Book; "A Compilation of 650 Bonneauville Related Newspaper Articles Spanning 150 Years"

(2) Volumes

Book Introduction:

"A Compilation 0f 650 Bonneauville PA Related Newspaper Articles Spanning 150 Years.

This two volume set contains a compilation of over 650 newspaper articles that include the word “Bonneauville”. The sources of these articles vary greatly. Many were collected in 2003 and before, while doing research for the book; ”Bonneauville History and Lore” (Copyright 2003, Karl B. Orndorff, ISBN 978-1480272965. Available at Amazon Books.) Many articles were acquired while gathering items for “The Bonneauville Museum” collection (viewable via Google). Some were accessed online simply by searching the word “Bonneauville”.

Boxes of trimmed and untrimmed newspaper articles, with and without source information, once lay tucked about the Bonneauville Museum. Miss Madelyn Noel and I decided that if the articles were filed in some logical order, they would be of better use to that portion of the public that may be interested in the town’s or perhaps their family’s history. A large number of Surnames are represented in the articles.

A computer keyword search of said articles would have been both ideal and unrealistic. Spiral Binding was decided upon. Once trimmed and sorted, the large number of copies dictated that the sheets be split into two volumes. Only six copies of the two volume set will be produced. The origins of the articles herein contained are many, Including:

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s , Pa State Archives, Harrisburg, PA, The Adams County Historic Society, Gettysburg, PA, and The John Timon Reily Historic Society, McSherrystown, PA.

Other sources include; estates from which ephemera has found its way into the Bonneauville Museum Collection. The most voluminous of these being: Mary Kuhn, Anna/Simon Kuhn, Wanda Sanders, Bertha and Ambrose Myers, and Louise Myers Orndorff estates. Also: those of Richard and Nadine Groft, Mamie Neiderer, and Dave and Virginia Sentz.

Still other sources of these articles were: Local auctions, Bonneauville Museum accessions, various personal scrapbooks collections, active online searches, family contributions, and decades of clipping from subscribed newspapers.

For many decades, the Bonneauville Fire Company had maintained a collection of articles related to their substantial volunteer efforts. Upon merger with United Hook and Ladder Fire Co. on 1/1/2016, overseers decided not to keep a history of the past company. Many of their clippings are included in this document.

Dark colored, poor quality pages are a result of age, poor storage, poor copying, and the quality of the paper on which newspapers are usually printed (newsprint). Hopefully they will serve the reader as cues for articles that can be retrieved from clearer sources. Anyone desirous of better quality copies may find them available from newspaper printing office archival records, or online programs, or from local historic societies and other previously listed sources. Some libraries subscribe to old newspaper web sites as well.

In the Yin and Yang of everyday life; the good and the bad are here amassed; not by Miss Maddie Noel nor I, but by generations of news men and women. To they go the credit for writing news for long respected newspapers like The Gettysburg Times and The Hanover Evening Sun. Also, not to be forgotten are some now defunct papers: The Gettysburg Complier, The Adams County Independent of Littlestown, PA, The Star of Gettysburg. Also; The Anti-Masonic Star and The Republican Banner, Gettysburg, PA, and The New Oxford Item. To those many writers we owe a debt of gratitude.

The contents of these articles were not screened. There is no intention to promote nor to offend any individual or family. The large variety of subjects spans about 150 years of diligent newspaper reporting. An ever-astounding list of automobile accidents, injuries, and deaths are included. Murder, burglary, arson, larceny, rape, and domestic abuse share space with the number of bushels of corn local farmers may have harvested per acre, to how many flounder fish one family caught during their Chesapeake Bay outing. Most of the newsworthy subjects of big city life can be found in the microcosm of small town Bonneauville, PA.

Very early in the 20th Century, after over a century of the tiny town’s existence; Bonneauville began to lose its identity and to re-identify itself. The development of the automobile made it no longer necessary for horse born or foot travelers to stop at every small town for a meal and a room for the night. Folks on the move no longer needed a Bonneauville hotel or livery stable (one of Bonneauville’s core businesses in the late 1700’s through the 1800’s.) Twenty miles was no longer a full day’s travel. Doctors could easily be accessed in surrounding towns, The Bonneauville Post Office was no longer needed. The motor vehicle that now delivered mail to the Rural Routes triggered the cultural shift by eliminating the need for many post offices. Out of town visitors suddenly had little use for lodging in Bonneauville when a few minutes more would take them to larger surrounding towns with a better variety of taverns and restaurants, hotels and motels, medical services and shops. And, a life more rich in entertainment and social contacts.

In The Mid-20th Century the town of Bonneauville continued a slow transition from one of industry and small business to a bedroom community. Generations of citizenry comprising a population that was approximately 97% Catholic, transmuted to a changing population of varied races, religions, beliefs, classes, ethnicities, and families cultures. As the populace increased, newsworthy events increased.

Throughout the various transitions of the town and its citizenry, news was being made – and reported-and read-and fortunately, preserved.

Obituaries, birth announcements were not actively sought for these volumes although a few can be found within this collection.

This list of over 650 articles is very far from being the total number ever written. A total collection of Bonneauville related newspaper articles would easily number in the many thousands.

Except for the last pages of this book , each newspaper article is coded and dated. The last section contains articles that were earlier clipped from newspapers with no thought of the future importance of a date and without reference to their origins.

Codes are as follows:

A. C. N. – Adams County New, Gettysburg,PA.

C. W. – Catholic Witness, Harrisburg, PA.

E. S. – Evening Sun, Hanover, PA.

F. P. – Frederick Post, Frederick, MD.

F. N. P. – Frederick News Post, Frederick, MD.

G. C. – Gettysburg Compiler, Gettysburg, PA.

G. T. – Gettysburg Times, Gettysburg, PA.

H. R. H. – Unidentified.

H. S. – Hanover Evening Sun.

N. F. – The News, Frederick, MD.

N.O. I. – New Oxford Item, New Oxford, PA.

S. S. – The Star and Sentinel, Gettysburg, PA.

S. A.– The Star and Adams County republican Banner, Gettysburg, PA.

A. M. S. – The Anti-Masonic Star and Republican Banner, Gettysburg, PA.

With respect for copyright laws and for the contributing publications, these volumes are not sold for profit.

Self Published:

Karl Orndorff and Madelyn Noel

April 15, 2019"