In 1847 Charles Luhr joined the society, holding the piccolo. In 1851-52 a second band was formed, with I. Garner, George E. Weis, C. Luhr, C. Weis, William Weis, John Butsch, M. Brunner, L. Wesnetzer, John Sosenheimer, F. X. Kohler, Frederick Schoening, members. This organization continued twenty-one years. In the "seventies" another band came into existence, and in 1882 the Silver Cornet band. In 1887 the Benzinger band was organized. The Citizens' band was organized February 5, 1889, with John G. Volk, president; Joseph J. Luhr, secretary; G. F. Schaut, treasurer, and Max Miller, teacher. The other members were Charles B. Garner, Edward Wittmann, Jacob Meisel, Joseph Meisel, Frederick Luhr, M. J. Heocherl, Joseph Freindel, Louis Hauber, Frank Dornish, Stephen Geötchling and Frank Wilhelm. Mountain Queen Lodge, No. 459, K. of P., claims the following officers for 1890: David Heath, P. C.; David Puncheon, C. C., and Daniel Seward, K. of R. and S.

Keystone Assembly 10547, K. of L., organized some time ago, is a prosperous association.

The Elk County Agricultural Society and Trotting Park Association was incorporated September 17, 1883, on petition of James Rogan, J. K. P. Hall, Andrew Kaul, B. F. Hall, G. C. Brandon, G. E. Weis and Henry Luhr. The place of meeting was fixed at St. Mary's, round which are found the agricult ural wealth and leading farmers of all this section.

Miscellaneous. In the convent may be found some valuable paintings, among which a few, by Sister Mary, are prized very highly. The "Christ on the Cross," by Von Hoeck (born at Antwerp in 1598, and a student of Rubens), brought from Belgium in 1849 by Baron Charles Van Ersal, is now in possession of Ignatius Garner. In 1882 he shipped it to Munich, to be restored. A certificate by Dr. Carl Foerster, art expert and president of antiquarian society of Bavaria, dated December 10, 1882, shows the painting to be one of Von Hoeck's. He also bears testimony to the work of restoration, and terms it a fine, well-preserved and undoubted original, which bears the truthful characteristics of the Rubens school.

The Bible of the Old and New Testaments, translated into German by Rev. Dr. Johan Eclen, with permission of church and king, in 1537, is in possession of Ignatius Garner; also a copy of Dr. Johan Deitenberger's translation of 1587, published at Cologne by Kerwinum Calenium. Each large volume is perfect in paging and printing, while the illustrations are almost as clear as they were over 300 years ago. The last mentioned volume is in the original hog-skin binding, with embossed cathedral figures. He has also a smaller Bible in Latin vulgate, printed in 1679, at Cologne, by Herman Demen, and approved by Pope Clement VIII. This last-named relic was presented to Mr. Garner in 1874, by Father Burns. He also has a bell, cast about the fourteenth century, bearing the names of the evangelists. Dr. Earley has one of the old Bibles of the twelfth or thirteenth century, written on vellum in the monastic style of that period, and also one of the early printed volumes.

In 1877 a flint stone dresser was found in the crevice of a rock west of St. Mary's by A. Aumann. About this time an old lady found a steel sword, with brass handle and guard, under an old log near the Barrens.

In 1845 Ignatius Garner was commissioned postmaster. In 1855 George Weis was appointed and served until 1860, when Fred Schoening was appointed. James Blakely was appointed after the war, followed by Charles McVean, who gave place to I. Garner in February, 1887. H. A. Parsons was appointed in 1889....The first railroad agent was W. E. Armstrong. He was followed by John Collins. In 1877 or 1878 Samuel Mutherbach was appointed, and in 1882 L. H. Wilson. P. Fisher is assistant agent.

CHAPTER XII.

FOX TOWNSHIP.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION -SETTLEMENT SOME FIRST THINGS-RESIDENT TAXPAYERS, 1844-ELECTIONS-UNITED STATES LAND DEEDS-COAL AND OIL COMPANIES-VILLAGES-CHURCHES, INDUSTRIES, ETC.

FOX

OX TOWNSHIP is mainly in the trough formed by Boon's mountain on the east and Shawmut mountain* on the west. The Appalachian chain stretches along the northeastern line for two miles, when it diverges westward for two miles and then runs south 25° west, crossing the southern line two miles east of the southwest corner. East of this divide the headwaters of Kersey creek and Cherry run have their sources, while west is Little Toby and its feeders, running southwest, and the southern feeders of Elk creek, flowing north. Sandstone-capped Boon's mountain reaches a height of 2,265 feet east of Centreville, and on the road from Kyler's to Weedville 2,085 feet; a hill just southwest of Kyler's, 1,950 feet, affords one of nature's observatories. The valleys east of the mountain are deeper and narrower than those on the west side, and the topographical appearance is very dissimilar.

The trough contains the principal coal deposits, the exploration at Northwestern Mining & Exchange Company and the Connor mines (opened in 1866 by the owner), being carried to a depth of 516 feet prior to 1883, showing two heavy outcrops and nine distinct bodies of coal. The Peter Connor coal field is on Warrant 4077, at an elevation of 1,875 feet. This field was leased by D. Eldridge, who abandoned it. The Kersey Coal Company opened a deposit of Alton coal in 1866, about three and one-half miles south of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad, on the western side of the Daguscahonda Railroad. In 1848 Dr. Earley opened a bed at the heads of Coal run and Toby branches, which in 1884-85 was part of Northwestern Mining & Exchange Company's field. On the Hawk farm, on one of the feeders of Mill run, Nathaniel Hyatt opened a mine in 1847 or 1848. This was immediately north of the Kersey Coal Company's old mining village. One mile north of Kyler's was Enos Hayes' coal mine; but the first in that district was opened by Judge Kyler, whose trade extended to Allegany.

Limestone is exposed on Toby creek, southeast of Kyler's Corners, at an elevation of 1,570 feet above tide. This exposure is six feet in depth. It is also exposed on the head of Sawmill run, from which it was quarried by Judge Kyler for lime-burning. At a point one mile west of Kyler's, on the Thompson farm, near Brandy Camp, a red bog-iron ore was discovered some years ago. The quality is similar to that near Ridgway and in Spring Creek township, and consequently of little commercial value until new methods of reduction are introduced. Sandstone is found here, as in all other sections of the

county.

In 1811 the Fox & Norris Company offered fifty acres to each of six families as an inducement to settlement. In 1812 Jacob Wilson, John Kyler, Elijah Meredith, Samuel Miller, Amos Davis and Jonah Griffith accepted this bonus. *The old Shawmut Railroad was constructed almost on the summit of this ridge.