Annotated [1896] public auction catalog for Speedwell Farm: “Closing out sale catalog of Speedwell Farm. Standard bred and registered trotting stock to be sold at public auction at Lancaster Driving Park, Lancaster, PA, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11 and 12, Philadelphia Tattersall, Auctioneers.” Contains a list and description of 63 horses, and the conditions of sale. The New Era Print, Lancaster.
Admin/Biographical History
Speedwell Farm is located in Elizabeth Twp. and is now the Wolf Sanctuary and Speedwell Forge B&B. (2021)
From the Lititz Record Express, August 21, 1896: "Speedwell Stock; The owners of the Speedwell Stock Farm in Elizabeth Township have decided to abandon the breeding of trotting horses and will offer their stock at public sale on the Lancaster Driving Park on September 11 and 12, consisting of 75 head of horses and colts, including their highbred stallions and brood mares."
This collection contains the auction catalog for the public sale of standard bred and registered trotting horses from Speedwell Farm.
Admin/Biographical History
Speedwell Farm is located in Elizabeth Twp. and is now the Wolf Sanctuary and Speedwell Forge B&B. (2021)
From the Lititz Record Express, August 21, 1896: "Speedwell Stock; The owners of the Speedwell Stock Farm in Elizabeth Township have decided to abandon the breeding of trotting horses and will offer their stock at public sale on the Lancaster Driving Park on September 11 and 12, consisting of 75 head of horses and colts, including their highbred stallions and brood mares."
Four women, two standing and two seated, in a park setting. Woman seated at right is identified as Grace Keller. Woman standing at right is identified as "my mother". Written on back: "Taken at Lititz Springs Dec - 25 - 1897 JRR".
Four women on a bridge over the creek at Lititz Springs Park. Written on back: "Taken at Lititz Springs Dec - 25 - 1897". Grace Keller is standing at left.
This collection contains information and materials relating to Milton Thomas Garvin, his department store and the Garvin Lecture Series. The scrapbooks were complied by him through the years of 1899-1936. Other items in this collection include letters to family and business partners, several pamphlets from the Garvin Lecture Series, M. T. Garvin & Co. store information, receipts, invoices, banquet programs, and a sampling of financial records from the store.
Admin/Biographical History
Milton Thomas Garvin was born in Fulton Township around 1860. In 1874, at the age of fourteen, Garvin quit school and moved to Lancaster City. He worked various odd jobs before he was hired to work as an errand boy for R. E. Fahnestock's dry goods store in December of 1874.
At the age of sixteen, Fahnestock promoted Garvin to a salesman for the store. He continued to work there through his adolescent years and was promoted to manager at the age of twenty-one, when Fahnestock was in failing health. Garvin assumed that responsibility for twelve years and then bought the store when Fahnestock was ready to retire. Garvin renamed the store M. T. Garvin & Co.
Over the next ten years, Garvin bought the rest of the building and several surrounding buildings to expand his store to a four story and three lot property. He prospered in business and was a philanthropist throughout Lancaster County.
Other than a prominent businessman, Garvin served as a board member, trustee, director or president of the following organizations: The Shippen School for Girls, Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Meadville Theological Seminary, A. Herr Smith and Mechanics' Libraries, Lancaster Charity Society, Joseph Priestly Conference, and People's Octoraro Meeting House.
Samuel E. Dyke was a noted authority on the Pennsylvania rifle and wrote on this subject. Collection consists of articles, correspondence, photographs, research notes, and working papers on firearms. Also included is information on gunsmiths, the Rockford Foundation, the Heritage Center, cabinetmakers, grandfather clocks, and the Armstrong Cork Company. 1670-1985
