Skip to main content

People e-mail us...Vol. 1

This is a new feature to the blog. "People e-mail us." It's where we'll share e-mails good bad and inane that just have to be shared. I have to admit this post is a bit of a vent as the writer hit a number of my pet peeves.

Last night, I received this e-mail:

you are incorrect about the misspelling of holsopple.


Charles was my grandfather's grand father and he
spelled it the same way I do now.


the 1970 census taker misspelled the of the town on
the census that year. that is why the signs are
spelled both ways. when a sign needs to be replaced
they have to put the double L on it because the
incorrect census spelling officially changed the name
of holsopple.


my dad was there to the holsopple centinal [sic]
celabration [sic] in the 80's. that was what the city
fathers told him


(name removed)


P.S. please check your facts

Now the town in question is Holsopple/Hollsopple, PA which is featured on my PA Keystone Town Markers Page.

There I write:

HOLSOPPLE or HOLLSOPPLE (taken by Denny Pine) Founded 1880. Named after Charles Hollsopple; however, when the railroad replaced the name of Bethel Station, they dropped one of the 'L's. Both spellings are used for and throughout the town.

The information I found out on the spelling came from a rather detailed genealogy website on the town.

So, I was taken aback by the perceived tone in the e-mail. Especially, the 'P.S. Please Check Your Facts' line. It also had one of my biggest pet-peeves an e-mail from someone I don't know that doesn't have a formal opening (Like 'Adam' or even To whom it may concern', etc.) At least the author did have a subject for the e-mail. An e-mail without a subject is another pet peeve.

So I wrote back and hopefully rather nicely:

(name),

Thanks for the e-mail. I was basing the information from this website (which I linked to on my description):

Which reads:

A post office was established in the town in 1881, and named for Charles Hollsopple. However, when the railroad replaced its sign on the old Bethel Station, they dropped one "L" in the name. Since then, buildings, maps and road signs might have either Hollsopple or Holsopple on them.

Out of curiosity which facts did I not check? When I look up history of the town I do a search for information on how it was named. Your story about the spelling is the first that I have heard.

---Adam
So we'll see how it goes but it just took me aback today. And if anyone knows more on why Holsopple/Hollsopple really had its spelling changed or even reversed, please let me know! (With something in the subject line, please :-p)

Comments

Unknown said…
When you has a few [sics] in there, ya has to wonder about the persons[sic] cred.
Adam, I always enjoy reading your blogs.

Some people just can't be pleased, no matter how hard you may try.

You have many more folks such as myself that appreciate your works, so please don't let this get you down, dude.

Peace out! :)
Adam said…
Steve,

The e-mail didn't hurt my feelings or as you put it 'get me down'. It really isn't a big deal, I posted it because of how the guy wrote it.

At the worst, I was more upset about the lack of a formal greeting than him telling me to 'get my facts straight' but the lack of a greeting etc is more of a pet peeve or anything.

So if you thought I was hurt or upset about it, I wasn't.
Bob Malme said…
My pet peeve are folks e-mailing a particular question that is already answered on my web pages. Seems they read the first page, see the e-mail address and don't bother to check for further information. Last week I got an e-mail asking if the Ellerbe Bypass was open. This information has only been listed on my site for almost 5 months now. I decided not to be mean and say 'look there buddy' and just responded to his question.
Ron Ieraci said…
Adam, I researched this a little bit for my blog. It seems a Charles Holsopple (one "l") founded the town, as confirmed by several rootsweb postings, so the RR Station is in the clear. Somehow over the years it became Hollsopple, so go figure. Maybe the census tale is right; I never found any reason or date regarding the change. - Ron
Anonymous said…
Adam,

I'm a life-long resident of Hollsopple and a local history buff. Perhaps I can shed some light on the Holsopple/Hollsopple spelling controversy. I emailed you a longer version, but I felt posting this would help explain things to your readers.

The area usually referred to as Hollsopple is Benson Borough, which was part of Paint Township. There is no definitive historical evidence favoring one spelling over another. The keystone marker marker of which you have a picture states, “Holsopple–Named for Founder, Charles Holsopple–Founded 1880”, but research shows that the town was originally named Bethel; it was laid out by Emmanuel Eash on his land, as early as 1874. The first building was the Bethel United Brethren Church. In June 1887 the Johnstown Tribune reported that the village of Bethel was nearly destroyed by a flood. In 1892 the act creating Benson Borough proclaimed “the residents of Bethel wish to incorporate” and the plan of lots for the Village of Bethel were entered into public record.
How the area became known as Hollsopple is unknown. Local lore suggests the U.S. Post Office was responsible, since it has always used the Hollsopple spelling. Early postcards read “A Souvenir of Hollsopple, Pa.” However, the railroad and other businesses did use “Holsopple.” The spelling controversy has existed from the beginning of the town.

Clear as mud, isn't it?

By the way, the family name is spelled Holsopple (one l). It's a derivative on the original German name of Holzapfel, which translates to "crab apple." For what that's worth.

Popular posts from this blog

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

  Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County.  The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road.  Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950.  Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public.  Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent.   Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac.  During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch.  By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy.  The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades.  Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley.  Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area.  Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments.  This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return.  Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023.  Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County .   Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran.  Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate.  Lake Corcoran is thou

US Route 95 in California

US Route 95 within California exists within San Bernardino County and Riverside County.  US Route 95 within California is approximately 130 miles factoring multiplexes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40.  US Route 95 in California begins at the Arizona state line along the Colorado River near Blythe in Riverside County.  US Route 95 follows the general course of the Colorado River north through the Sonoran Desert to the Mojave Desert towards Needles of San Bernadino County.  US Route 95 enters Nevada north of Interstate 40 and the historic alignment of US Route 66.  US Route 95 was extended to Blythe, California during July 1939.  Upon US Route 95 entering California during 1939 it overlapped and deleted much of the original California State Route 195.  US Route 95 was extended from Blythe into Arizona during June 1960.   Part 1; the history of US Route 95 in California The corridor of modern-day US Route 95 in California first came to prominence during the run-up to the creation of