Preserving a piece of history from Mahoning school

A few good men.

Thirty-five honorable men who served our country in the Civil War.

Some of them wounded, others killed in the line of duty.

All of whom attended a one-room schoolhouse in New Mahoning.

The names of those proud men are listed on a plaque originally posted in the one-room wooden schoolhouse in 1908.

It was erected by friends and classmates of Civil War servicemen who originated from the school.

Over time, the plaque was then moved to the then-new Mahoning Elementary School in 1954, where it remained in the foyer until the building closed last year.

It has since been moved to the township’s municipal building, according to Kevin “Spike” Long, commander of the Lehighton United Veterans Organization.

“Thankfully, the plaque is now property of the Mahoning Township supervisors, and they’ll do something with it hopefully when they build a new building,” Long said. “It’s about preserving that history.”

Long said that in light of the dedication ceremony for a rebuilt veterans memorial in Franklin Township in June, members of the Lehighton UVO thought it wise to preserve the Mahoning tablet.

Former students of the Franklin Elementary School, KIA relatives, and the Franklin Township Lions Club conducted the dedication of the Franklin Township KIA Memorial on June 23 at Phifer’s Ice Dam Pavilion.

That got Long and company thinking.

“Here’s this story of this small school after it was a one-room schoolhouse, and they hung it out on a wall in obscurity at Mahoning Elementary until it was sold,” he said. “Nobody ever paid attention to it.”

For Long, there’s an extra sentimental attachment to that period of time, as his great-great-great-grandfather Henry Lange (Long) also served during the Civil War.

Born in Germany on Feb. 16, 1833, Lange (Long) served in Company G of the 132nd PA Regiment from Aug. 15, 1862, to May 24, 1863.

Long said the UVO is proud to assist Mahoning Township with the plaque in whatever capacity it can.

“There’s a proud history, and we don’t want it to be forgotten,” he said. “The UVO will lend our support to see that stuff like this doesn’t fall by the wayside.”

That there were 35 people who served from a little one-room schoolhouse makes it all the more special, Long said.

“It’s really neat that we found this piece of history,” he said. “To see it go into obscurity would be a shame.”

Names of Civil War servicemen listed on 1908 plaque

The 1908 plaque that had been originally posted in the wooden one-room schoolhouse in New Mahoning until it was moved to the then-new Mahoning Elementary School built in 1954 until it closed last year.

The plaque was erected by friends and classmates of Civil War servicemen who originated from the school, and is currently housed in the Mahoning Township Municipal Building.

It contains the following names:

• Oliver F. Musselman

• Otto Stermer

• James Eames

• John Miller

• John Callahan

• William Nothstein

• Henry Snyder

• William H. Fulton

• Joseph Acherman

• Samuel Eberts

• William Stermer

• Nathan Stermer

• D. W. C. Henline

• Thomas Musselman

• Jacob Nothstein

• Daniel Houser

• Thomas Strauss

• Reuben Reinsmith

• Robert Sinyard

• William Sendel

• Amon Fritz

• Josiah Musselman

• Daniel Kressely

• Stephen Fenstermacher

• Peter Eberts

• David Eberts

• William Eberts

• Henry Zellner

• Jacob Strauss

• Aaron B. Miller

• Moses Neyer

• Aaron Snyder

• Elias Hoppes

• John H. Arner

• James Kresge

*Also listed are teachers Joseph Fulton and James Swank.