In
1802, when the stone farm house was built by the Spangler family,
the nation was only twenty-six years old. At that time Thomas
Jefferson was serving as our third President, and he would purchase
the Louisiana Territory from France the following year (1803). In
1802, Lewis and Clark had not yet set off on their grand expedition;
The Louis and Clark Expedition took place from 1804-1806.
Our nation, largely unexplored, was stretching and growing.
Pennsylvania was a sea of trees stretching from the Delaware River
to the Ohio country, with parts of the state still unsettled. With a
growing influx of settlers came an increased need for agricultural
products.
The Spangler farm was also growing and would play a vital role in
the growth of the region. From 1840-1880 canals and railways reached
farther into the area and began opening up a larger market for the
farms to sell their goods. It was also at this time that other types
of manufacturing began to take hold in local towns like Mifflinburg
and Lewisburg. This brought an increase in
settlers to the local economy and in turn increased the need for
agricultural goods. The growing economy and improved roads, canals,
and railways all strengthened the business of farming. Through
agricultural census data collected in 1850, 1880, and 1927 it is
clear that the Spangler farm frequently produced at a rate above the
average compared to other farms in the township. The Spangler farm
led the way in agricultural production for the area and played an
important part in the region’s growth.
The Spangler family would pass down this farming legacy for over 145
years. With time, the family would add other farm buildings to the
property. They cleared more acreage and diversified agricultural
production to sustain the Spangler family’s needs, as well as the
needs of a growing economy.
George Christian Spangler, Jr. would later pass the farm to his son
Daniel, who in turn passed the farm to his son Jonathan (John)
Spangler. John’s son Reno and his wife Annie V. assumed ownership on
October 22, 1908. Thirty years later, the farm was transferred one
last time to a Spangler heir. Reno Spangler’s daughter, Helen
(Spangler), and her husband George F. Musser took ownership. The
Mussers lived on and farmed the property until 1947. At this time
the farm was bought by William and Nina H. Showers, who rented it to
tenant farmers. The Showers sold the farm to Richard and Grace
(Kistler) Noll in 1963. They have lived on, maintained, and farmed
the historic Spangler farm for well over 50 years, and they plan to
continue this agricultural legacy well into the future!