Middleburg, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Middleburg is a borough in Snyder County
, Pennsylvania
, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Snyder County
.
on which engineer Frederick Evans laid out the town in 1800. This town became known as Middleburgh circa 1825, and was incorporated as a borough in 1864.
A portion of the site that Middleburg occupies was the location of the Stump's Run Massacre in January of 1768. Stump's Run is located to the west of the Glendale Cemetery and is also near the Snyder County Historical Society. In this incident, two colonists named Frederick Stump and John Ironcutter were found to be responsible for the deaths of four Native American men, three Native American women, and three children over a two day period. Four of the men and two of the women were killed at Stump's cabin, which was located at the mouth of the Middle Creek
near Selinsgrove.
After Stump and Ironcutter shoved the bodies through a hole in the ice, they traveled up the creek to Stump's Run to kill the remaining woman and the children. These bodies were thrown into the native cabins, and the cabins burned. Although the men claimed self-defense, it is suspected that this could have been provoked by a drunken brawl, or that the natives were killed by Stump in retaliation for the deaths of his wife and children at the hands of Native American raiders. The two men were arrested and taken to the Cumberland County
jail at Carlisle
for trial, but were freed at the hands of a sympathetic mob. The men were never recaptured.
The section of the borough located on the southern bank of the Middle Creek
was developed in a manner entirely different from that of the settlement on the northern bank. This portion of the town began with a few pioneer homes and a grist mill known as the Franklin Roller Mills. When the Sunbury and Lewistown Railroad was constructed, more lots for homes were laid out, and the southern section of the town was first known as Franklin, and later, Swineford. In January 1917, the property owners in Swineford petitioned the Middleburgh borough for annexation, and this wish was granted in February of the same year.
Despite the fact that the two towns were united under one government in 1917, two separate and distinct post offices operated in the borough until March 1955, when the Swineford post office was closed. The Swineford name is still used by the Swineford National Bank, which was founded in Swineford in 1903 and is listed as a part of the Fulton Financial Family in 2009.
A major employer in the town following the Second World War was the Middleburg Tannery. This facility employed nearly sixty men and tanned high grade sole leather. Most of the raw material used at the plant came from South America, and many of the finished products were used in the manufacture of Florsheim Shoes.
The tannery complex was leveled by a devastating fire in June 1967 and it was never rebuilt.
Middleburg is also home to the main processing plant of Ira Middleswarth and Son, Inc., the manufacturer of Middleswarth Potato Chips.
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
. Middleburg is in the United States House of Representatives 10th District held by Rep. Thomas Marino. Pennsylvania is represented in the United States Senate by Senator Bob Casey, Jr.
and Senator Pat Toomey
.
is the area's public school system.
There are three regular regional newspapers: The Snyder County Times, The Shopper and the Daily Item.
of 2000, there were 1,382 people, 611 households, and 378 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,557.3 people per square mile (599.5/km2). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 735.8 per square mile (283.3/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.55% White, 0.43% African American, 0.29% Asian, 0.22% from other races
, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 611 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,766, and the median income for a family was $36,944. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $22,422 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $16,660. About 9.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Snyder County, Pennsylvania
Snyder County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 39,702. Snyder County was formed in 1855 from parts of Union County...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. The population was 1,382 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Snyder County
Snyder County, Pennsylvania
Snyder County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 39,702. Snyder County was formed in 1855 from parts of Union County...
.
History
Native Americans had lived in the region for centuries. White settlers are recorded living in the area in 1755. Middleburg was originally named Swinefordstown (Swinefordstettle in the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect) after John Albright Swineford who ran a tavern here in 1787. He was also the owner of land located on the north bank of the Middle CreekMiddle Creek (Penns Creek)
Middle Creek is a tributary of Penns Creek in Snyder County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Via Penns Creek, it is part of the Susquehanna River watershed.Middle Creek joins Penns Creek below Selinsgrove.-References:...
on which engineer Frederick Evans laid out the town in 1800. This town became known as Middleburgh circa 1825, and was incorporated as a borough in 1864.
A portion of the site that Middleburg occupies was the location of the Stump's Run Massacre in January of 1768. Stump's Run is located to the west of the Glendale Cemetery and is also near the Snyder County Historical Society. In this incident, two colonists named Frederick Stump and John Ironcutter were found to be responsible for the deaths of four Native American men, three Native American women, and three children over a two day period. Four of the men and two of the women were killed at Stump's cabin, which was located at the mouth of the Middle Creek
Middle Creek (Penns Creek)
Middle Creek is a tributary of Penns Creek in Snyder County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Via Penns Creek, it is part of the Susquehanna River watershed.Middle Creek joins Penns Creek below Selinsgrove.-References:...
near Selinsgrove.
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
Selinsgrove is a borough in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1787 by Captain Anthony Selin, who fought with Washington in the Revolutionary War....
After Stump and Ironcutter shoved the bodies through a hole in the ice, they traveled up the creek to Stump's Run to kill the remaining woman and the children. These bodies were thrown into the native cabins, and the cabins burned. Although the men claimed self-defense, it is suspected that this could have been provoked by a drunken brawl, or that the natives were killed by Stump in retaliation for the deaths of his wife and children at the hands of Native American raiders. The two men were arrested and taken to the Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
jail at Carlisle
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
for trial, but were freed at the hands of a sympathetic mob. The men were never recaptured.
The section of the borough located on the southern bank of the Middle Creek
Middle Creek (Penns Creek)
Middle Creek is a tributary of Penns Creek in Snyder County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Via Penns Creek, it is part of the Susquehanna River watershed.Middle Creek joins Penns Creek below Selinsgrove.-References:...
was developed in a manner entirely different from that of the settlement on the northern bank. This portion of the town began with a few pioneer homes and a grist mill known as the Franklin Roller Mills. When the Sunbury and Lewistown Railroad was constructed, more lots for homes were laid out, and the southern section of the town was first known as Franklin, and later, Swineford. In January 1917, the property owners in Swineford petitioned the Middleburgh borough for annexation, and this wish was granted in February of the same year.
Despite the fact that the two towns were united under one government in 1917, two separate and distinct post offices operated in the borough until March 1955, when the Swineford post office was closed. The Swineford name is still used by the Swineford National Bank, which was founded in Swineford in 1903 and is listed as a part of the Fulton Financial Family in 2009.
A major employer in the town following the Second World War was the Middleburg Tannery. This facility employed nearly sixty men and tanned high grade sole leather. Most of the raw material used at the plant came from South America, and many of the finished products were used in the manufacture of Florsheim Shoes.
Florsheim Shoe
-History:It was founded in 1892 by Milton S. Florsheim and his father Sigmund.Until the mid-1990s, almost every mall in the United States had a Florsheim store. However, with the rise of such shoe stores as Journeys and Finish Line, and the de-emphasis of shoe stores in American malls, most...
The tannery complex was leveled by a devastating fire in June 1967 and it was never rebuilt.
Middleburg is also home to the main processing plant of Ira Middleswarth and Son, Inc., the manufacturer of Middleswarth Potato Chips.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
Government
Middleburg is in the 82nd Legislative District for the Pennsylvania General Assembly held by C. Adam Harris. Pennsylvania Senate District 27 is held by John GordnerJohn Gordner
John R. Gordner is an American politician in the state of Pennsylvania. He currently serves in the Pennsylvania State Senate and represents the 27th senatorial district. His district includes all of Montour County, Snyder County, Northumberland County, Columbia County and parts of Dauphin County...
. Middleburg is in the United States House of Representatives 10th District held by Rep. Thomas Marino. Pennsylvania is represented in the United States Senate by Senator Bob Casey, Jr.
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. is the senior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer, and Pennsylvania Auditor General. He is the son of former Governor Bob Casey, Sr..He is the first Democrat elected to a full term in...
and Senator Pat Toomey
Pat Toomey
Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998...
.
Schools
Midd-West School DistrictMidd-West School District
Midd-West School District is a midsized, rural, public school district located in the borough of Middleburg in Snyder County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The Midd-West School District encompasses approximately 226 square miles. According to 2000 federal census data, it serves a resident...
is the area's public school system.
Libraries
Middleburg Community Library is a public library that is part of the Snyder County Library system. It is located in the Community Building, 13 North Main Street, Middleburg. (570) 837-5931 Patrons have free use of the PA Power Library and Access Pennsylvania which provide extensive online resources for children and adults. In February 2011 the library was renovated and updated. There are also branches of the library system at 111 W. Walnut Street, Beavertown, and Library Lane in McClure.There are three regular regional newspapers: The Snyder County Times, The Shopper and the Daily Item.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,382 people, 611 households, and 378 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,557.3 people per square mile (599.5/km2). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 735.8 per square mile (283.3/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.55% White, 0.43% African American, 0.29% Asian, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.36% of the population.
There were 611 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,766, and the median income for a family was $36,944. Males had a median income of $27,083 versus $22,422 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $16,660. About 9.2% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.