with John Werth, Jr. cashier. Doctors: Dr. A.A. Lape, Dr. W. Robbins, Dr. R.A. Hylton and Dr. William Barnes. Ministers: Rev. Johnson, Rev. Hill, Rev. Harris and Father Mattingly.

Also enclosed, was a document noting the borough had been organized in Feb. 1874.

Obviously what young John Werth had discovered was a time capsule, that had been buried 36 years earlier on the 100th anniversary of the birth of the nation.

Also found in the box, were two coins, a check and a number of newspapers. The check read as follows: “Nanticoke Bank, Nanticoke, April 26, 1876, Washington Lee and Co. Pay to the coming generations or bearer, $9 trillion, signed by Centennial Committee. Written on the back a notation which read, “We surmise that future ages will consider this event perhaps in the light of ridicule, but we give it as the best light we have in this (so-called) barbarous age.”

The coins were an 1863 penny and a three cent piece made in 1868. Newspapers enclosed were the Daily Record of the Times, Wilkes-Barre dated April 25, 1876; The Luzerne Union, Wilkes-Barre, dated April 12, addressed to Charles Lecher; The New York Tribune, dated Oct 2, 1872; the Weekly Herald, New York, dated April 28, 1876; The Weekly Star, Plymouth, dated March 1, 1876 addressed to A.A. Lape; The Plymouth Index, dated April 2, 1876, addressed to Jacob Krause; The People, Wilkes-Barre, dated April 19, 1876 and The Pittston Comet, dated April 19, 1876.

According to the Wilkes-Barre Record

Commissioner Werth took the box to a Councilman Craig, chairman of the park committee who was unsure of what to do with the box.

In an article published in the Wilkes-Barre Record on August 14, 1912, Council President Smith suggested that “the box found in the park be placed in the window of Scureman's,” (a drug and photo store located on Main Street) for one week, then in a vault in the city building until the completion of park renovations.” It was then decided by council that the box would be reburied with “other similar data and articles.”

Without a Trace…

No one can be absolutely sure, but legend has it that Street Commissioner Werth personally oversaw the reburying of the box in Central Park. It is said that he made known the site’s location only to his daughter. Over time, and with the death of Werth, his daughter, and anyone who may have known of its whereabouts, the location of the box and its contents are forever a mystery.

In 1976, in honor of the countries bi-centennial celebration, a new time capsule was buried in the park. The park was renamed Patriot Square and a monument to local WWII Veterans was placed at the center of the circular walkway that Anthony Werth's son, John, excavated for so many years ago.

At the time, no mention was made of the discovery of the 1876 time capsule. One can only assume that the box with all of its contents, remains in the same location Anthony Werth had placed it 102 years ago.

By Judy Minsavage for NHS

A special story submitted by a NHS member. Your involvement makes us who we are.

By John J. Rynkiewicz
I received this today in an email from my friend ANDRZEJ SZCZUDLO from Poland concerning his connection to the RYNKIEWICZ/RENKIEWICZ family from Krasnopol and also to the families who settled in Meriden, Conn. See attached file for a wonderful document translated by Andrzej's son Michal Szczudlo. Comments/Suggestions welcomed! I was jot able to load this document here on FB and so it will be placed on my Yahoo Home page for all to view. Here is the document and you must read all the way through!

(We got it John!)

He wanted to die in Poland ... 

I come from Sejny, located on the Polish – Lithuanian borderland. There are my family roots, both the father’s and mother’s side. As a child I had a limited awareness of the subject. Those days my knowledge of a family circle was narrowed down to a few dozen people in the area. We've had maintained a close contact only with people from the neighborhood, due to the obvious lack of transport possibilities, as well as time for celebration meetings. In the stories repeated by my mother the most recent was a story about the nobility origin of her ancestors Buchowski. After some years I decided to check it, but also throw in something about my ancestral roots from the father’s side, the Szczudlo. That’s how I stepped deep into genealogy. I started digging information mainly about three names in the family: Buchowski - my mother's maiden name, Szczudlo and Rynkiewicz - paternal. From the Rynkiewicz came my grandmother Marianna, my father's mother. 

Family Rynkiewicz of Krasnopol always knew that they had a family members in America. No one living, however, could tell who it was, what is the actual relationship to them. Layers of memory launched my father, Zygmunt, who remembered that in the interwar period to their home in Zagowiec (name in use until 1975, after which the village was connected to the neighboring one named Gawieniance) did come packages with different goods from across the ocean. One of them he memorizes the most because it makes him smile everytime it’s brought up. Some uncle from the USA sent my grandmother ointment, but in fear of eating it by the unaware people from the village wrote as he could: “Marianna, you do not need to eat that!”. He probably thought that the grandmother should not eat it, but lubricate the affected area, however after several years in the USA uncle had a right not to know the words “should, shall” etc., which would better describe the meaning of his message. It came out funny, but was saved thanks to that he was the uncle from America, who did send the packages. We also know that these packages sometimes contained cigarette paper, which later Jan Szczudlo, earlier mentioned Marianna’s husband and my grandfather, ritually pulled from behind the beam of his house. There was some more equipment behind the beam: special pad holder and a sharp knife for cutting tobacco as well as a bag for it. From my childhood, when I lived in Olecko and used to be on vacation with my grandfather, I remember when he took to the preparation of a cigarette. Focusing he did pull characteristically his tongue out (my father inherited this habit, also did I) and linger after the edge of the paper. Then stacked together and the cigarette was ready. Sometimes the American cigarette was not enough and then grandfather Jan was using an ordinary newspaper. It have been an awful stink and maybe that is why I have discouraged to cigarettes for a lifetime.

Grandfather left for eternity within a year after grandmother, in 1970. From my observation I gained an instructive memory: when she lived, he did argue with her to death, but when’s gone, he had the courage to say that he would rather have her sick, take care of her - if only she was. It reminds a well known phrase of Father Twardowski to haste in loving people because they leave so quickly. 

Since then it's been more than 40 years and now we are able to assert the truth of who was this mysterious Uncle from America. The story of a relative from overseas told me in 2007 my aunt Halina Debinska from Gdynia, the daughter of Antoni Rynkiewicz - the brother of my grandmother Marianna. She mentioned that many years ago her father, Antoni, contacted him. Some time after our meeting, my aunt sought in home archive and found documents explaining that. 

Actually it is not known exactly when and under what circumstances John Rynkiewicz went to America. However, from archival documents we know that in the 20s of the twentieth century he was wanted by Ludwika Wierzbicka. December 30th, 1936, the Regional Court in Grodno Branch in Suwalki in closed session dealt with filed by above mentioned Ludwika motion for recognition John Rynkiewicz and Antonina and Wiktoria Krzywicki as missing and a motion for appointment of a guardian. As a result of the Prosecutor’s of the District Court in Grodno motion to establish the guardianship for the rights and property of John Rynkiewicz aka Renkiewicz – as to the power of attorney authorizing Jozef Rynkiewicz, which was attached in the original to the motion filed on December 22nd, 1936 (duly certified by the Consulate General of the Polish Republic on June 2nd, 1936), the District Court in Suwalki on August 29th, 1923, overruled the motion in part to recognize John Rynkiewicz for missing and to appoint a guardian, dismissed Jozef Swiacki of guardian duties and redeemed further proceedings. The Court also ordered to notify Swiacki and Jozef Rynkiewicz, return the power of attorney and send a copy of this order together with the Jozef Rynkiewicz’s motion to the Prosecutor of the District Court in Grodno. 
The content of the power of attorney: 

“I, the undersigned, Jan Renkiewicz, a former resident of the Krasnopol, from Land Suwalki in Poland and now inhabited in Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut, North America, give these power of attorney for Jozef Rynkiewicz currently inhabited in Krasnopol, in the Land Suwalki in Poland. 
By this power of attorney I authorize Jozef Rynkiewicz to manage my property and real estates in Krasnopol, in the Land Suwalki, Poland as a manager and proxy on my behalf until my arrival to Poland. 
Jozef Rynkiewicz is authorized to lease for money whomever he wants. Money received from my real estates is to be used to pay taxes. The remaining part should be deposited to the bank on the name of Jan Renkiewicz. 
I also authorize Jozef Rynkiewicz, giving him the overall power and authority in all matters substitution of judicial and extrajudicial also as to protect my interests regarding my real estates in front of all authorities etc. 
Whereof this power of attorney complies with my will it is signed by the presence of the witnesses personally.”

Meriden, Connecticut, May 22nd, 1936
Handwritten signature: Jan Renkiewicz 

Years passed, and John from America did not return. The 50s of the twentieth century came, and with them the next official communication on the “reality (real estate – added by the author) in Krasnopol”. The letter, written on December 13th, 1956, reveals the entire genealogical puzzle concerning John. Here are its contents: 

Notarial Act
“I, Jan Renkiewicz, once using the surname of Rynkiewicz, born on May 13th, 1881, the son of Franciszek and Jozefa maiden name Andruszkiewicz, residing now at 5 Main Street, New Britain, Connecticut, USA, own the plot of land with an area of 8,40 acres bordering the north to the land of Jan Kowalewski, east of Boleslaw Nosekowski, south of Kazimierz Malinowski, and on the west by Stanislaw Karlowicz, located in Krasnopol, a former district Suwalki, Bialystok province now, Poland. 
The plot, under the notarized power of attorney issued by me on May 22nd, 1936, manages my cousin Jozef Rynkiewicz, and now leases it my nephew Antoni Rynkiewicz, the son of above mentioned Jozef Rynkiewicz and Stefania maiden name Stawinski. 
By this Act, the above-described property with all components and appurtenances, I give to my nephew Antoni Rynkiewicz listed at the beginning of the act. 
I hereby authorize Antoni Rynkiewicz to any legal and required actions to settle the above mentioned property as well as to the disclosure of this Act in the land register.” 
Jan Renkiewicz

From the stories told by my aunt Halina Debinska I know that in the 60s John contacted Antoni in Poland wanting to be buried in his fatherland. He was, however, already too old and sick to take a trip across the ocean. For a long trip to the United States, in order to bring the Uncle back, Antoni did not decide. His daughter Halina wanted to go, but unfortunately she did not get a passport permission. 

The epilogue of this touching story is contained in a letter of 5 September 1967. Adel Raffler from Meriden - daughter of John Renkiewicz, writes to Antoni Rynkiewicz, then living in Swinoujscie: 

“Dear Uncle! 
We sincerely wish to write to you that our dad John Renkiewicz deceased last week, on Thursday at eleven o'clock in the morning. Our dad has not been healthy for a few years. My dad told me to write to you and let you know when he is dead. Our dad had 8 girls and 4 boys. Our mother had died three years ago (around 1964). We thank God that my dad lived for so many years. Dad died on August 31st, 1967, at 11 o’clock in the morning.
May God give you all health, long life and blessings.”
Adel Raffler
59 Frary Ave, Meriden, Connecticut, 06450, United States

Having had a lot of news about the “American Uncle” and powerful tool as the Internet is, at the beginning of the 21st century I made the effort to locate at least one person from the families of his twelve children. Information about the Renkiewicz of Meriden and the surrounding area are on the Internet, even with email addresses, but unfortunately no one responds the messages. Certain members of the family did accept my invitation on Facebook, but did not enter a discourse.

More useful occurred to be contact made by my friend from the USA, also John Rynkiewicz, but with a different line. Several years ago I decided to help him find his family in Poland, which eventually succeeded. Ancestors of John come from the countryside Mscichy and Zebry near Grajewo. Since that time, I was his "Help in Poland", and he is my support in the USA. John Rynkiewicz launched an online family forum, which was visited by different Rynkiewicz. Finally, there also appeared Slovak Latzo John Noel, whose mother was of our Rynkiewicz line. It was he who decided to spend $ 2,000 on the lookout for documents. The company from Warsaw did look through Polish archives for appropriate metrics. They established one continuous history of the family Rynkiewicz, starting in 1730. The oldest revealed ancestor was Szymon Rynkiewicz, the oldest traces of whom were found in the village Wilkokuk in the parish Berzniki on Land Sejny. Then the family moved among the Zlobin, Krasnopol and widely spread in the area. Some people emigrated to America. Probably the first of them was Feliks, (born in 1845 in Zlobin, his parents: Jozef and Wiktoria Terlecki), then his brother Jozef (born in 1848), who was greatly deserved citizen for the community town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. Another person from the same family of Krasnopol was another Feliks (born 1879 in Krasnopol, parents: Benedykt and Franciszka Kraszewska) who married in America Michalina Cichocka (in 1900), the daughter of an emigrant from Jeziorki Male, a village located few miles from the Krasnopol. Today, their cousin Joe Cichocki from Texas effectively gathers the evidence of the family presence in America.

The main character of this text, Jan Rynkiewicz arrived in America in the beginning of the 20th Century. In 1905 he married, and in 1934 obtained American citizenship and then took the legitimate dispositions relating to his real estates in Krasnopol. It was he who has sent packages to his relatives left behind in Poland. 

Detailed genealogical line is not generally available, because such a condition - I hope temporarily - has been made by the project sponsor. I'm obviously in its possession. I maintain e-mail contact with John Latzo who quite rarely use the Internet. However, I hope that soon I will meet him in person during scheduled for June this year stay in the USA. 

Andrzej Szczudlo, Wschowa, Poland

By John J. Rynkiewicz

Nanticoke Celebrates in Grand Style in 1976

Nanticoke Celebrates in Grand Style in 1976

In 1976, the American people were in need of something to celebrate. The turbulent “Sixties” were over but Vietnam and Watergate were still open wounds. The country’s bicentennial in 1976 was a good place to start the healing process. Throughout the year events were being held across the nation.  Nanticoke City leaders were at the forefront of planning for a memorable celebration. On Memorial Day weekend a three-day event was planned for Central Park. There were shows, contests for children, dancers, musical acts and multitudes of people enjoying the festivities well into the night. The Memorial Day Parade was expected to be one of the most impressive events to be held in the history of Nanticoke. It did not disappoint. Over 25,000 people watched as 95 churches, organization and schools, with over 175 units of floats, marching bands and decorated vehicles passed in review... An estimated 95% of the approximately 2000 participants were from the city.

 PARADE

Lt. Col Andrew W. Winiarczyk, U.S. Army Ret., chaired the parade, assisted by Ronald Stashak, Al Ruck, James Goodwin, Millard Hafele, John Uren, Thomas Ellwood, Harold Welch, Melvin Swithers and Gary Bray. The color guard from the 109^th Artillery led the parade. Committee chairman Frank Knorek, Millard Galat and Jule Zaniecki Co-chairmen and Winiarczyk rode in the official Bicentennial Car. Listed as “in the place of honor” in the parade, was Deborah Lupco of Nanticoke, who had been selected Miss Wyoming Valley that year. The Fishing Creek Confederates, a fife and drum corps from Bloomsburg, performed Civil War era music. The event was heralded as “unparalleled” in newspaper accounts.

With the memory of the successful Memorial Day celebration still fresh, Col. Winiarczyk and his committee unveiled plans for a 4^th of July commemoration for Central Park.  Nanticoke’s churches, schools, fire departments and residents participated in a national ringing of bells at 2 p.m., the time 200 years before the Liberty Bell chimed heralding the country’s independence, 

The city's “newly adopted Coat of Arms was introduced and displayed. Central Park was dedicated as “Patriot Square” in a program that included Paul E. Kanjorski, Joseph A. Grabowski, John Castagna, Judge Arthur Dalessandro, Stanley Glazenski, Congressman Daniel Flood, Leonard Omolecki, Fred Shupnik and Thomas Hill.

Winiarczyk asked residents to wear attire and carry flags representative of their native land. Those participating were Rachael Welch and Kim Stankovic, as a colonial couple; Arthur Reese Trevethan and Beth Ann Trevethan, pioneer couple; Jeffrey Pollock, Native American; Lisa Marie Stashak, Czechoslovakia, Mitchel Braeta, England; George Dutton, Germany; Margaret Callahan, Ireland; Linda Williams, Israel; Donna Micocci, Italy, Soni Mailander, Korea; Theresa Webby, Lebanon; Ann Marie Glazenski, Lithuania; Tim Chong, Malalysia; Susan Michaels, Poland; Darcia Guravich, Russia; Bobby Allan Welch, Syria; Bohdan Krawczeniuk, Ukraine and Suzanne Edwards, Wales. George Pelas emigrated from Greece to the United Stated in 1914. He spoke on the subject, “ What America Means to Me.” Kiet Huynh, who came to the United States in 1975 from Saigon, South Vietnam, spoke as well.

Also participating were descendants Revolutionary War heroes.  Pictured left to right are Richard Buttrick, descendant of Major John Buttrick, who commanded the troops at North Bridge at Concord and on April 19, 1775, was the Minuteman who, “fired the shot heard 'round the world.” Carroll C. Moorhead, descendant of Charles Carroll one of the 58 signers of the Declaration of Independence, James J. Kelly Jr. and Ralph C. Gates, descendants of Major Gen. Horatio Gates, first Adjutant General of the Continental Army and victor over Gen. John Burgoyne in the Battle of Saratoga and Ruth Bloom Yeager and Robert Vincent Yeager, descendants of Daniel Boone, diplomat, pioneer and Revolutionary War officer.

For posterity the names of those participating in the bicentennial celebration were recorded on an official document. Each received a copy. The original documents were placed in a Time Capsule and buried in Patriot Park.

Submitted by Judy Minsavage for NHS