The following article appeared in the Elizabethville Echo, Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 20 March 1919. While it is not really a comprehensive history of the local draft board that was headquartered at Elizabethville, it does provide some interesting facts about the Lykens Valley at the time of World War I.
Some of the features of the article are:
- Why Elizabethville was chosen as the headquarters of the draft board for the “Upper End” of Dauphin County.
- The geographical features and boundaries of the area referred to as the “Upper End.”
- The agricultural and mining interests in the “Upper End.”
- A listing of the other industries in the “Upper End.”
- Some brief information on the value of the churches and schools.
- Population statistics, including the naming of the major and minor ethnic groups of the area.
The attitude of the people to the draft is briefly discussed, with the conclusion that the citizens of the area were “loyal to their country resolved to sacrifice all for the liberties preserved and established by their forefathers” and that the people “aided in every way possible to ease the strenuous labors of the Local Board.” “No more patriotic people were to be found anywhere than in this District.”
While the Local Board in its “official” statements did not admit to the significant draft resistance, there was a statement which indicated that not all area residents were fully positive in their support: “Naturally there were some who claimed exemption without grounds to do so, but this was to be expected and yet these cases were not numerous.”
The conclusion was: “Truthfully… the people… were very patriotic, and at all times during the period of the War, loyally supported every movement arising in the successful promulgation of the same….”
Sources other than this “official history” do indicate that there was resistance to the draft registration and that men who who chose not to register and serve left areas like the Lykens Valley and went to cities where it was harder to be detected as draft resisters. The formation of the American Protective League, specifically to root out not only draft resisters, but also to expose and punish those who were sympathetic to the Germans, was a national factor in supporting the war effort as was the Bureau of Investigation operated under the Attorney General. The American Protective League definitely had “secret agents” in every hamlet in the country. In cases where ordinarycitizens didn’t act as these agents, government officials such as local postmasters served in that capacity. Efforts to identify the specific local agents are hampered by the secret nature of the organization and no lists were kept of who these people were.
Since a sizable percentage of the population of the “Upper End” was of German heritage, studies of what was done by these German-Americans to show loyalty to the American cause are appropriate as well as efforts to quell anything perceived as disloyal.
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History of Local Board for Division No. 3, Elizabethville
County of Dauphin, State of Pennsylvania
DESCRIPTION AND NATURE OF TERRITORY COVERED
Local Board No. 3 of Dauphin County was composed of that portion of the County known as the “Upper End.” Its southern boundary line was the Peters Mountain and Lebanon County; its Northern line was Northumberland County; its Eastern line was Schuylkill County; and its Western line the beautiful Susquehanna River.
Elizabethville, a thriving and progressive Borough of 1200 people, beautifully situated at the northern base of the Berries Mountain, was selecte3 by Local Board as its Headquarters. It was well-chosen for because of its central location, and being most easily accessible to the registrants who were called by the Local Board.
This district is rather a mountainous or hilly on being covered by the Mahantongo, Berries, Short and Peters ranges besides several smaller ridges and hills, and valleys are however very fertile, and are among the most productive of the State.
Through it flows the Mahantongo, Wiconisco, Armstrong and Powels creeks, all having their source in the mountains to the east and emptying into the Susquehana River.
The Mahantongo Creek is in reality the northern boundary line of this Division separating as it does the Counties of Dauphin and Northumberland, bearing the same name; the scenic effects are indeed wonderful to behold and really unknown to the people at large.
Lying between the Mahantongo and Berries ranges is the famous Lykens Valley. Through it meanders the Wiconisco Creek. This Valley is rich in farm lands and is one of the most fertile in the State. Towns and villages dot its landscape and prosperity has ever been kind to its people. Lykens Valley is crossed on the east by the Short Mountain, and thus split in twain the part lying northward containing the name while that lying between the Short and Berries mountains becomes the Williams Valley. This section has long been famous for its coal, for here are mined among the best Anthracite coal of the world; millions of tons of these “black diamonds” have already been mined and annually thousands of tons are shipped to all parts of the country and the world for the quality of the Lykens Valley Coal is understood wherever coal are used. Here too, have sprung up the thriving mining towns of Lykens, Wiconisco, and Williamstown. Most of the coal are shipped over the Lykens Valley Railroad, a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. This railroad was one of the first in existence in the state; at first the cars were drawn by mules to Millersburg, whence the coal were taken by canal to other parts of the state. This is a thing of memory now and seems more like a romance than a reality.
Between the Berries and Peters ranges we find the Armstrong and Powels Valleys, they are separated by a series of ranges or hills at one time covered with valuable timber, but now under cultivation. Through these valleys flow the Armstrong and Powels creeks respectively. These valleys are given over to agriculture entirely and are perhaps not as fertile and their people not quite as progressive as those of the Lykens and Williams Valleys.
The district was composed of the following townships: Halifax, Wayne, Jefferson, Rush, Jackson, Upper Paxton, Washington, Mifflin, Lykens, Wiconisco, and Williams. Among its most important towns and boroughs are the following: Millersburg, Williamstown, Lykens, Wiconisco, Elizabethville, Halifax, Gratz, Berrysburg, Pillow, Loyalton, and Fisherville. Besides these there are many smaller villages and hamlets, Its average width was perhaps twenty miles and length twenty-eight miles.
We have already made mention of the fact that mining and agriculture played a prominent part in the prosperity of the district but we also wish to state that the manufacturing end was not neglected.
Here we have the Susquehanna Colliery, one of the finest in the state; there are ten shirt factories; 7 show factories; 3 broom factories; 2 glove factories; 6 hosiery mills; 7 tap and die and reamer works; 1 wagon works; 2 machine factories; 1 dye establishment; 6 milling plants; 3 planing mills; 2 foundries; 1 chair seat factory; 1 carpet factory; and 1 rag works. Thus we have 54 large industrial establishments giving employment to several thousand people, besides the numerous smaller factories not mentioned.
Churches and schools are numerous throughout the Division; the people as a whole being of a religious nature as well as firm believers in the education of the youth.
The population of this Division is approximately 22,224 and consists of citizens loyal to their country resolve to sacrifice all for the preservation of the liberties preserved and established by their forefathers.
This in brief is a history of the topography, and industry of the district. In it we have endeavored to show the beauty of its scenery, fertility of its soil and its industry of its people.
ITS PEOPLE AND THEIR ATTITUDE TO THE DRAFT
The people of the Division are mainly of Pennsylvania Dutch descent and that language, if such it can be called, is still spoken throughout its extent being especially prevalent in the rural districts. There is, however, a sparkling of other nationalities to be found including the English, Welsh, Scotch-Irish and others. in the mining regions are Hungarians, Poles and Italians. Here indeed we have a mixed population and yet no more patriotic people were o be found anywhere than in this District.
Long before the draft law went into effect hundreds of young men, especially from Williamsown, Lykens, and Millersburg had volunteered for the defense of their country’s ideals.
Finally when the Selective Service Law became effective and its machinery put into motion the people took it complacently which it was and aided in every way possible to ease the strenuous labors of the Local Board. Although the Selective Service Law, a new untried venture, nevertheless no trouble was experience and the majority of men included in its limits were eager to be inducted, naturally there were come who claimed exemption without grounds to do so, but this was to be expected and yet these cases were not numerous. The District can also be proud of its record, of the Red Cross, the Y.M.C.A, and K. of C. and other organizations, who assisted all the Selectives before and after entering the service.
These sacrifices by the people of this District were cheerfully and gladly made, so that the people of the world could enjoy the noble principles which the Allies upheld.
Hence we can truthfully say that the people of Division No. 3, Dauphin County, were vary patriotic, and at all times during the period of the War, loyally supported every movement arising in the successful promulgation of the same. We have very briefly endeavored ro show the loyalty of the people of this District.
AFTERWARDS
The History of the work of the Local Board for Division No. 3, Dauphin County, as presented in these articles is but a synopsis and gives but a faint picture of all activities connected with the Selective Service Local Board.
It was compiled thru the efforts of W. J. Daniel, Chairman of the Local Board, James E. Lentz, and Earl K. Romberger.
In it they have endeavored to be impartial and tried to the best of their ability to state the facts clearly and truthfully.
In after years these articles will perhaps be more cherished and appreciated than now, and yet even at present it is a pleasure to know what has been done by this District through the Selective Service Law in this War against autocracy.