John Trough was the only potter in Carlisle from 1806 through at least 1835. Trough (spelled Drach in German) was the son of Adam and Eve Drach of Haycock Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.1 Rudolph Drach, possibly John’s relative, was also a Bucks County potter, and several examples of his signed pieces are known.
A headline in an 1882 newspaper read, “A Man and his Wife Pounded.” A reader of today would interpret this as an act of violence, but it was actually an act of benevolence.
Interview of Betty Goodhart for the Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Digital Library. Goodhart discusses growing up in Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania as well as the changes in Mount Holly over time.
Interview of Dolly Fair for the Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Digital Library. Fair discusses growing up in Mount Holly Springs and South Middleton Township as her love of roller skating.
Interview of Al Masland for the Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Digital Memory Bank. Masland discusses his family's involvement in the Second Presbyterian Church in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and the role it has played in his life.
Doing research into the history of a place can be a confusing exercise because county and township boundaries changed over the decades as well as the names of towns and villages.
“Carlisle’s strongest white man was “French George” who had a brother “French Ory,” and a sister who was the wife of Jimmy McCarter the carpet weaver. Rathgueb was the family name. We question if the old town has since boasted of male citizens of equal strength.”1
George Brandt’s elegant brick mansion house stood just across the Yellow Breeches Creek at a bend in the road to Dillsburg (present day Route 74). Mature trees were set against the backdrop of the mountain to the south and a covered bridge which crossed the creek to the north.
Mrs. Ross, as her name was written on the “Applyers of Lots” in Carlisle in 1751, may have been the wife of John Ross, keeper of the Blue Rock Ferry in Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who according to court records, turned his wife Elizabeth out of his house in 1737. In 1741, he was ordered to pay her 3 shillings and 6 pence per week for her support.
Mrs. George H. Stewart and her sons Alexander and George, Jr.1 left New York on May 30, 1912 aboard the Carpathia.