USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 75
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LUTHER'S MILLS
is a small settlement at the crossing of the Sugar creek by the Towanda and Troy highway. It contains a saw- and grist-mill, post-office, one or two stores, a blacksmith-shop, and a school-house, and a number of pleasant residences.
CANTON.
THIS township received its name from a Connecticut township of that name which included a part of what is now called Canton. A few of the early settlers came in under the Connecticut title, which was purchased of Col. John Spalding, of Sheshequin, who was agent for the pro- prietors. The Pennsylvania owners were the Asylum com- pany, and the warrants were granted in the names of Miers Fisher and John Vaughan.
Canton is the southwest corner township of the county, and is bounded on the south by Sullivan and Lycoming counties, on the west by Tioga county and Armenia town- ship, on the north by Troy, and on the east by Granville and Le Roy. In the southwest corner of the township is the Beaver meadow, which contains the common source of both the Towanda and Lycoming creeks. The valleys through which the streams flow that unite in the eastern part of the township to form the Towanda, are broad and fertile. The remaining part of the township is rolling, and embraces a soil well adapted to grazing, while the whole township is one of the best grain-growing townships in the county.
SETTLEMENT.
The first settler in the township was a man by the name of Gere, who came from Rhode Island and settled, in 1796, a farm that is now occupied by Daniel Innes. His family consisted of a wife and three children. He cleared a few acres, built a log house, and commenced to build either a saw- or grist-mill, and in 1800 he sold to Orr Scoville. Ezra Spalding came to Canton in 1796, also. He was born in Connecticut in 1754, and lived there until he was forty years of age. He had received a good common-school education, and had also studied navigation and surveying until he became well versed in these subjects, but never had much practice in either. He was brought up a farmer, and became one of the best in the county where he resided. He enlisted in the army during the Revolutionary war in 1776, and served three months, was discharged and came home. In a short time his country again called for his services, and again he responded and served nine months in the militia, receiving his discharge in the fall of 1777, when he returned to his father's farm and remained there until 1793, when he came to Springfield, Otsego Co., N. Y., bought a farm and worked it about three years, when on account of continued sickness in his family he found it
necessary to sell his farm and leave that part of the country. He then moved to Sheshequin, in the fall of 1795. He left his family there during the following winter, and, with his son Horace, came to Canton, and located a farm under the Connecticut title, where Horace, now an old man past his fourscore and ten, still resides. He built a log cabin be- tween where the road now runs and the Towanda creek, and opposite the house now occupied by Horace Spalding. Having chopped a fallow of about four acres and built his cabin, he returned to Sheshequin for his family, and in the month of February moved them to his new home. His goods were loaded on an ox-sled, and Col. John Spalding took the family in a sleigh with horses. They made the trip in about four days, picking their way through the woods and frequently being compelled to stop to clear out a way for the teams.
The family consisted of two sons and three daughters, viz .: Horace and William, Lucy, Betsey, and Delight. Besides these there were two negro slaves, who came from Connectieut,-Beulah and her son Cæsar. Beulah lived with her master part of the time, and died there. Cæsar ran away ; returned to his master, but proved to be worth- less and left. Mr. Spalding suffered all the inconveniences of living in a new country, and endured many privations. He could raise no more grain than was needed for the sus- tenance of the family, while maple-sugar was the only product with which to buy groceries, and clothing, glass, nails, ete., and Tioga Point or Williamsport the nearest point at which they could do their trading.
About 1799 a store was opened near Towanda, which made the distance to market much shorter and a better road, and was among the very first of the increased advan- tages the settlers enjoyed.
Jonas Gere, who came into Canton the same year as Ezra Spalding, moved away in 1800. The same spring (1796), Jonathan Prosser, a German, settled on the farm that a few years ago was owned by C. S. Sellard. He was the first settler within the limits of the borough of Canton. His house stood near and below the bridge that crosses the To- wanda creek. The same spring a man by the name of Cook settled the farm that is now owned by C. S. Sellard. Gere, Prosser, and Cook were the only settlers prior to 1796. That same year, however, Gershom Gillett made a posses- sion on the farm now owned by L. D. Landon. He came
WM. H. BATES
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MRS.WM. H. BATES.
PHOTOS. BY B. L. WRIGHT ..
FRONT VIEW OF HOUSE.
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RESIDENCE & FARM OF WILLIAM H. BATES , CANTON, BRADFORD CO., PA.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
from the State of New York. IIis son Wilkes settled the farm that James Metler lives on. Mr. Sellard married a granddaughter of the elder Mr. Gillett. The Gilletts, ex- cept one daughter, who married Augustus Loomis, have all moved away from Canton. Zephaniah Rogers settled on what is now known as the Hubbell Manley farm, and his son Zephaniah, Jr., settled the farm now occupied by Jo- seph and Solomon Lindley. The Rogers' came probably from Vermont. The old gentleman built a little tub-mill, as it was called, a very rude affair, the stone being the com- mon conglomerate found in the coal measures, and rudely dressed, having a capacity for cracking from a bushel and a half to three bushels of corn in twenty-four hours, if kept steadily at work. Mr. Spalding built a similar mill, and his son Horace says of it, it would crush a "busbel and a half of corn in a day, while squirrels and chipmunks took the toll, but it was preferable to pounding in a hollow stump." Mr. Rogers also set off to his son Roswell the farm that is now owned by his son William. The old people died on the place, which has been held in the family name until a short time ago.
In the year 1797 there was quite an addition to the num- ber of settlers. The farm that L. N. Rutty now owns was settled by John Newell. He was uncle to H. S. Newell, now living in Canton, on the farm that his father, Oliver Newell, left him at his death. This farm was first settled by Orr Scoville. His house was probably the first framed building put up in Canton township. The old house is now used as a barn, is in a good state of preservation, and is owned by Esquire Bassett.
In 1797, Dr. Moses Emerson settled the farm afterwards owned by Ichabod Sellard, and in the spring following Daniel Bailey settled, and built a house on the farm that Enoch Sellard now owns. The lot, containing fifty acres, was given him.
The lot that is now owned by James Watts, C. P. Spald- ing, and O. B. Granteer, was first settled by Laban Landon. Benjamin Landon, the father, came from Connecticut to Canton not far from 1800. He sold to Major Withey, and it is yet known as the Withey farm, and is next above Mr. Spalding. He had sons-Benjamin, Ezra, Levi, Stephen, Laban, Joshua, and Eldah ; the latter is now living in the borough of Canton. Nearly all of these sons settled in the township and have had families, so those bearing the name are numerous and the family became influential.
In 1797, a man by the name of Stratton, from the lower part of the Sugar Creek valley, built a house on the flat now owned by G. W. Griffin, but Stratton never occupied it. He went back to his home on the creek, and Ebenezer Bixby, coming into the place the same spring, found the house unoccupied, moved his family into it, and used it for three years.
Samuel Griffin, Sr., a Revolutionary soldier, and who was in the battle of Yorktown, came from Middlefield, Conn., to Canton in 1799. His path up the creek at this time was shown by marked trees. He came with his son-in-law, Nathan Roberts, who was from the same place. They settled on the property now owned by George Goff. Sam- uel Griffin, Jr., came the next year (1800), and settled near his father. Samuel Griffin the elder died soon after coming
here, and is said to have been the first grown person who died in the township. He never came under the Connecti- cut title, but bought his land of the Asylum company. Mrs. Griffin was accustomed to relate to her family that when they first came up the creek, the Holcombs were keeping bachelors' hall in Le Roy, and that there was no house above them until their place was reached. Mr. Grif- fin once, at least, was compelled to carry a bag of grain on his back to Ulster to mill to get it ground, but they com- monly used their samp-mortar. Samuel Griffin was married and had two children when he moved to Pennsylvania, one of whom died in Texas and the other in California. The brothers of Samuel Griffin, Jr., were Reuben Griffin, of Sheshequin ; John Griffin, of Athens. Samuel Griffin, Jr., also had a son, Samuel, who lived in Canton. The family were of Welsh descent, the father of Samuel Griffin, Sr., being the first emigrant.
About 1800, Joel Bullock built a house on the Tabor farm, on the ground where Cyrus Tabor's house now stands. He sold to Abraham, father of Nathan B. Tabor. In this year Jacob Granteer moved up the creek, bought out Jona- than Prosser, and built his first house, which was of hewed logs, on or near the ground where Ezekiel Newman's house now stands. Mr. Granteer eame from Seoharie, on the Mohawk, to Bradford County. The Granteers were Dutch people. By deed bearing date July, 1799, Jacob Granteer sells to George Welles and Reuben Hale a lot on Towanda, in Asylum township. It will be remembered that it was at the house of Mr. Granteer, or, as the old people usually called the name, " Granidier," that Elder Thomas Smiley was tarred and feathered by the wild Yankees, of which an account has been given in another place. There were sons Jacob, Jr., John, and David. The two former are dead ; David is living in Canton. There were also three or four daughters, who married and settled about Canton. One who married Samuel Roek well is still living. Mr. Granteer owned 400 aeres, which included all of the village of Canton.
In 1797, Isaiah Grover settled what has since been known as the Griffin farm, and is now owned by George Goff. Grover after a short time sold out to Samuel Griffin, and moved away.
In 1800, Benjamin Babcock settled the farm that is now owned by Reuben Loomis. In the same spring Nathaniel Babcock settled the farm known as the Vandyke, now owned by Jacob Beardsley, and at this date there were no settlers until we get down as far as the Walters farm, on what is now the Le Roy turnpike.
Samuel Rockwell eame from Vermont, near Lake Cham- plain,-so near that the daughter, Hannah, who married afterwards Eli Parsons, became a good swimmer, and was the means of saving the lives of some who were upset from a boat on the lake. He settled about two miles above Canton, on the road to Alba. One of his grandsons, Jacob Rockwell, lives on a part of the place. He had a large family, consisting of nine sons and one daughter. The sons were Elias, Samuel, Luther, Calvin, James, Laban, Myron, Rufus, and another who went west when a young man. Rufus and Luther settled in Troy; Myron is a Baptist preacher, and is now in Sullivan, Tioga county ; Calvin settled in Granville ; Elias, Samuel, and James remained in
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WILLIAM S. JAYNE.
MRS. WILLIAM S. JAYNE.
WILLIAM S. JAYNE.
The " Jayne family" is among the oldest in this country, and in its numerous branches contains many honored names. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the children of Abraham Jayne and Julia Maybery ; was born in Bethel, Northampton county, Pa., Jan. 3, 1803. His father re- moved to New Jersey about 1805, where he resided a short time. On the death of his father he removed to Middle Smithfield, Pa., whence, after remaining about three years, he went to Tunkhannock. The subject of our sketch at- tained his majority at this latter place. In his boyhood the opportunities for obtaining an education were very limited, but Mr. Jayne improved what there were to the best advan- tage, often spending his winter evenings over his books, with no other light than that afforded by a pine torch. In Sep- tember, 1825, he married Miss Sarah McMillan, of Exeter, Pa. She was the daughter of Dr. John McMillan, of one of the Scotch-Irish families from the north of Ireland, from which place he emigrated to the United States, took some part in the Revolutionary struggle then going on, accom- panied the Sullivan expedition up the Susquehanna as one of the surgeons, and, after the war, settled in the Wyoming valley, where losing everything in the great ice flood of 1784, he removed to the Juniata river, and engaged in teaching. Again removing into the Wyoming valley, he settled in Exeter, where he died at an advanced age. In this latter place Mrs. Jayne was born, and here she remained until her marriage. It may be mentioned here that Mrs. Jayne's mother was in the Forty fort at the time of the battle and massacre, in which two of her brothers were slain. Mrs. Jayne was for many years an honored member of the Baptist church, respected by her neighbors, and greatly beloved by her children, over whom she possessed great influence, and whom she was ever ready to aid with her counsel and sympathy.
Mr. Jayne engaged in agriculture, having purchased a farm of 100 acres, which he cleared and brought into a high state of cultivation. In the fall of 1852 he sold his Tunk- hannock property, with a view of removing to Illinois, but
becoming engaged in work on the North Branch canal, deferred his removal for a time. On the 5th of July of this year Mrs. Jayne died, after suffering twenty-four years' confinement to her chair with rheumatism. This changed Mr. Jayne's former plans of removing westward. He mar- ried, Oct. 7, 1855, Mrs. Sophia Pickard, of Canton, to which place he then removed, and where he still continues to reside. He again suffered the misfortune of losing his companion, who deceased suddenly. This was a great be- reavement, as Mrs. Jayne was one of the best and most affectionate of companions, always cheerful and indulgent to her family, and kind to all who approached her. From early life she was a devoted and exemplary member of the Presbyterian church, to which she was ardently attached, ready at all times to render service in building it up, so far as in her power, leaving an untarnished Christian character, which will ever remain above reproach. Though dead, she will ever live in the affections of her husband and friends.
Our subject acquired the knowledge of the theory and practice of surveying and conveyancing, which he practiced until recently, being compelled by age to abandon it. Mr. Jayne was commissioned justice of the peace in 1831, and twice elected under the new constitution. He was commis- sioned one of the associate judges on the formation of Wyoming county, and elected for a second term, but re- signed before the expiration of the term. He was the first treasurer elected under the new constitution in Luzerne county, which office he resigned, and returned to Wyoming county, where he remained until a short time since.
The fruits of Mr. Jayne's first marriage were six chil- dren, four of whom are still living, viz., Cynthia Ann, Wil- liam Judson, Harriet, and Francis,-two in Illinois, one in southern Kansas, and the youngest son in Towanda, where he settled, and married Helen, daughter of Joseph Kings- bury. Mr. Jayne has suffered keenly from the severe domestic afflictions through which he has passed, and now, in his declining years, receives the kindliest sympathies of his numerous friends.
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S.A. TAYLOR.
MRS. S. A . TAYLOR.
PHOTOS. BY B. L. WRIGHT.
BARNS OPPOSITE HOUSE.
RESIDENCE OF S . A. TAYLOR, CANTON, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA.
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ich life Ire
to rish
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IIISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
in population and improvements. The place was incor- porated a borough in 1863, and since that period has enjoyed the municipal advantages which the law confers upon such organizations. The leading denominations are represented by church edifices and organizations which are well sustained. The graded school of the borough affords excellent advan- tages for education. The schools are held in a commodious brick building of two stories, which is furnished with the appliances of modern schools. There are three hotels, well- furnished stores, and several shops where various mechanical pursuits are followed. The facilities for shipment make it a good market for butter, grain, and farm produce. A weekly newspaper, the Canton Sentinel, is established.
ALBA BOROUGH.
Alba borough is situated in the northern part of Canton township, its eastern line being about midway between the east and west lines of the township. It has an area of about four hundred and forty acres, its north line being also that of the township. It contained a population of 222 souls in 1870, and has two general stores, one grocery and provision store, two carriage-manufactories, one hotel, the " Union," one physician, Dr. Irad Wilson, one post-office, a railroad depot and telegraph-office, and two or more me- chanics' shops. A branch of Towanda ereek courses through the borough alongside of the railroad,-the Williamsport and Elmira railroad.
SETTLEMENT.
The first permanent settlement was made at Alba " late on the afternoon of May 29, 1803," so Dr. Irad Wilson says, in his " Early Recollections of Alba," from which the following data has been gathered : Noah Wilson, the father of Dr. Wilson, left Addison township, in Addison Co., Vt., the birthplace of Dr. Wilson, some sixteen years after the close of the Revolutionary war, with a company of sixteen ; men, to settle on the north bank of the St. Lawrence river in Canada, but finding the same government there they had but just emerged from, they unanimously resolved to return to the south side of the river, where the cross of St. George could find no congenial breeze to kiss its crimson folds. The journey of two hundred miles was performed in sixteen days, on foot. Mr. Wilson was not willing to relinquish his desire to settle in a new country, and hearing of the Con- necticut grant in northern Pennsylvania and Ohio, examined the title of the Connecticut company, and believing it good, resolved to view the land. Accordingly, in the month of April, 1802, he saddled up a good horse and rode " out into the west," and one day, as the "sun went low," came to the place now bearing the name of Alba. The stream flowing by carried pure and clear water, and Mr. Wilson then and there named the spot which afterwards and for many years became his home, after the pellucid fluid, Alba-white-an emblem of purity.
Mr. Wilson spent his first summer in the wilderness in Alba, and raised the first crop of corn which was grown in the settlement by setting fire to a windfall at the base of Armenia mountain,* burning it over, and planting corn among the logs with the peen-end of a shoe-hammer, that
being the only hoe he could find in the country. He raised about forty bushels of good sound corn, which he stored for use in a crib until his family should come. This crop was raised on the farm now owned by Watson Freeman. He also cleared four acres, and sowed it to wheat, the same also being the first of that cereal raised in the limits of the present borough. His home during that first summer was a little cabin about the size of an ordinary bedstead, opened at one end, and covered with bark. His bed consisted of hemlock boughs covered with a horse-blanket. IIis bill of fare contained brcad made by a Mr. Lindsay, then living on the farm now owned by Allen Taylor, the flour being brought from Athens on horseback ; venison graced his board whenever he chose to kill a deer, and brook trout could be had for the catching,-no hard job in those days. Bruin furnished the fat in which to prepare the " fry."
In the fall of 1802, after harvesting his corn and drying what pumpkins he needed, he returned to Vermont for his family, with whom, on the 5th of May, 1803, he began his pilgrimage again for the west. His family consisted of his wife, three sons, and three daughters, and with them and his goods he loaded two wagons, the same being drawn by five horses.
Mr. Wilson had bought 3000 acres of the Connecticut company, and had surveyed the same. The new-comers found at Troy Elihu Smead in a little log house with about an acre of the woods cut away, to prevent the trees from falling down and erushing the cabin, and John Barber had had about the same extent cleared near the place of the site of Velie's steam-mill. These settlers, together with Caleb Williams, Reuben, Samuel, and Aaron Case, and Dr. Reuben Rowley, accompanied Mr. Wilson from Troy to Alba, and with their axes cut and cleared a road for the wagons to pass.
Late in the afternoon of May 29, the cabin of Mr. Wilson was reached and occupied by a portion of the family, Dr. Irad, then a boy of five years, sleeping under the wagon, while a sister slept in it, and the accompanying men slept by the log-fires they kindled. The next day was occupied in making a better and more comfortable house, which was completed the same day, the roof of bark even being put on. Dr. Wilson says, " We all lodged the second night in comfortable quarters. The bedsteads consisted of crotched sticks driven into the ground, with little poles reaching from the cracks between the logs, and elm-bark served as bed-cords. As we had more leisure, basswood planks (puncheons) were split for flooring, and other prep- arations for comfort made. Being in a new country, the next thing was to cut down the forest, clear up a farm, and make a permanent home. All our energies were exerted in this direction."
Elisha Luther came to Alba in company with Mr. Wil- son, the latter having sold him a farm. Kilburn Morley also came the next fall to a farm also bought of Mr. Wilson. On this tract of 3000 acres bought by Mr. Wilson of the Connecticut company, Alba borough and many of the sur- rounding farms are situated. Luther and Morley made one payment on their lands before it was ascertained that the Connecticut title was worthless. Mr. Wilson refunded the same, but himself lost the whole amount he had paid the
* This mountain Mr. Wilson also named.
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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
Connecticut company, which was twenty-five cents per acre.
In the spring of 1804, Jeremiah Smith and Samuel Rockwell came to Alba in sleighs. Smith located on the farm now owned by Horace Welsh, and Jacob G. Rockwell, a grandson of the first settler, now occupies the homestead of the pioneer.
In the autumn of 1804, David Pratt came and settled on the farm now owned by Nelson Reynolds, and Levi Morse on the one owned now by Perry Elliott.
The settlement progressed slowly for some years, owing to the uncertainty of the title to the lands, which was con- tested in the common pleas of Bradford for several years. Col. Gordon F. Mason, in 1838, claimed to have bought all the lands of the Asylum company in the neighborhood of Alba, and not being satisfied with that claim, about sixty of the settlers sent Dr. Irad Wilson to Philadelphia to ex- amine the title, which was found to be good in Col. Mason, and a compromise effected with that gentleman whereby the settlers obtained their lands for two dollars per acre, with six annual payments. From this time the settlement began to improve, and has steadily risen to its present advanced condition.
EDUCATIONAL.
In the winter of 1806 the first school was taught, by Martha Wilson, a sister of Dr. Wilson. She also taught the following summer. She was compelled to close her school a portion of one day, in consequence of the total eclipse of the sun in 1806, the darkness being as deep as that of any starlight night.
For the school-year ending June 1, 1877, there were seven months of school taught, by one female teacher, who received a salary of $19.14 per month. 24 male and 39 female pupils attended the school. The total receipts for the year amounted to $176.62, of which $134 were paid for the teacher's salary.
RELIGIOUS.
The first religious meetings-at least, where preaching was had-were held in 1808, by the Rev. Simeon Powers, of Vermont, a local preacher of the Baptist denomination. He settled near Alba, and preached Sundays, and worked on his farm the balance of the time. During one of his meetings, at the house of Jeremiah Smith, a large buck was discovered near the house. The preacher stopped on his " fifthly," and Mr. Smith took down his rifle, stepped to the door, shot the deer, and then cutting his throat, re- turned to the house, and the discourse was continued and completed without the curtailment of a single paragraph, or the loss of a word of its application. When the services were over, the worshipers dressed the venison and divided it among the families.
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