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Allen, Baldwin, Bancroft, Brown and 16 others
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Profiles

  •
    Cyrus L. Stratton (1843 - 1923)
    Obituary
  • Abraham George Siverly (1769 - 1845)
    Biography Birth: 26 JUL 1769 New York, New York, New York Colony He married Susanna Thayer on 7 Oct 1793 at New Fane, Windham, Vermont. Biography from history of Venango County: In 1820 the low...
  • Capt. Thomas C. Shepherd, Sr. (1705 - 1776)
    Capt Thomas C. Shepherd, Sr. BIRTH 1705 Prince George's County, Maryland, USA DEATH 1776 (aged 70–71) Shepherdstown, Jefferson County, West Virginia, USA BURIAL Shepherd Burial Ground Shepherdst...
  • William Isaac Shideler (1812 - 1872)
    Shideler is an unincorporated community in Union Township, Delaware County, Indiana, in the United States. [1] History Shideler had its start by the building of the railroad through that territory. ...
  • Reverend John Eliot, "The Indian Apostle" (1604 - 1690)
    John Eliot (c. 1604 – 21 May 1690) was a Puritan missionary to the American Indians. His efforts earned him the designation “the Indian apostle.” He also condemned Anne Hutchinson.

Objective

A project to honor the founders of our towns and cities worldwide. These men and women are our civil and religious leaders that built a community though their hard work, leadership, vision, and pioneer spirit.
The profiles that are added should include a description of their role in the creation of the town. The photo on the right is a picture of Hershey, PA, which was founded and planned by Milton S. Hershey. http://www.mhskids.org/about/school-history/hershey-pa-history/

Example Profile

Schaefferstown was founded in June 1758 by German immigrant Alexander Mayer Schaeffer. He called his new village Heidelberg, but it was not long before people began referring to it simply as “Schaeffer’s Town.”

The town Schaeffer planned was very much like those he had known in Europe. Building lots for homes and businesses were arranged around a large central square, at the intersection of two main roads, one running east to west, from Harris’s Ferry (Harrisburg) and Hummelstown to Ephrata via the Cornwall Iron Furnace, and the other north and south, connecting Conrad Weiser’s settlement at Tulpehocken with Lancaster, passing by Elizabeth Furnace.

Because of its prominent location near larger settlements and iron sites there was much traffic through the town, and stores and taverns sprang up to cater to travelers and residents alike. In 1761 an advertiser in the Pennsylvania Gazette announced that a post rider would take mail each Monday between Lancaster and Lebanon, with the tavern kept by Paul Gemberling on the square in “Heidelberg Town” (now known as the Gemberling-Rex House) as one of the regular stops. By the end of the 18th century there was also an open-sided wooden market house on the north side of the square.

To provide water for the town, Schaeffer installed underground wooden pipes connecting a spring at the north end of Market Street to the square. In 1763, Schaeffer deeded the reservoir property (now known as Fountain Park) and the water system itself to residents of Market Street. Homeowners on that street today are automatically members of the Schaefferstown Water Company, whose responsibility it is to maintain the park, and the two “fountains.”

After laying out the town, Schaeffer began immediately to sell lots, but he reserved the right to collect an annual ground rent of a few shillings from the buyers. He kept one of the best lots on the square for himself, and there he built a large limestone building where he ran a general store and a tavern. This building, still operating as a tavern, was once called the King George. After the American Revolution it was given its present name, Franklin House.

http://www.hsimuseum.org/

Founder List ~ Liste des fondateurs

updated to 1st 8/25/2015

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  • David Denny and Arthur A. Denny, members of the Denny Party, who are generally collectively credited as the founders of Seattle,

West Virginia
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