History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 78

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812

USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 78

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AUSTINVILLE

is a-village of about the same extent as Sylvania, and is situated in the western-central part of the township, in a narrow valley, on the north branch of the Sugar creek. It was named in honor of a young man named Augustus Aus- tin, who, about 1857, moved into the place, at that time ealled Morgan Hollow, and who displayed great energy and enterprise in building up the place. Iron mines formerly worked here are not at present in operation. The village contains a Baptist church, a school-house, hotel, post-office, two general stores, a hardware- and a drug-store, and a steam saw-mill.

COLUMBIA CROSS-ROADS

is a station on the Pennsylvania Northern Central railroad, and is situated in the southeastern part of the town. It contains a church, school-house, store, and post-office, and a few dwellings. It is beautifully located in a valley of the north branch of the Sugar creek.

SNEDEKERVILLE

is also a station on the Pennsylvania Northern Central railroad, and is situated in the extreme northeastern part of the town. It was named in honor of Mr. W. H. Snede- ker, and has a saw-mill, post-office, school-house, and a few dwellings and a general store.

POPULATION.

The town of Columbia possessed in 1850 a population of 1383 souls. In 1860 the number increased to 1488, Syl- vania having 215. In 1870 the town had 1521, including Sylvania, which had 212. 42 were foreign born and 16 were colored.

SCHOOLS.

The township is divided into 14 school districts, wholly lying within the town, and two joint districts with Wells and Troy. During the school year ending June 1, 1877, schools were taught in all of the districts an average of six months each, Sylvania having seven months' school. 4 male and 11 female teachers were employed, and received salaries therefor averaging $24 per month for the gentle- men, and $20.60 for the ladies. 179 boys and 157 girls attended the school, the average attendance for the whole period of the schools being 216. Seven mills on the dollar of valuation were raised for school purposes on the property in the town, producing $1621.50. $385.35 were received from the State; the total receipts from all sources being $2517.18. Teachers' wages were $1448; the total ex- penditures being $2071.56.

PELEG PECK. [See biography, with the portrait and biography of Peleg Peck, Jr.]

REA

HEZEKIAH PECK.

PELEG PECK, JR.

PELEG PECK .*

The subject of this sketch was born in Warren, R. I., De- cember, 1798. He is a son of Hezekiah and Abigail Peek. His ancestry belonged to the old English gentry. Joseph Peck, the founder of the Peck family in America, emigrated from Ipswich, England, in the ship "Diligent," in the year 1638, and settled in Hingham, Norfolk Co., R. I. The papers in the town clerk's office at Hingham record his ar- rival in the following manner : " Joseph Peck, with three sons, one daughter, two men-servants, and two maid-ser- vants, came from Old Hingham and settled in New Hing- ham."

Mr. Peck's early educational advantages were quite limited, owing to the newness of the country and the ab- sence of those institutions which are the outgrowth of a more settled and civilized condition of life. He, however, made excellent improvement of the limited advantages which a common district school afforded. Under the fos- tering hand of puritanie influences, he developed into an industrious young man. At the age of twenty-one he turned his gaze to the far west, which in those days meant Pennsylvania, just as much as Colorado does to-day. After much hardship he reached Smithfield, Bradford Co., Pa., where he at once, with youthful ardor and industry, en- gaged in the farming and lumbering interests.

He was united in marriage, Nov. 3, 1821, to Miss Lydia C., a daughter of Daniel and Lydia Hunter, of Bristol, R. I. The fruits of this happy union were the birth of eleven chil- dren, most of whom are now living. Peleg, Jr., and Heze- kiah Peek were born in Smithfield, respectively, July 2, 1831, and Nov. 26, 1826. In 1856 they purchased their father's interest in the lumbering business. They are at present extensive dealers and manufacturers of lumber. Their mills have a capacity of one and a half million feet per year. They are both enterprising business men, and have largely identified themselves with the political and educational interests of their town and county. Mr. Peek in the year 1840 removed to Sylvania borough. He held the office of justice of the peace ten years, discharging the duties of his office with great fidelity, and giving excellent satisfaction to his fellow-townsmen. He was an earnest and zealous member of the Disciple church. He was always favorable to the advancement of school and church interests, believing them to be vital factors in the progress of civilization.

Mr. Peck died in the month of February, 1875, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years, having closely iden- tified himself with the growth and development of Brad- ford County for upwards of fifty-four years. His death was regretted by all with whom he had come in contact during his long and busy life.

# See portrait of Peleg Peck on preceding page.

J. E. SPALDING.

JOSEPH L. JOHNSON .

MRS. JOSEPH L. JOHNSON.

( PHOTOS. BY GEO. H. WOOD. )

FRANKLIN.

GEOGRAPHICALLY, the township of Franklin is situated between West Burlington and Burlington on the north, Monroe on the east, Barclay on the south, and Le Roy on the west.

It is separated from Barclay (which, until 1867, formed a portion of the township) by a high range of hills or mountains, and its general surface, except along the creek, is hilly and broken. The soil is produetive, and adapted to the cereals and grasses, and was onee most heavily timbered.

The Towanda creek passes through the township from west to east centrally, receiving several small tributaries, mostly from the north, the most considerable one entering near West Franklin, from the northwest.

The town is a parallelogram, nearly perfeet, about three miles north and south, by six miles east and west.

SETTLEMENT. .

The first settlement made in the present township of Franklin was made in or about 1795-96, by David and Stephen Allen, who built a grist-mill on the Towanda creek, at what is now known as Franklindale, and the following summer a brother, named Daniel Allen, moved two miles farther up the creek (to what is now known as West Frank- lin), where he opened a farm at the lower end of the bottom, which was called the " windfall." The father of these men was Daniel Allen, who was of English descent, and born at or near Providence, R. I., April 25, 1718. He married Sarah Sprague (who was born Nov. 21, 1728), at Smith- field, Sept. 8, 1745. They removed first to Dutchess Co., N. Y., and thence to Luzerne Co., Pa., before the Revolu- tionary war, and were there at the time of the Wyoming massacre, and were included in the capitulation of that place. Isaae Allen, born Dec. 18, 1753, David Sprague Allen, born April 25, 1756, and Stephen Olney Allen, born Sept. 17, 1758, were at the massacre as soldiers, and escaped from the Tories and their Indian allies, through the assistance of a friendly Indian, while the savages were having a grand pow-wow. Men, women, and children went on foot through the wilderness to Dutchess county, and after the war the Allens returned to Wyoming.

Daniel Allen, born Oct. 22, 1764, was too young for a soldier. Isaac, David, and Stephen moved to Towanda creek, in 1794, and built the mill at Franklindale as before stated, being joined by Daniel in 1797.

Isaac Allen married Betsy Miller, David S. Allen mar- ried Mary Smith, Stephen O. Allen married Jemima Dodd, and Daniel Allen, Jr., married Anna Dodd. They were all of the regular Baptist denomination in their religious faith.

Daniel Allen, Sr., was buried on Towanda creek, at West Franklin, in 1802, and his wife in 1812. David S. Allen

was also buried there about 1837, and his wife lies beside him. Stephen O. Allen was buried at Wysox, April 17, 1831. Isaac Allen died Jan. 16, 1825, in Champaign Co., Ohio. Daniel Allen, Jr., removed in October, 1824, to Champaign Co., Ohio, thence, in 1839, to Tazewell Co., Ill., where he died Feb. 14, 1847.

David Allen, after his location at Franklindale, removed to West Franklin, where he built another grist-mill. He had but two children, Nehemiah and Polly. The latter married Daniel Webber, who lived on the other side of the ereek. Both are dead, and of their families not one indi- vidual remains. Nehemiah Allen had a son named Nehe- miah, also, who married Betsy Smiley, a daughter of John and Susannah (Stone) Smiley. Mrs. Smiley, for her second husband, married the elder Nehemiah Allen, the father of her daughter's husband. The elder Allen died in 1837, aged forty-nine years.

Mrs. Smiley was a daughter of Benjamin Stone, whose wife was Elizabeth, a sister of Nathan* Wilcox. The families were from Salem, Mass. Mr. Stone came to West Franklin in 1800.

Daniel* Wilcox settled in Franklin as early as 1798. Mrs. Betsy (Smiley) Allen says that Nathan Wilcox eame to Franklin before David Allen, and that he sold out lis possession to Allen and moved to Le Roy, where he died. Mr. Wilcox settled in a place which has since been called " Preacher brook." He was a preacher for the Methodists.

Elder Thomas Smiley was among the very earliest of the settlers of Franklin, and located on the farm occupied by Dorson Stone, and owned by Clay Fairehild. The well dug by Mr. Smiley is still in daily use.

John Knapp and the Spaldings were also among the pioneers ; also William Damer.

Benjamin Stone was an early and prominent settler in West Franklin in 1799.

In 1805, Samuel Wilcox, Absalom and Ezekiel Carr, Widow Lattimore, William Blancher, Aaron Cook, Daniel Stone, Truman Holcomb, and their families, were living in the town, in addition to those before named.

Subsequently, but yet early, came Gilbert Gay, Win. B. French, Allen Roekwell, Nathan Wilcox, Major Oliver Williams Dodge (1826), and Burr Ridgway. The latter came into the county in 1803, and was the publisher of the first permanently established newspaper in the county, the Bradford Gazette. He was a prominent citizen of the county, both officially and as a politician. He died Aug. 19, 1876, aged ninety-seven years.

Mrs. Pladnor settled in the town about 1820, coming in from Monroe, and locating on the farm next above the

* Supposed to be the same man.

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Ridgway place. She died about 1830,* aged one hundred and nine years. Stephen Wilcox was her son.

The Spaldings were three brothers, Horace, William B., and Noah. The two latter bought the mill property of Mr. Allen, at Franklindale, and lived next above Mrs. Pladnor. William B. Spalding was a very energetic man, and did an extensive business, and accumulated at one time a large property, but was unfortunate in business and lost it, and went to Texas, where he died.

There were three of the Lattimeres,-Stephen, ; Peter, and a sister Elizabeth, who married David, son of Rev. Thos. Smiley. He moved to Ohio, where he and his wife both died. Stephen and Peter also went to Ohio, as early as 1825, and settled near Columbus.

Alpheus Holeomb came to the township in 1832, and made a clearing of some five or six acres on the farm on which James C. Ridgway now resides. He brought his eattle to his clearing for pasture in its vicinity, but they persisted in returning every opportunity to Le Roy, where Mr. Holcomb formerly lived, and at length he became dis- gusted with the necessary travel involved in getting them back so frequently, and followed them himself, selling his improvements to Ridgway. He had put up no buildings. Mr. Holcomb bought his right of Deacon William Lewis, a Welshman, who bought of Wmn. Means.

Oliver Williams Dodge was born in Connecticut, about six miles from New London, in 1775, and died in 1845. He came to Towanda creek in 1826-27.

Stephen Wilcox lived above Mr. Ridgway, where the Browns now live. He went west after his mother, Mrs. Pladnor, died, which date is given by Mrs. (Lyon) Haynes (born Jan. 4, 1799), as 1826-27.

Franklin was covered by the Susquehanna company's township of Fullersville, granted March 1, 1795, to Capt. Steplien Fuller, of Sheshequin, on account of " his former expenses, serviees, and loss in supporting and defending the interests of the company," March 1, 1795, by Simon Spalding, John Jenkins, and Elisha Satterlee, commissioners of the com- pany, which is described as lying on the waters of Towanda creek, and containing 22,286 acres, made at the request of Col. John Franklin, Silas Franklin, Alexander Wolcott, William Fellows, Simon Tubbs, Mrs. Sally Bidlack, Josiah Marshall, and others. The period of the settlement of the town, however, was so late, that the worthlessness of the Connecticut title was soon discovered, and the settlers did not suffer much loss therefrom.

The Pennsylvania owners were the Bank of North Amer- ica, Franklin college, and Washington college.

The township took its name in honor of Col. John Franklin, who had warm friends and enthusiastic friends among the early and prominent settlers of the township.

BURIAL RECORDS OF THE PIONEERS.

In the burial-grounds at Franklindale the following pioneers are buried :

T. H. Lewis, died April 1, 1871, aged 73 years. Luey, his wife, died Feb. 3, 1869, aged 63 years.

Delight, wife of Wm. B. Spalding, died May 11, 1844, aged 55 years.

Jacob Myer, died Oct. 9, 1835, aged 55 years.

Evan O. Shiner, died March 21, 1844, aged 56 years.

Tenny Ann (wife of above), died April 3, 1844, aged 57 years.

Lewis Kirkendall, died Jan. 2, 1836, aged 60 years.

Margaret Kirkendall, died March 7, 1863, aged 72 years. Samuel Anderson, died Feb. 23, 1877, aged 85 years. Sallie Anderson, died Aug. 9, 1866, aged 77 years. Burr Ridgway, died Aug. 19, 1876, aged 97 years. Alice Ridgway, his wife, died June 8, 1858, aged 79 years.

In the old burying-ground below Franklindale : Maj. O. W. Dodge, died Feb. 1, 1845, aged 69 years. Elizabeth Dodge, died Aug. 30, 1856, aged 60 years. Joanna Latimer, died June 5, 1814, aged 55 years. Stephen Latimer, died Nov. 30, 1800, aged 11 years. Nathan Latimer, died May, 1796, aged 7 months. Jane Latimer, died July, 1803, aged 19 years. Daniel Wilcox, died Dec., 1815, aged 75 years. Elizabeth Wilcox, died May, 1817, aged 73 years.

CIVIL HISTORY.

The township was formed from the townships of Troy, Canton, and Burlington, in 1819, and the first election was held at John Knapp's. About that time, too, a post-office was established in the town, and Knapp was appointed postmaster.

POPULATION.

In 1850, Franklin had a population of 767 souls; in 1860, 998; and in 1870, 705. In 1853 Overton was formed, and took a part of Franklin, and in 1867 Barclay was formed from Franklin. In 1876 the town polled 179 votes.

SCHOOLS.

The township is divided into five sehool distriets, in each of which a school was taught seven months during the year ending June 1, 1877. Eleven female teachers were em- ployed, at salaries averaging $15.40 per month; 91 boys and 61 girls attended the schools, the average attendance being 120. The tax raised for school purposes amounted to $682.86 ; $174.80 were received from the State, the total receipts for the year being $1052.45; $539.27 were paid for teachers' wages, the total expenditures being $760.48.

FRANKLINDALE

is a small village in the eastern part of the town on the To- wanda creek, and contains a church (Methodist Episcopal), a school-house, post-office, saw-mill, grist-mill, a hotel, and general store, and a few dwellings.

WEST FRANKLIN

is a similar village situated in the west part of the town, at the junction of the roads north, a short distance, of the Towanda, and contains a school-house, a Baptist and a Union church, post-office, hotel, general store, mechanic shops, and a small collection of dwellings.

# Another authority says in 1835. See burial record at Franklindale.

M. M. MARSHALL.

MRS. E. L. MARSHALL.

( PHOTOS. BY GEO. H.WOOD, TOWANDA. )

RESIDENCE OF THE LATE M. M. MARSHALL, FRANKLIN, BRADFORD Co., PA .

GRANVILLE.

THE township of Granville was organized in 1831, from parts of Troy, Burlington, Franklin, and Canton townships, and is situated between the townships of Troy and West Burlington on the north, West Burlington and Franklin on the east, Le Roy on the south, and Canton and Troy on the west. The township is eight miles in length on the north line, east and west, and about two and a half miles on the east line.

Its principal stream is the north branch of the Towanda creek, which takes its rise in Armenia township, in the eastern marsh, and takes its course down the mountain, near A. W. Thomas', and enters Granville near the north- western corner, and passes out at the southeastern corner. Several small tributaries enter from the north, at intervals of about a mile, throughout its whole course in the town- ship. On the main stream, near the summit, was in the early days a beaver-dam, and also a number of saw-mills, but few of which are now in operation.

The township was noted for its timber, consisting of pince, hemlock, maple, beech, ash, white-wood, and chiest- nut, which has now nearly all disappeared before the axe of the settler or saw of the lumberman, the ground shaded by its foliage being now farms in excellent cultivation, fenced largely with the material once growing thereon. The town is somewhat celebrated for its butter manufacture.

The first settlers on the territory now included in the township of Granville were Jeremiah Taylor and his family, including two children, who came from Berkshire Co., Mass., to West Burlington, in the winter of 1798-99. The family stopped in that town the first season, where a crop was raised, Mr. Taylor in the mean time making a clearing and putting up a log cabin, with " shake" roof, fast- ened with poles laid across longitudinally. In the month of March, 1800, he came to the cabin with his family, with an ox-sled, a portion of the track then cut through being yet visible. The cabin stood on the west bank of a small stream, a few rods north of its junction with Towanda creek. The cabin was not the most inviting home that could be imagined, having places for a door and window, a hole through the roof for a chimney, but neither of those rather comfortable articles in domestic economy were in existence. The floor was made of the usual bass-wood puncheons, which was a luxury in those days. Night was falling when the oxen were unyoked and, with the cow, were turned loose, the few household effects were brought into the cabin, a blanket was hung up at the door, and another at the window, a fire kindled on the fire-place,- that is, on the ground,-and their first repast in their forest home was prepared and eaten.

The second settler was Lewis Moffit, who came to the township the same year (1800), and who settled about one

mile west of the main stream, on the farm now owned by Harrison Ross, and a road was cut along the stream, the creek being crossed twice by logs or fallen trees. Moffit was from Brimfield, Mass.

The next settler was Scovil Bailey, who came in the spring of 1801 or 1802, and settled on the farm now owned by Luman D. Taylor. He was from Connectient, and a carpenter by trade, and a noted hunter. David Bailey and his father and mother came next, and settled on the farm now owned by Robert Bailey. They were followed by Ezra Bailey, who settled on the farm now owned by Elam Bailey. Thomas Bailey came next, and located on the farm now owned by John Vroman, and about the same time Uriah Baxter came and located on the farm now owned by Benjamin Baldwin. Benjamin Saxton and Oliver Nelson came about 1807, Saxton settling on the first location of Lewis Moffit. He was a blacksmith, and soon after arriving built a shop and began operations at his trade. Nelson settled farther east, on the farm now owned by John Vroman 2d. The foregoing families were the pioneers for several years, and were all old acquaintances from New England.

About 1811 several new settlers came in, among them Philip Packard (1809), Abraham Parkhurst, and Charles Butterfield. In 1817, John Putnam, Alvord Churchill, John Pratt, Josiah Vroman, and David Ross came into the township, and from the settlers already named have sprung a large proportion of the present inhabitants of Granville.

About this time a new settlement was made on what was called the " Windfall," -- a large section of country on which the trees had been prostrated by winds, and which had been burned over by hunters. The first settlers here were Abijah Ayers (1820), Zoroaster Porter, Avery, Pack- ard, Nathaniel Clark, Simon Chesley (1824),* Shoemaker, and Ferguson. These and their descendants have now settled the " Windfall" in every direction. This settlement soon built a school-house, opened schools and religious meetings, and built the first church edifice in town, which was called the " Union meeting-house," and furnished ac- commodations for several different denominations. Elders Pentecost, Sweet, and Asa Dodge were the pioneer preachers.

A Mr. Bacon owned the Connecticut title, and those who bought of him lost their ventures, by reason of the loss of his property by Bacon. Oliver Bailey was the ancestor of all the Baileys of Granville.

FIRST THINGS.

The first white child born in Granville was Sylvester Taylor, the third son of the first settler, Jeremiah Taylor. He is still living on the farm on which he was born in

* Chesley was a Revolutionary pensioner.

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1804, the original location of his father, who died Sept. 17, 1827. This farm is at Granville Centre.

The first death that occurred in the town was that of Mrs. Lewis Moffit, who was buried on Towanda creek, in the old burying-ground on the Crofut farm.

The first wedding was that of Hugh Holcomb, one of the first settlers in the present town of Le Roy, and Miss Prudence Bailey, daughter of Oliver Bailey. Mrs. Hol- comb lived to see her family well settled around her, and one of her sons, Hon. Judson Holcomb, now of the Bradford Republican, Towanda, filling many important official trusts.

The first school was taught in the summer of 1807 by Miss Delight Spalding, late of Franklin township. The patrons of this school were Jeremiah Taylor, Benjamin Saxton, Scovil, Ezra, David, and Thomas Bailey, Uriah Baxter, and Oliver Nelson. There were about fifteen pupils in attendance, from a territory embracing about three miles square, many of whom are present residents of the township.

The first religions movement was manifested about 1805, when Jeremiah Taylor and his wife made a profession of religion and united with the Baptist church on the To- wanda creek. Elder Thomas Smiley was the pioneer evan- gelist who raised up this church. In 1810 the Methodist Episcopal church made its first preaching appointment in the town and organized a society, which continned till 1856, when it ceased. The Protestant Methodists formed an association in the town about 1820-22, Uriah Baxter being the leader of the class. Elder David Randall, of Burlington, was active in this organization, exhibiting much zeal and industry in forming and maintaining the society until his death. This society is yet in existence, Rev. Alexander Lane being its occasional supply. In 1832 a Disciples church was formed of twenty members by Dr. S. E. Shepard, of Troy, which is yet in a flourishing condition.

The first framed barn was built by Jeremiah Taylor in 1815, and the first framed house was built in 1819 by Jeremiah Taylor, Jr.

The first grist-mill was built in 1820 by the last-named person, who used it to grind corn only. In this mill after- wards were placed a turning-lathe and chair-making ap- paratus by Nathaniel Phelps. A few years later Jeremiah Taylor built a saw-mill, and shortly afterwards another grist-mill, which was in operation until quite recently.

The first road opened in the township was the one up the creek, between Taylor's and Bailey's, in 1802. In 1807, the Towanda creek and Sugar creek road was opened through the town. It began near the present road from West Bur- lington to Granville and Le Roy, and crossed the Sugar ereek at the site of Goddard's saw-mill (afterwards). From that point the road ran up the hill south, and intersected the present road near George Shattuck's, and continued near the same to Bailey's, where it crossed the North Branch, and from thence ran south near the present road, interseeting the " Taylor" road (as the old road is still called ) about a mile from Towanda creek. In 1811, a road was laid out from the Towanda creek in West Franklin to Irad Wilson's, near Alba borough, a distance of about eleven miles, near the present road, but over the points of the hills, on which road the settlers began to build their houses, leaving their old cabins ou the stream. In 1846, the change in the

road laws was made, and highway commissioners were first elected in the township; John Sayles, Levi Taylor, and Marcus Ayres being the first incumbents.

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 78

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 812

Author: Craft, David, 1832-1908; L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 812