Quicktown, Pennsylvania facts for kids
Quicktown is a small, quiet community in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It is not a city or a town with its own government, but rather a group of homes and farms. Quicktown is about 17 miles east of Scranton. It is part of Madison Township, which locals often call Madisonville. Madison Township was created in 1849 and is named after President James Madison.
Quicktown's History
Quicktown is located where Quicktown Road and PA Route 690 meet. This spot was once known as Carey's Corners. It was named after the Carey family who lived nearby. The Carey family no longer lives in the area.
Quicktown gets its name from the Quick family. However, records show that the Quick family, like Daniel Thomas Quick and his wife Almira J Pedrick Quick, lived just across the county line in Hollisterville. This area is part of Salem Township in Wayne County.
Who Were the First Settlers?
The very first settlers in the wider Madison Township area were Thomas Biesecker and Richard Edwards. They arrived in 1825. However, they did not live in the specific area known as Quicktown.
The first people to settle in the Quicktown area itself are not fully known. It was likely Alfred Wilcox, Benjamin Pedrick, or Benjamin Parker Carey.
- Alfred Wilcox and Benjamin Pedrick lived in or near Quicktown by 1850. Wilcox lived near where I-84 now crosses Route 690. Pedrick lived near where Flip's Market is today. Benjamin Pedrick was also the father of Almira Pedrick, who married Daniel Quick.
- Benjamin Parker Carey was a carpenter. He was one of the first settlers at Carey's Corner, which is now Quicktown Corners. He settled there between 1840 and 1850. His home was at the southern part of Quicktown Corners.
Peter Alt, who was born in Bavaria, Germany, was also an early settler in Quicktown. He was the son-in-law of John Biesecker. The Alt family moved to Quicktown in 1847.
The Swartz family was also one of the first families to settle in Quicktown. However, the first Swartzes in Madisonville, George and Jacob, settled in parts of Madisonville outside of what is usually called Quicktown.
By 1850, families like the Alt, Dings, Hornbaker, Pedrick, Swartz, and Wilcox families lived in the area.
Changes Over Time
In 1861, Peter Alt sold his property and moved to Wisconsin. Joseph and Esther Ellis Mead bought his farm. Joseph Mead was a farmer from Providence, Pennsylvania. This farm is still owned by Joseph Mead's descendants today.
Peter Alt's son, John Alt, was a veteran of the American Civil War. He married Sarah Ann Clouse and settled at Carey's Corner. He worked there as a blacksmith. Many of their descendants still live in Quicktown.
Floyd Smith bought property in Quicktown from the Quick family. This farm is now owned by the Thomas family, who are descendants of Floyd Smith.
In 1873, "The Corners" had Madisonville Hall and John Alt's blacksmith shop. Later, Billy Fuegline built a small store at Quicktown Corners. It was later run by Durward "Huck" and Mary June (Alt) Field. The store sold things like bread, candy, and gasoline. Huck also did small equipment repairs there. The store closed in the 1950s or 1960s.
Today, many of the old family names like Dings, Hornbaker, Pedrick, Swartz, and Wilcox are no longer found in Quicktown. However, the Alt and Mead families still remain in the area.
