Photos and Narrative by Terry Long

THANK YOU TERRY !

 

Chestnut Ridge Looking North
I am now standing west-northwest of Schriner's, "right at the big Jacob Long stone about 1/4-1/2 miles on a ridge." I am facing north. The
ridge in the background on the horizon, is Chestnut Ridge which runs east to west. Notice the two-pole power line to the left (perspective) it
runs north and south. The Appalachian Mountains in this area run east-west. New Berlin (Shamokin) Mountain, Jack's Mountain, and
Jone's Mountain, which I will speak of later, all run east-west. Jacks and Jones are about 2200' above sea level, New Berlin Mountain about
1500'. the land around them is about 500' above sea level. New Berlin Mountain lies directly behind Chestnut Ridge about 1 mile to the
north. New Berlin is to the west, front left. Notice the thin woods in the center of the picture on top of Chestnut ridge. You'll see that woods
on top of Chestnut from a point 1/3 mile west of it in picture 9. I'll be just west of the power line.

West Jacks
I'm in the same spot facing west. Notice the power line. Typical hilly farming country. The field is plowed and was in corn last year. The
Mountain in the background, on the horizon, just right of the center of the picture, is Jack's. It was named after an indian trader, Jack
Armstrong, who was killed by indians in 1744. It looks rounded because you are looking at the end of the mountain. The mountain ends at
the town of Penns Creek or as it was called Centerville. Penn's Creek (the stream named after John Penn), runs... you guessed it west to
east. It begins in a limestone cave to the west (Penn's Cave), and runs east along the north side of Jack's mountain until it ends and then
flows through the country to Selinsgrove where it empties into the Susquehanna River. The western portions of Penn's Creek are regarded
as one of the best areas in the US to fish for rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The creek to the west, winds its way in between the
appalachian mountains, with Jacks to the south. There is nothing on either side but wooded mountains extending 1600' up.

Chestnut Ridge Looking East
Again notice the double pole power line. The woods on the left at the top of the hill are the "thin woods" I spoke of in Chestnut Ridge
Looking North. This is it. I'm standing on chestnut ridge. New houses are being built along here now. This road is called County Line road.
Union County is to my left, north, and Monroe Twp., Snyder Co. to my right.

Kratzerville to the Southwest
I'm standing near the same spot I was in the Chestnut Ridge and West Jacks pictures. Kratzerville is in the center of the picture. You can
barely see the two blue water towers in the town. Kratzerville is about half way between Selinsgrove and New Berlin on route 204.
Kratzerville is in Jackson Twp., Snyder Co., and is where my mother's and my wifes mother's family grew up. Boyers and Klines.
Kratzerville was named for Daniel Kratzer, I believe. Penn's Creek is between where I am standing and Kratzerville. It flows from Jack's
Mountain, to New Berlin on my right, past Kratzerville, and to Selinsgrove to my left.

New Berlin Lookin North
Laid out by George Long in 1792. I'm standing in Snyder Co. New Berlin is in Union. Shriner's is several miles to my forward right,
Kratzerville to my right, and the end of Jack's Mountain to my left. New Berlin Mountain is in the background. Penn's Creek is just to the
south of New Berlin flowing left to right, past Kratzerville to Selinsgrove and the Susquehanna. To the right of New Berlin is where the
Indians crossed the mountain on October 16, 1755, when they murdered Jacob LeRoy at the head of Sweitzer Run, and kidnapped his
daughter during the Penn's Creek Massacre. There were 25 families living in the valley at the time. There was a descrepency between the
indian tribes known as the six nations, and the settlers regarding the correct boundries of the treaty of Albany 7/6/1754. They believed
that the land west of the Susquehanna was not part of that treaty. It was their prized hunting grounds. When I was young we owned a small
farm that is just across Penn's Creek to the south of New Berlin. It bordered Penn's Creek.

Jacks Mountain Facing Southwest
I'm standing on a ridge in the Buffalo Valley (The area between Jack's Mountain to the south, and Jones Mountain to the north), about 1
mile west of Mifflinburg and 1 mile south east of where I live now. The end of Jack's Mountain to my left. This gives you an idea of the
height of the mountain. Penn's Creek is on this side of the mountain. It follows the north side of the mountain.

Jones Mountain Facing North/Northwest
The Buffalo Valley looking north, 2 1/2 miles west of Mifflinburg in Limestone Twp., Union Co. This is prime farmland. There are actually
3 montains seen here, two end in the picture. These mountains to the north consist primarily of land that is part of the Bald Eagle State
Forest which contains land in several counties. The mountain with the power line crossing it is Jones. Two other mountains in this area are
Buffalo and Sand Mountain.

About a Journey into Genealogy:
After I first got interested in genealogy on the internet, I met Terry Long via a post. We did not know at first that we were related, but found out over time that we had a comon GGGG-Grandfather. "Chestnut Ridge" was mentioned in the Long Genealogy Book and I often dreamed of what must have looked like. It was a great thrill to see the photos that Terry sent as well as the ones from Schreiners Cemetery. Now everyone who descends from the Peter Long can discover it here.
Thank You Terry!

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