History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 47

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340

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Early elections in Canton township were held at the house of Daniel Stone. An early justice was Isaac Chaapel, and in time he was succeeded by Seeley Crofut.

The first school in the new township was taught by Isaac Chaapel,

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near Pratt's Mill. In 1799 some of the most prominent people, among others Ezra Spencer, were arrested under the " intrusion law," for set- tling on lands under Connecticut title, and sentenced to two or three months' imprisonment and fined $200. In 1800 Mr. Spalding's house was burned, while the sheriff was in the act of dispossessing him, to put a man in it by the name of John Schrader, Sr., and about the time fire was descried, a bullet " whizzed " close by the heads of the sheriff and Schrader. This was one of the incidents of that disturbed time and disputed land titles.

In November, 1814, Michael R. Thorp made his appearance in the settlement with blank deeds, etc., and claimed to be an agent of " The Bank of North America," which claimed the land of the settlers, and he urged the people to buy. Many did so; took a deed and mortgage at the rate of $2.50 per acre, a few lost or gave up their claims and took other land.

The first division of Canton township was striking off Franklin township -- about one-half of its territory ; the next change was that of making Troy township. The people in the confusion were, many of them on North Sugar creek, called on in two townships to pay taxes. Canton township originally comprised Leroy, Franklin, Alba borough, and a large part of Granville.

In 1820, in the split in the Methodist Church by those "protesting " against the " episcopacy," a society of the new order was formed in Canton township, of which Uriah Baxter was the chosen leader, and Elder David Randall, of Burlington, was an active and influential member. This society still keeps its organization.

Jacob Granteer settled what is Canton borough in 1800. He came that spring and purchased 440 acres, including all the east part and west limits of the incorporation. He bought of Jonathan Prosser, built a nice hewed log house on the ground on which stands Ezekiel Newman's house. Granteer, who was born in Lorraine, came to Amer- ica two or three years before the breaking out of the Revolution, and settled in the Mohawk valley. He volunteered into Morgan's Rifle- men, and served during the war. After that he removed to Newtown (Elmira), and from there in pirogues floated down the river to the mouth of Towanda creek, called "Fox's ferry," or sometimes " Fox's fishery," and finally "Fox's chase." He built the first sawmill on Mill creek a short distance north of Canton borough. He was killed by a fall in his mill in 1804 or 1805. He left three sons and four daughters, all now deceased. His eldest son, John Granteer, cleared the ground on which the borough stands. John was twice married, first to a Heverly and then to Mary Moore; he died in 1870, aged eighty-six; his wife died in 1861 and was buried in the ground he had given for a church and graveyard, where was built the first Union church; this old church building was moved to Centre street, and became a residence. John Granteer left one son by his first marriage, and two sons by his last marriage, viz: Jacob and John.

Grover is a station on the railroad south of the borough of Canton, and nearly on the south county line. The most important industry here is the extensive Innes tannery; there are two stores and some

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small shops; also a gristmill operated by James H. Eastgate, and the extensive planing mill of S. S. Vermilye.

Minnequa Springs .-- This is a lovely spot, and a most noted health resort of northern Pennsylvania, from whose remarkable springs burst forth the cold, pure, health-giving waters. It is tradition that the Indians were led to this spring following the game that came for the sweet water. The early pioneer learned of it from the Indian, and, in the course of time, Peter Herdic, by the advice of his physi- cian, came here and found the fountain of health, if not of perpetual youth, and, in 1869, he made it a health resort for the public. Guests and visitors and cottage-builders have been a steady, increasing stream to the present. In 1870 Judge Maynard purchased sixty acres, and built his residence near the spring. A commodious hotel was built, and, when this was overtaxed with increasing guests, a large room annex was put up. The main building was burned in 1878, and the present brick was opened in 1884.

Were there nothing here but the sweet dreamland that it is -- the wide, smooth sweeping valley at your feet, the surrounding swelling hills and the afar, dreamy blue lines of the Armenia, and the South Mountains overlooking Canton, and the green velvet valley of the Towanda-it would be an enchanting place for the city visitor fleeing from the roar and dust and dirt of the city, to rest and renew life and vigor for the future struggle. Here is great Mother Nature's sweet bosom, where her weary and sick children may cuddle and sleep and dream, and regain strength and health.

Mr. L. J. Andress, who has for many years kept the hotel, is a famous caterer, and so is his able assistant, Mr. Hinckley. From all the Eastern cities are representative families with cottages lining the sides of the surrounding hills, while others are constantly being built. Among the earliest to select this as a summer home were E. L. Daven- port and Fanny Davenport and Frank Mayo, of theatrical renown, whose "Crockett Lodge" is a marvel of beauty. Other notable places are "Maynard's Hill," Miss F. A. Smith's cottage, Henry A. Oakley's and those of Rev. Stephen W. Dana, D. D .; Dr. Saylor, Dr. Franklin Hindale; Dr. Arthur Brooks, rector of the Church of the Incarnation ; besides, "Beechwood," the charming summer home of Mrs. C. M. Par- ker, and others. Some of the most elegant cottages are now in course of construction.

The Northern Central Railroad stops all trains at this point during the season. Minnequa is about half-way between Elmira and Wil- liamsport, and two miles north of the borough of Canton. Analysis of the water: Total solid contents in one U. S. gallon (grains in one U. S. gallon), 7.652; calcium, 0.994; magnesium, 0.207; sodium, 0.722; lithium, trace ; aluminum, 0.127: iron, trace; manganese, 0.226 ; chlo- rine, 0.140; silica, 0.700; zinc, 0.028; carbonic acid, 2.053; boracic acid, 2.132; oxygen (with silicates), 0.138; loss, 0.145. Temperature of spring, 47 degrees Fahrenheit.

CANTON BOROUGH.

Canton borough was incorporated May 23, 1864, with the following as first officers : Burgess, John A. Mix; J. E. Bullock, secretary ;

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justice of the peace, J. W. Vandyke and Thomas Bennett ; council, Herman Townsend, E. W. Coolwell, Daniel Wilcox, John A. Hooper, and H. F. Beardsley. The record of the burgesses and secretaries from 1864 to 1891 is as follows :

Burgesses. - 1864-65, John S. Mix; 1866, Charles Stockwell ; 1867, James O. Randall ; 1868, Charles Stockwell ; 1869, Charles Stockwell ; 1870, Marcus Porter; 1871, A. D. Williams ; 1872, E. I . Manley ; 1873, H. B. Parsons ; 1874. Theo. Pierce ; 1875. Samuel W. Owen ; 1876, A. D. Williams; 1877, B. W. Clark ; 1878, J. H. Shaw ; 1879, J. H. Shaw ; 1880, G. H. Estell ; 1881, G. H. Estell ; 1882, H. B. Parsons ; 1883, E. A. Jennings ; 1884, E. A. Jennings; 1885, E. A. Jennings ; 1886, W. C. Crippen ; 1887, W. C. Crippen ; 1888, J. W. Parsons; 1889, J. W. Parsons; 1890, J. W. Parsons.

Secretaries. - 1864-65. J. E. Bullock ; 1866, J. E. Bullock ; 1867, J. E. Bullock ; 1868, James D. Tyler; 1869, H. N. Williams ; 1870, Ed. New- man ; 1871, M. P. Lewis; 1872, J. W. Stene; 1873, G. W. Griffin ; 1874, G. W. Griffin ; 1875, R. M. Manley ; 1876, R. M. Manley ; 1877, M. P. Lewis ; 1878, John S. Griffin ; 1879, Frank A. Owen ; 1880, W. W. Whitman ; 1881, W. W. Whitman; 1882, Charles E. Bullock ; 1883, G. W. Griffin ; 1884, Newton Landon; 1885, Charles E. Riggs ; 1886, Charles E. Riggs ; 1887, A. P. Hackett ; 1888, Charles E. Riggs ; 1889, Charles E. Riggs ; 1890, Charles E. Riggs.

The present borough officers are as follows: Colin A. Innes, bur- gess ; Hollis H. Taylor, vice burgess; Michael F. Wynne, treasurer ; Charles E. Riggs, secretary. Street Committee-Michael F. Wynne, Harry E. Griffin, Richard J. O'Donnel. Sidewalk Committee-Hollis H. Taylor, Robert E. Rockwell, Walter G. Newman. Street Commis- sioner-Almeran D. Biddle.

Citizens' Water Works (incorporated), Canton, was established in 1876 and reorganized in 1883; capital stock, $25,000. The first sup- ply was from Mill creek, and the second was from Lake Nephwan, in 1889. The former was about one and one-fourth miles, and the latter one-half mile distant. The officers are : G. W. Maynard, president ; J. E. Cleveland, treasurer ; L. E. Manley, secretary ; G. E. Guernsey, manager. The pipes have been extended to Minnequa, and supply that place as well as Canton. The water from the creek has a fall of 300 feet, and from the lake about 250 feet-an unlimited supply, and altogether Canton may be said to have the best water supply in northern Pennsylvania.

Canton Schools have an enrollment of 400 pupils, and employ eight teachers. U. G. Palmer is principal. The board of education consists of W. S. Lewis, M. D., president; William C. Sechrist, Esq .. secretary ; W. C. Crippen, treasurer ; L. R. Gleason, M. L. Rockwell, T. Burk.

Caledonia Tannery was established in 1870, and began operations in 1871. The tannery is owned by A. Innes & Son, and has a capacity of 55,000 hides a year. The number of men employed is from thirty- five to forty.

Steam Flour and Feed Mill was built in 1876, and owned by Samuel Strait. Geo. B. Riley bought it in 1890, and continues to operate it.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

H. Sheldon & Co., Map Rollers and Mountings, was established in 1871; capital stock about $9,000. They employ from thirteen to egihteen men.

Gleason & Clark's Canton Tannery was established in 1869, by Gleason & Irving. In 1881, Mr. Irving sold his interest in the plant. The product is about 350,000 pounds of leather per year ; they employ sixteen men.

Hockett Bros.' Sawmill, Carding-mill and Bee-hive Factory .- The firm bought the mill of C. O. Hazleton, October, 1882, and added the Bee-hive Factory in the spring of 1889. They manufacture bee-hives principally in the summer, and last year's product was over 2,000; and $500 worth of wool was carded.

Hugh Crawford's Roller Feed Mill .- The firm buy about sixty carloads of grain a year, and grind for customers, besides what is bought in Canton ; employ about twenty-five men.

G. M. Coon's Planing Mill, was built in 1887, and employs from four to six men. The mill has a 45 horse-power engine and runs plan- ers, lathes, board and jig saw, etc.

A. M. Wilson's Foundry and Machine Shop was established over thirty years ago by N. H. Harris. The present owner bought it in 1888. The machine shop is 40x40 feet, and the foundry 30x60 feet; employs from three to five men.

Rockwell & Son's Canton Steam Mills were started in 1879; con- tain seven grinding buhrs. They do a business of about $20,000 a year.

H. H. Taylor's Planing Mill has been established about twenty years. The present owner has been running it seven years: employs five men, and does a large business.

Miller Bros.' Saw and Feed Mill was established in the spring of 1883; was started first in 1876 as a wagon aud repair shop; does an extensive business.

Canton has the following business concerns: Dry goods, three ; clothing, three ; hardware, four ; furniture, two; jewelry, two ; banks, First National Bank ; three hotels-" Packard House," "Canton " and "Mountain View"; grocery stores, eight; agricultural stores, two; bakery, one ; meat markets, two; livery stables, four ; boot and shoe store, one; planing mills, two ; gristmills, two ; foundry, one ; tannery, one ; sawmills, two; blacksmiths, five ; wagon shops, three ; undertaker, one.

The First National Bank of Canton was established March 1, 1881, with a capital stock of $50,000. The capital stock is $50,000; the surplus fund $23,000; the undivided profits, $5,672.44. National bank notes outstanding $11,700; individual deposits subject to check $69,086.97; demand certificates of deposit $48,693.35. The first officers were Adam Innes, president ; Geo. B. Guernsey, cashier. The present officers are Daniel Innes, president; Geo. B. Guernsey, cashier. The directors are A. D. Foss, Geo. E. Bullock, Jno. A. Innes.

Churches .- There are five churches in Canton : Methodist Episcopal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Disciple and Catholic.

Union Agricultural Association was organized August 24, 1880.

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HISTORY OF BRADFORD COUNTY.

The first officers were: J. Whitehead. P .; Cyrus Taber, V. P .; H. Cathin, Sec .; W. M. Watts, Treas .; capital stock $5,000; purchased twenty-one acres of land of George J. Goff, situated on Towanda road, one mile east of the borough, and proceeded to erect the necessary buildings and lay out a one-half mile tract, which is one of the best in the county. The first fair was held in October, 1881, and lasted three days. It now holds in September and lasts four days. They have plenty of good spring water on the grounds, and everything is in good condition. The present officers are: J. H. Brown, P .; F. A. Owen, V. P .; G. A. Guernsey, Treas .; Mr. Derrah, Sec.

Farmers' Institute was organized in 1889, and had their first annual meeting in 1890. It has had help from the State Board of Agricul- ture, and is altogether a thriving association. Its secretary is Charles D. Derrah.

CHAPTER XXXI. COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP-SYLVANIA BOROUGH.

I N the year 1795 Nathaniel and John Ballard (twins), born in Far mington, Mass., December 27, 1777, came up Sugar creek from Burlington, and, taking the left-hand branch of the creek, which runs through the Porter farms, followed to the source near the foot of Bailey Hill. They took up the farm owned eventually by James H. Nash, and commenced a fallow where Nash made his orchard. This was the first settlement in Columbia township. The young men were eighteen years old when they arrived, and had started from Burling- ton, where they had been a short time as explorers, and came carrying on their backs their small stocks of provisions and worldly possessions. Their only weapons or implements were the axes they carried in their hands. The country was so densely timbered the only way they could keep from becoming wholly lost was to keep near the stream. There were no marked trees to guide them, and it is highly probable they were the first white men that ever looked upon this part of the world. They afterward told of meeting two panthers that seemed disposed to stop them; they parleyed and tried several ways to frighten off the beasts in vain, and finally each cut a sturdy club that they could handle better than axes, and then they made a determined rush and the panthers fled. When they got to where was afterward Long's mill, they suddenly came upon several bears digging roots-not a great distance from where they encountered the panthers. They charged these with their clubs and scattered them easily. When near the foot of Bailey Hill their ears were dinned with the most hideous screams of another panther ; it was soon visible, and seemed furious at their approach. They concluded it must have young near, and finally they, in charging it, struck a pile of leaves, and, scattering them somewhat, they found a deer the panther was guarding. They

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left the beast to his feast and returned a short distance and commenced chopping. After laboring a week their provisions were exhausted, and they returned to Burlington for more, and on their return brought their rifles, having learned the necessity of these. On their way up they killed two panthers. It seems they were to have one hundred and fifty acres and a bonus of ten dollars each if they cleared two acres each, but the place was so far from their base of sup- plies that they finally concluded to sell their claims; and their posterity reported that the pay they got was "a black dog and a piece of a black hog." They returned to Burlington and settled, but on their premises was a rattle-snake den, that for a while nearly made life a burden ; they killed seventy-five snakes one afternoon. (These men it should be remembered were teetotalers.) Nathaniel Ballard mar- ried Susan Dobbins, January 27, 1799, the ceremony being performed by William Jayne, of Burlington. He died at John Ballard's in Burlington in 1859. From reliable tradition it is learned that soon after the Ballards came to Columbia-the same year-a man named Doty arrived with his family, and built the first log house in the town- ship on the Scouten farm. What became of this family is not known. Among the early and prominent names are those of Oliver Tinkham, Stephen Palmer, Chapman Morgan, Charles Keyes, Maj. Isaac Strait, Philip Slade, Hon. Myron Ballard and Joel Stevens.

Cabot Township .- In 1799 Nathaniel Morgan purchased of the Con- necticut Company sixteen thousand acres of land, and came on at once and surveyed out a township which he called "Cabot." from which came the name of " Cabot Hollow," afterward called " Morgan Hollow " and finally "Austinville." He commenced his survey from the southeast corner of his township, on the top of the hill south of Mial Watkins' house. Two sets of surveyors started from this point, one going north and the other west; they went on Pickle Hill, and they were to meet at the northwest corner of the township. Mr. Morgan built a cabin, planted potatoes, dug and buried them in the fall, and returned to Connecticut. In March following he came and brought his family, and accompanied by five of his neighbors, to each of whom he gave fifty acres of land. These were: David Watkins, Oliver Canfield, Silas Batterson, Lamphier and Soper. The proprietor moved into the house he had built the previous year, afterward the farm of his son Chapman Morgan. David Watkins built on the land that became the farm of his son Mial ; his cabin had a back roof and no floor, and here his daughter Laura (Mrs. Philip Slade) was born in 1801, and cradled in a sap trough-the first birth in the township. The next birth was Herman Soper-the first white male child. Mor- gan's purchase was decided worthless and his land taken from him by Pennsylvania, and he was ruined financially, and had to repurchase any land that he might get.

Without this calamity it would seem that the prospect was dreary enough when Morgan came here in the spring of 1800; what a dense and eternal wilderness surrounded him on all sides-not a path, not a mark of civilization anywhere ! The people came, following the blazed trees they had marked when they went away the fall before. When

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they finally reached the lonely cabin, they found the door ajar, and the skeleton of a deer hanging from a beam; hunters had killed a venison, and hung it up there, and the ravenous beasts had forced open the door and picked the bones clean. An old man has described to the writer what he had been told by David Watkins when he landed here with Morgan. His total possessions were a wife, an ax, and $7.50 in cash. But all went to work, and soon each family had a cabin- generally back roof, and no floor ; but some made flooring of split basswood-of course no "lights" in the windows-this was what they made doors of; wooden pins were used for nails, huge stone fire places were made in one end of the cabin, outside the walls. Fuel and water were the only two things of which there was no scarcity ; a cord of wood, if the cabin was tolerably well " chinked," would keep a family tolerably comfortable during even a cold night.

In 1804 David Palmer came from Burlington and settled on the Scouten farm ; he purchased the possession of Ebenezer Baldwin, who had purchased of Doty. When Mr. Palmer moved into his house it had been some time unoccupied ; sprouts had grown up between the basswood cracks as high as the beams overhead, and he had to have a " clearin'" before he could move in. Shortly after this, Abraham Weast made a possession on what became William Moshier's farm, but about 1807 he sold to a man named Sprague. This Weast was a noted chopper and hunter, but as smart a woodsman as he was, he once attempted to go to Mill creek, but became lost and wandered in the woods three days, and having no gun he nearly perished ; on the even- ing of the third day he suddenly found a turnip patch, and fell to eating the turnips ; fortunately the owner discovered him, and took him to his house, and judiciously fed him on venison soup and brought him around.

In 1807 Calvin Tinkham came from Vermont, and Charles Keyes from Burlington ; Keyes was a hatter, which trade he followed for years, and died in the winter of 1856; Mr. Tinkham and his wife (Theodosia Thomas) lived happily to a great age; they were married in 1810, celebrated their golden wedding; and at that time (1860) were the oldest couple in the county ; he was aged eighty-four, and Mrs. Tinkham was entirely blind.

In 1808 Carter Havens and family came and settled on the hill, a mile north of Austinville-a numerous family, there being twenty-two children, enough to fill pretty full an ordinary pioneer cabin. John Bixby came in 1808, and cleared the farm on which he lived and died, in October, 1866, aged ninety. In clearing about his cabin there accidently fell a tree that bore down one end of the cabin and made quite a wreck of it; but this was repaired and the work went on.

In 1806 Hurlbut and Murray Ballard built a sawmill where was afterward the Waldo mill, and this furnished the people the first sawed lumber in the township. Charles Keyes put up the first frame house in Austinville, in 1808, near Harry Smith's. David Wilson kept the first store-principally for the sale of whisky and tobacco. An old- timer assures us that he was told many years ago that preachers and doctors were scarce and whisky and tobacco far more plentiful, and

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vet both the health and morals of the people were elegant. The first death was that of a young child of Capt. Chapin, sometime previous to 1810 ; the second burial was that of a Mr. Wright.

The first preacher was Elder Rich, a Baptist ; Elder Simon Powers succeeded him and subsequently Elder Rich, Jr., succeeded him (the latter was a one-legged man and preached sitting).

The first settlers had to go to John Shepard's mill, at Milltown, now Sayre, to get their bread, and the way they went was for a man to take a bushel on his back, and trudge over the long way, through the unbroken wilderness twenty miles. About the year 1806 Mr. Rowley built a small log gristmill near the site of Long's mill. This was hailed as the geatest improvement ever made in the country.

Nathaniel Merritt came from Vermont in 1807, and settled on the James McKean farm ; one of his five sons was Curtis, who lived to be an old man in Sylvania. When he was a lad, the family made maple sugar, and he would take a lot of this on horse-back to Chemung Flats and exchange this for pork-pound for pound. At that time there was not a house between Springfield Centre and Bentley creek, and he would travel a bridle path. When Merritt came, Samuel Baldwin lived on the Smead farm, and Ephraim Cleveland on the John Calkins farm. In 1808 Deacon Asa Howe settled near Helon Budd's, and the place became Howe Hollow. Comfort Peters settled on the Pettibone farm, same year, and next year (1809). Sheldon Gibbs came to the neighbor- hood. The two last men were basket-makers, and would peddle their wares for miles around, even going as far as Oswego after they were enabled to have a sled to haul them in, from which circumstance the road on which they lived was called "Basket street," and it retains the name to this day ; it leads from C. H. Ballard's to Austinville.

It is said on pretty good authority that Moses Taylor was the first settler, but it can not be learned the exact year he came. It was between 1800 and 1803. He came from Tioga Point (Athens) and settled on the Monroe farm-built a double log house, farmed and kept a hotel. His main customers at first were the agents of the Drinker lands. Taylor's son Charles was born August 24, 1773, and was a young man when the family came; after his father retired he kept the log house tavern sometime, and was a prosperous citizen as was his father before him. He married Miranda Canfield, December 29, 1807, and they had twelve children. One of the sons, Alanson, lived on the old homestead, and with him was his mother when she was nearly ninety years old. Mrs. Taylor's father, Canfield, came from Spencer county, N. Y., in 1800. Every family made their own clothing, "home markets" as it were, and the girl that could card, spin and weave the best was the first choice always in the matrimo- nial market, and the girl made her own dower-a chestfull of linen, and a pillow case full of stockings. The wool was carried often on a man's back to Factoryville, and carded, and when spun and woven at home was taken back to be dressed or finished, and the proudest groom in the land was satisfied with such a suit. Moses Taylor, principally, caused a log school-house to be built soon, the first in this section, and on the spot where Alanson Taylor's residence afterward stood, and

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History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, with biographical selections, Part 47

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.) Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Bradsby, H. C. (Henry C.)
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1340