368 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



travelled the country on horseback. Before this building was erected, the meetings 

 were lield in private houses. At length, on account of the discipline not being properly- 

 attended to, it was altogether put down by the monthly meeting of Sadsbury. Some 

 years since, however, they requested and obtained permission to hold meetings here 

 again ; they then built the present brick meeting house. 



There used to be a small shop on the corner where Dr. Houston's house now stands ; 

 and on the opposite north corner there was a house, sometimes occupied by a tenant or 

 tradesman. 



There were cherry trees on each side of the lane from S. B. Heise's to below E. 

 Wright and sisters, and down to the ferry house. Cherries were very scarce in the 

 neighborhood, and being in a great variety here, the peo^jle came from all quarters for 

 them. As they were ripe about harvest, when all were busy, first-day was fixed upon 

 to come for them. It got the name of cheriy fair — hucksters came from Lancaster 

 with their baskets, and liundreds of people were collected at the old ferry-house, the 

 only public house then in town. These fairs were continued many years — until their 

 impropriety became so glaring that they were abolished. 



About half a mile from Columbia, on the road leading to the Chicques, among the 

 hills, was the place called Smoke-town. Many now living may remember it. A little 

 stream wound along amongst the hills; three or four little cabins were built near to- 

 gether, and a few spots of level ground were sometimes cultivated by the inhabitants. 

 It was the rendezvous for strolling beggars and such kind of people: many a midnight 

 brawl has been witnessed here. All vestiges of this settlement are now gone, and the 

 land belongs to the Hogendoblers. 



In olden times, the place being more thinly settled than it is now, the people seemed 

 more affectionate to each other. When a death occurred in the neighborhood, it cast a 

 gloom over all the inhabitants, even if it was from among the lowest class, and some of 

 every family attended the funeral. The neighbors for many miles round were known 

 to each other; if a stranger was seen in the place, great curiosity arose to know who he 

 was and from whence he came. The first proprietors being all related or connected with 

 each other, the greatest hannony and friendship existed between them. In those days 

 tea was looked upon as too effeminate for men. There were no stores nearer than Lan- 

 caster, and luxuries which all partake of now, were little known then. There was great 

 difficulty in getting shoes, especially for children. 



The defeat of Braddock's anny, in 1755, produced great excitement here. All the 

 females and children of the jjlace, to the number of about 30, went to Philadelphia and 

 spent the winter. They occupied the house on Chestnut street, which stood on a part 

 of the ground where the Arcade now is. The men who remained, fortified the store- 

 house of J. L. Wright. 



In the year 1757 or '58, there was no physician in the place, and there being a number 

 of children who had never had the small pox, Dr. Moore of Philadelphia, a friend of 

 Susannah Wright, was engaged to come and inoculate them. One or two of the children, 

 on whom the inoculation did not take, died. It was the opinion then, that it would not 

 do to inoculate the second time, as there would be danger of taking the small pox the 

 natural way, and thus the person woi;ld have a double portion. 



When the revolutionary war broke out there was a great excitement in all ranks of 

 society; the peaceable and quiet state of the place seemed entirely changed — all was 

 military. There were meetings in every corner, preparing for war — some exercising 

 with old brooms or sticks, there being few arms amongst them. 



Columbia occupies the slope of a hill, the business part of the town extending along 

 the river bank. The Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal navigation extends from here 

 to the Maryland State line, a distance of 36 miles, and thence to Chesapeake Bay at 

 Havre-de-Grace. It is the Southern terminus of the Pennsylvania Canal. It has 

 Railroad communication by the Pennsylvania R, R. East and West; by the Reading 



