HARRISON VALLEY. 
   The first post-office Mr. Stone remembers at Harrison Valley was at Col- 
***************continued on Page 1089 
vin's , and Bennett, who lived there in 1849, was postmaster. Among the old 
postmasters were Henry Commings, Widow Fletcher, Hamilton White (who 
resigned and left the settlement without an office), Norman Buck (appointed 
about 1865), Jason W. Stevens (appointed in 1869, and served until succeeded 
by Hamilton White in 1885). In April, 1889, C. H. Doud was appointed. The 
first store at Harrison Valley was that of Richard Goodman, who was in 
business here about 1844. Henry Commings opened a grocery and notion store 
some time later. Lewis Stone opened a stock in 1852-53. In 1860 Simon Wilcox
built a store-house, which is now the rear of the Opera House. Norman Buck
followed Wilcox, and continued business from 1863 to 1870; Morris Kizer
followed in 1870-71, when Brown & Noble rented the store from Buck, while S. 
K. and J. W. Stevens purchased Kizer's stock. The pioneer store was 
continued by Widow Goodman from about 1855 (the time of her husband's death) 
to 1867, when G. W. and S. K. Stevens rented the building and purchased the 
stock, which, next year, was sold to L. S. Robertson & Son, who in 1869 sold 
to J. W. Stevens, who carried on business in the old house until 1876, when 
he erected his present store-house. In 1878 Mrs. Goodman resumed business in 
the old house, and continued two years, after which the house was variously 
occupied. In 1884 G. W. Stevens & Son built their present store adjoining 
the old building. 
   The first hotel, other than Colvin's, which stood where the Harrison 
Valley House now stands, was an old log-house, built about sixty years ago 
by one Stratton, and the hill, where H. N. Stone's house is, was called 
Stratton Hill. Purple followed about 1835, and he was followed by Hiram
Colvin, next by his widow, then by Richard Goodman, next  by Sam. Goodell or 
Bartholomew, Jed. Thompson, G. W. Stevens, and H. N. Stone; the latter 
bought Stevens' interests and sold to Isaac Hurlbut twenty-one years ago. 
Hurlbut sold to Phillips, who rebuilt the house, and sold to Mrs. Rosalind
Hurlbut. Early in the "seventies" the village was made up of Hurlbut's hotel 
at the cross roads; N. Buck's store, opposite; Kruser's grist-mill and 
blacksmith shop, on the northwest corner; the Baptist Church, northeast of 
the hotel,; J. W. Stevens' store; Justice Beebe's office; J. P. Simmons'
general store; E. H. Robinson, blacksmith and wagon shops; Drs. H. R.
Kendall's office, and the dwellings of the persons named, with those of J.
Dunham, J. K. Burton, Charles Doud, McKinney Erway, J. Jennings, Mrs.
Commings and Mrs. Goodman. The Erway House was built in 1876 by McKinney 
Erway, who has since conducted the house. J. Bottom & Co., grain dealers, 
1883, were the first railroad agents here and at Nelson (they erected a 
grain warehouse); then Dewitt Baxter, who was succeeded in December, 1888, 
by W. A. Ellison. The depot was built in 1883. 
   In 1860 Thompson & Wilson built a grist-mill between where the G. W.
Stevens' store and residence now stand. The concern was burned in 1870. 
Evans & Vandeusen's grist-mill on Main street, near the bridge, was built in 
1885, and continued in operation until destroyed by fire in February, 1889. 
N. Brown has been identified with the milling industry for years. The Davis 
& Co. planing mill and sash, door and blind factory was organized in April, 
1889, at a meeting over which H. N. Stone presided. G. B. Davis was chosen 
president; Lesley Stevens, secretary and treasurer; G. W. Stevens, W. L.
Haskell, G. E. Stone, W. Calkins, T. A. English, A. E. Martin, and the 
president, directors. The capital stock is $10,000. In June the buildings 
were completed and machinery introduced, and, later, the railroad was 
extended up the Cowanesque to this new industry. The Harrison Valley Tannery 
was erected for Walter Horton & Co. in the fall of 1881, while near the line 
of 
**************Continued on Page 1090 
Tioga county, are the acid works of Parkhurst & Co.   The tannery is a large 
concern of the character of those in Elk and McKean counties, giving 
employment to 55 hands, and producing over 100,000 sides of sole leather, 
annually, and using over 8,000 cords of bark. There are 21 tenement houses 
and a large boarding-house, in connection with the tannery. The Parkhurst
Chemical Works were established on the Judd farm in 1880. 
   The business circle comprises the general stores of J. W. Stevens, built
in 1876; W. L. Haskell, in 1885; B. F. Begell and C.N. Church; the clothing 
stores of G. W. Stevens & Son and Geo. Kettle; the drug-store of W. B.
Stevens, built by Phillips, in 1877; the hardware stores of G. A. Sheldon, 
built by Phillips, in 1879, and Chapin & Hubbard, built in 1885; the 
furniture store of F. L. Harrison, and the older store and undertaking 
establishment of C. H. Doud, partly built in 1860 and additions in 1887; 
Mrs. Chrisman's, Mrs. Erways and Miss Mulligan's millinery stores; Leonard &
Erway's livery; Jenning's shoe store; Miller's and Kent's barber shops; Geo.
Coykendall's meat-market; Heath's and Ross' blacksmith shops; the Harrison 
Valley House, and the Erway House. W. M. Manley's store is located near the 
tannery. The professions claim W. B. Brightman, an attorney; W. L. Colwell,
a dentist, and the physicians named in the general chapter, among whom is 
Dr. M. R. Pritchard.
   The Methodist Church of the township, noticed hitherto, embraced the 
members residing in the village. The society here was incorporated March 14, 
1881, with N. W. Hubbard, James Predmore, H. Harrison, C. Rawson, D. B.
Whitney and W. B. Fox, trustees. Among other names on the petition were 
Burt. Richardson, Jacob Burtis, C. Predmore, Amos King and D. D. Chapin.
From this time until the completion of the house of worship, in the summer 
of 1883, services were held in the Baptist Church. The Baptist Church was 
built about 1859-60, during the pastorate of L. S. Robinson, at a cost of 
$1,500, Nelson & Sylvanus Gardner being the contractors. This was the first 
church building here. Elder Ben. Thomas, who came to Harrison Valley, is 
named after a soldier who was wounded at Cold Harbor, and died at 
Washington. It was organized in Mary, 1889, with the following named 
members: 
J. W. Stevens, 53d P. V.   A. E. Holcomb, 53d P. V.
L. J. Knight, 86th N. Y. V.   L. A. Dorland.
M. R. Swetland, 189th N. Y. V. Fred Graham.
W. B. Fox, 53d P. V.   Burr Robinson.
C. L. Stone, 189th N. Y. V.   R. S. Wright.
Stephen Edwards.    S. K. Stevens, 189th N. Y.
Geo. Coykendall, 53d P. V.   John Smith, 10th N. Y.
A. A. Swetland, 189th N. Y. V.   G. W. Parker.
H. O. Chapin.    Ambrose D. Erway, 189th N. Y.
Isaac Hurlbut 82d P. V  C. H. Hubbard, 85th N. Y.
H. N. Stone, 189th N. Y. V.   Jason Haskins, 149th P. V.
E. Tadder.   J. M. Baxter, 149th P. V.
Jerome Stetson, 9th N. Y. V.  C. H. Doud, 53d P. V.
Geo. Whitman, 53d P. V.   T. F. Holcomb, 136th P. V.
C. G. Tripp.
   The Harrison Valley Aid Union, No. 522, was organized January 18, 1887. 
In 1889 the following named persons were members: George Smith, C. H. Doud,
C. L. Donaldson, Eugene Pickett, Irvin Wright, A. E. Holcomb, R. S. Wright,
Mrs. Wright, Mrs. George Smith, Mrs. Carr, C. R. Judd, Dr. Webster, Dell
Doud, Roy Gustin, John White, Mrs. Jane Mattison, Mrs. Jane White, Miss
Gettie Mattison, Mrs. Mosher, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Webster, Miss Edda Hunt, J. H.
Harrison, Mrs. J. H. Harrison, Mrs. Kennedy, H.
****************Continued on Page 1091 
Gustin, Mrs. Pickett, Zengerin Markson, John A. Robbins, George B. Mosher,
Mrs. George B. Mosher, Mr. Kennedy, Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Webster, Mrs. Pickett
   Harrison Valley Cornet Band was organized in June, 1886, with R. W.
Swetland, president and leader; W. Denson, secretary and treasurer; Frank
Stevens, Dell J. Stone, Geo. E. Stone, Henry Swetland, C. Stevens, J. M.
Baker, G. C. Metcalf, W. Dildine, C. E. Burt, John Schwitzer and Roy Gustin. 
The instruments were purchased for about $150. 

    VILLAGE OF MILLS. 
   The lumber manufacturing village of Mills, two miles west of Harrison 
Valley, was established by William Lawrence about fifteen years ago. The 
mills have been operated by a few different firms, each of whom made an 
improvement, until now the old mill has disappeared in the surrounding 
buildings of Stanton & Shaff. Swetland & Walters' mill was established about 
thirteen years ago, and has been subjected to several improvements. George 
Walters was killed by accident while at work in this mill, Mary 21, 1889. 
The Fallbrook Railroad Company have extended their road to Mills. 
   The old Hemlock House was erected by Swetland and Walters prior to the 
building of the mills, and is still conducted by Abner Carey .... The stores 
of Stanton & Shaff, F. P. Badgero and B. W. Harrison are at this point .... 
In June, 1888, Widow Commings' house, on the road between Mills and Harrison 
Valley, was blown up. It appears her son, Ray, placed some dynamite 
cartridges in the oven to dry, and the destruction of the house and narrow 
escape of his mother resulted. 
   Potter Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 799, was organized at Mills, May 2, 1889, 
with twenty members, viz.: B. W. Harrison, P. G. : L. T. VanWie, N. G. ; A.
C. King, V. G. ; Henry Clark, Sec.; G. A. Walter, Treas.; P. E. Crow, Chap.;
H. H. Swetland, Asst. Sec.; J. E. Leonard, warden; George Kettle, O. G. ; W.
A. Stickley, I. G. ; C. A. Swetland, S. B. ; E. Havens, S. B. ; A. Coe, R.
S. ; F. P. Badgero, L. S. ; H. G. Howe, R. S. ; W. L. Howe, L. S. ; H. L.
Grover, Con.; and G. A. Sheldon, L. A. Elliott and James Brown, unofficial 
members. The number now belonging is seventy, with property valued at $400. 
The names of George A. Walter, who was killed May 21, 1889, and George
Kettle, of the original members, are the only ones on the death roll.