Today, we remember Guy Vernon Stonesifer, born on July 29, 1903, the son of William Grant Stonesifer and a pivotal figure in our book, “The History of Silver Lake as Told Through Its Deeds.” His untimely death at age 27 marked the end of the vision for Silver Lake as a seasonal resort.
The connection between the Cline and Stonesifer families likely began in Lemoyne. George and Clara Cline Coover, a daughter of Lewis Cline, who owned Silver Lake and the Lewisberry/Cline Mill, lived just blocks away from the Stonesifer household. With several children in each family close in age, it’s probable they attended school together. Newspapers from the 1920s and 1930s documented social visits between the two families. In 1928, Guy Stonesifer even built a garage on George and Clara Coover’s property in Lemoyne.
Upon Lewis Cline’s death, this relationship led the Cline heirs to sell Silver Lake, the surrounding land, and the mill to William G. Stonesifer. Guy Stonesifer then took on the role of builder for the seasonal summer community.
At age 26, Guy Stonesifer, a trained carpenter and builder, lived with his wife and young son in the first residence in Fairview Township, just outside Lewisberry Boro, on the macadam road to New Cumberland. He supervised the construction of roads, retaining walls, a stone workshop, and a storage structure, and built about a dozen cottages on West Street and Silver Lake Road. The stone retaining walls and workshop still stand, as do several cottages, although most have been substantially renovated.
The Stonesifer family operated the mill from 1925 to 1933. Guy purchased the mill from his father in 1928. William G. Stonesifer sold all vacant, unimproved lots for $1, and Guy built many early cottages. Buyers of these lots agreed to collectively pay 50% of the cost of maintaining the dams and streams to the mill owner, ensuring no one individual was left with the financial burden alone.
Tragically, Guy Stonesifer died suddenly in the fall of 1930 at age 27. His death disrupted the development plans, leaving his wife a widow and his young son, Bobbie, fatherless. After his death, Guy’s widow, Mabel, transferred the title to the mill and mill house back to William G. Stonesifer and moved away with Bobbie. William G. Stonesifer sold all remaining lots the following year to the Silver Lake Improvement Company, ending the effort to build a Silver Lake seasonal resort.
Scott and Kathy Webb, co-authors of “The History of Silver Lake as Told Through Its Deeds,” continue to share the story of Silver Lake’s rich history on their blog at HistoryOfSilverLake.com. Through their work, the legacy of Guy Stonesifer and the vision for Silver Lake live on.
