Montoursville, Pennsylvania

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Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania highlighting Montoursville
Map of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania highlighting Montoursville

Montoursville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,777. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Elizabeth Catherine Montour, a Native American leader and skilled translator for the colonial governments.

Contents

[edit] Geography

As the crow flies, Montoursville, is about 100 mi (160 km) northwest of Philadelphia and about 165 mi (265 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh. It is bordered by the West Branch Susquehanna River to the south. Loyalsock Creek forms the northern and western border with Loyalsock Township. Fairfield Township borders the borough to the north and east.

Montoursville is located at 41°15′10″N, 76°54′56″W (41.252729, -76.915507)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 10.8 km² (4.2 mi²). 10.5 km² (4.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (3.12%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 4,777 people, 2,067 households, and 1,393 families residing in the borough. The population density was 456.5/km² (1,181.0/mi²). There were 2,169 housing units at an average density of 207.3/km² (536.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.02% White, 0.10% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.06% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 2,067 households out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $37,484, and the median income for a family was $44,583. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $24,449 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,648. About 2.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

[edit] Ostuagy or Otstonwakin

Millstone from one of the earliest settlements in Montoursville, engraved "Otstonwakin, 1768, Montour Preserve"
Millstone from one of the earliest settlements in Montoursville, engraved "Otstonwakin, 1768, Montour Preserve"

Madame Montour's village, known as Ostuagy or Otstonwakin, became a vitally important location during the settlement of what is now Montoursville. Her village at the mouth of Loyalsock Creek on the West Branch Susquehanna River was an important stopping point for the Moravian missionaries who were spreading the gospel throughout the wilderness of Pennsylvania during the 1740s. Count Zinzendorf, a missionary being guided by Conrad Weiser with the permission of Chief Shikellamy came to Ostuagy in 1742. Madame Montour was known to be a friend of the British. She welcomed the white men who were beginning to migrate into the West Branch Susquehanna River Valley. She also had a great amount of influence with the various Indian tribes they were feeling the pressure of colonial expansion. Madame Montour remained loyal to the British despite several attempts by the French to bring her over to their side. Historians note that this was remarkable due to the fact the that British colonial government sometimes went as long as a year without paying her for her services.

Elizabeth Catherine Montour was the mother of three children. A son, Louis, served as an interpreter during the French and Indian War. He was killed during the war. Her daughter, Margaret, later to be known as "French Margaret" went on to become the leader of "French Margaret's Town" an Indian settlement at the mouth of Lycoming Creek just a few miles up the West Branch Susquehanna River from Montoursville. Her son, Andrew took over leadership of Otstuagy upon her death in the late 1740s. Andrew inherited his mother’s gift for languages. He spoke French, English, Lenape, Shawnee and the Iroquoian languages. Comfortable with both Native Americans and Europeans, he made a good living as a translator for both settlers and local tribes. In 1742 when Count Zinzendorf met Montour he wrote that Montour looked "decidedly European, and had his face not been encircled with a broad band of paint we would have thought he was one." He also served as an interpreter with Conrad Weiser and Chief Shikellamy. He was granted 880 acres of land by the Province of Pennsylvania in the Montoursville area. He later was appointed as a captain in George Washington's Army at Fort Necessity during the French and Indian War. Andrew Montour left Montoursville at some point and moved to Juniata County before finally settling on Mountour's Island in the Allegheny River near Pittsburgh.

[edit] TWA Flight 800

Main article: TWA Flight 800
The Montoursville Flight 800 Memorial
The Montoursville Flight 800 Memorial

Montoursville became famous worldwide when, on July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 exploded off East Moriches, New York, with the loss of 230 lives. On board were 16 students from Montoursville High School and their five adult chaperones who were on a class trip to France as part of a student exchange program.

Condolences came from as far away as Japan, Australia, and Belgium. Tom Ridge, United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2003-2005), was governor of Pennsylvania at the time of the crash, and attended a vigil at the school with his wife. Ridge and New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani would also attend a memorial service honoring the victims. Among those who sent condolences were President Bill Clinton, the U.S. softball team at the Atlanta Olympics, and Francois Bujon de l'Estang, French ambassador to the United States (1995-2002).

A memorial is located on the grounds of Montoursville High School. It is a statue of an angel (sculpted by James Barnhill of Asheville, North Carolina) on a base engraved with the names of the 21 local victims and a brief history. The memorial is in a circular grove of 21 trees (one for each victim). The angel was chosen because a cloud seen above the high school on July 21, 1996, was thought by many onlookers to resemble an angel, with 21 small clouds at its feet.

Randolph Hudson of State College was chosen as the memorial designer and Beth Hershberger served as landscape designer.

[edit] Notable people from Montoursville

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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