USA > Pennsylvania > Clearfield County > History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 61
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Upon this petition the court appointed J. F. W. Schnars, James A. Reed, and Isaac W. Graham, commissioners or viewers, to examine and report on the granting the prayer of the petitioners, "if to them it shall seem expedient."
The report, which bears the date January 10, 1845, is as follows: " We, the undersigned persons, appointed in accordance with the above order, having been sworn and affirmed according to law, do report, that we have examined drafts, etc., to lay out said township of Goshen as per draft (annexed), begin- ning at a white oak corner on the Susquehanna River, running in a northerly
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direction to the Elk county line ; thence west to the line west of 5332 ; thence in a southerly direction to the mouth of Lick Run ; thence down the Susque- hanna River to the place of beginning." The report was confirmed May 5, 1845, and the court directed that tract No. 1921 remain in Girard township. So that, as stated, in the year 1845, Goshen became a regularly created town- ship, separate and distinct, and authorized to administer its own affairs as prayed for by the petitioners. Its early settlement was, of course, made while it formed a part of the older townships.
Geograhpically, it is situated in the northern part of the county, having for its north boundary Elk county ; west, Lawrence township; south, Lawrence township and the Susquehanna River, and east, Girard township. It may also be classed among the smaller townships of the county, both in area and popu- lation. The mean length north and south is about twelve miles, and the average width of about four and one-half miles. Its main streams, beside the river, are Lick Run and Trout Run in the south half, both of which discharge into the river, and Laurel Run, which drains the entire northern part, dis- charges into the Sinnamahoning, and finally into the West Branch.
So far as its early settlement is concerned that feature of its history was established long years before it became a township by a few sturdy pioneer families and woodsmen, who took up their abode along the river and the larger streams leading to the river. While the settlement of Goshen has kept almost even pace with other townships similarly situated, or having like natural re- sources, it has been by no means rapid. The lower portion is moderately well populated and improved, while the upper, or north part, is an entire and vast wilderness, uninhabited save by the temporary residence of lumbermen. The truth appears that not to exceed one-third of the entire township is inhabited or settled. This, however, is no drawback to or prejudice against Goshen, as it contains some of the finest and most fertile farming lands in the county. That it has an underlying strata of mineral deposits is well established, and the development of this valuable and recognized industry remains now but a ques- tion of time.
Among the pioneers in the township, or the territory that in later years was erected into the township of Goshen, was the Bomgardner family, former resi- dents of the Kishicoquillas Valley, who took up lands near the mouth of Trout Run, in the lower portion, and near the river. In the family were several sons, strong, active and industrious, and who were well known on the river. George Bomgardner, jr., one of these boys, still lives in the township. The settlement of this family was made in the year 1820.
Joseph Thorndyke was another of the old settlers who located near the same place, Trout Run, but in the year 1822, two years later than the Bom- gardner family. Thorndyke was an inveterate trapper and hunter and paid but little attention to improvements. He had no family.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
John, Henry and James Irwin were sons of Henry Irwin, sr., a pioneer of the county, who lived at the mouth of Wolf Run, and afterward in Goshen. The boys were natives of the county. The parents were of Irish birth. John Irwin and Thomas Leonard are said to have been among the first land claim- ants of Karthaus township.
William Ross improved land about a mile below the mouth of Trout Run. The place was formerly owned or occupied by William Leonard, father of Abraham Leonard. This is the land now owned by C. H. Wood, in Goshen. Some time about the year 1835 Abraham Leonard settled on the location now of John Sankey, where he made an improvement.
Jacob Flegal, a brother of Valentine Flegal, and one of the pioneers of the county, made a farm about 1842 or 1843, not far from the head of the stream known as Flegal's Run, in the southwest portion of the township, but nearly in the center of the most thickly populated part. He afterward built a saw- mill on the run. The Flegals were an extensive family and have many de- scendants yet living in the township. Jacob Flegal built a mill on the site now of Brown's mill, on Flegal's Run. It afterward was sold to J. Scott Fle- gal, who rebuilt it and put in steam-power. About 1850 it was sold to Milton Brown, who now owns and operates the same. About the same time, or perhaps a few years earlier than the settlement made by Flegal, Isaac Graham came to the township. He had a large family, and after a residence here of some years, emigrated to Iowa. He had a brother, named Robert, who lived here for a time and also went west. Matthew Tate, still living in the township, must also be counted among the pioneers, having come prior to 1840. He bought lands on Jerry Run. Robert C. Shaw, brother of Judge Richard Shaw, and son of Archie Shaw, the pioneer of Mount Joy ridges, came to Goshen about the same time that Matthew Tate located here. Their lands were adjoining. Several of the Shaw descendants are still living in the vicinity.
As fully set forth in the early portion of this chapter, Goshen was taken from the adjoining townships and erected separately in May, 1845. At the first enumeration of taxables, made in the year following, there appears to have been then residing in the township less than forty persons who were classed as taxable inhabitants, and twelve of these were single freemen. The following enrollment made by Isaac W. Graham, assessor, will show the name and occupation of each taxable person, with the number of acres owned at the time by each, respectively, and will as well serve to show who were the residents of the township.
Robert Graham, farmer, 120 acres; Abraham S. Leonard, farmer, 127 acres ; Joseph Morrison, farmer, 62 acres; William L. Shaw, farmer, 100 acres ; George Bomgardner, sr., one cow ; George Bomgardner, jr., 100 acres; Robert Bomgardner, 100 acres; Jacob Flegal, farmer, 100 acres; Daniel
LITTLE. PHILA
Ellis Privin
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Lewis, 75 acres; Leonard Bomgardner, farmer, 50 acres; John Bomgardner, farmer, 50 acres; William Leonard, farmer, 1100 acres; James Flegal and John Leonard, 104 acres; Bigler, Boynton, and Powell, 140 acres and one saw-mill ; William L. Rishel, farmer, 75 acres; Merrick Housler, one yoke oxen ; Horatio Hall, one cow; Henry Lewis, farmer, 118 acres; William Housler, one horse and one ox; Nathaniel Brittain, one horse; Thompson Read, farmer, 160 acres ; James A. Read, 260 acres ; John Fenton, 50 acres ; Matthew Tate, farmer, 150 acres; Robert C. Shaw, farmer, 95 acres ; I. W. Graham, farmer, 139 acres; John Barr, 103 acres; Isaac Lewis, 100 acres. The single freemen were George Bomgardner, jr., Robert Graham, John Shaw, James L. Flegal, John Fenton, William Housler, William Sunderland, William Graham, William Brittain, Thompson Read, Matthew F. Tate, and John Wes- ley Housler. It is possible that some of the foregoing named persons were not actual residents of the township at the time the assessment was made.
It appears that at the time there was but one saw-mill in the entire town- ship, that assessed to Bigler, Boynton & Powell. The members of this firm were William Bigler, Jonathan Boynton, and William Powell, each of whom were residents of Clearfield borough, and, with the exception of ex-Governor Bigler, are still living there.
Ellis Irwin, a former merchant of Clearfield town since about 1835, moved to Lick Run during the year 1856. He purchased property there in 1846. Martin Nichols had commenced the erection of a saw-mill on the run in 1845, and this property Mr. Irwin purchased. He completed the mill and started the lumbering business, which he has since followed. Ferdinand P. Hurxthal and James Irwin had started a mill erection and dam across the river below Irwin, but were not able to complete it. In the fall of 1847 Mr. Irwin bought this property and the dam privilege, together with lands on the opposite side of the river, completed the construction, and thus acquired a valuable water- frontage. In 1852 a general merchandise store was started there by Mr. Ir- win, which he has since managed in connection with his other extensive busi- ness interests. The present Lick Run Mills post-office was established in 1872, and Ellis Irwin appointed postmaster, which office he has ever since held. Prior to this time the office had been located at the settlement known as Shawsville, a few miles further down the river, but the convenience of the towns-people made the change necessary. The office at Shawsville was there- after discontinued.
Shawsville, so named in honor of Judge Richard Shaw, an old an respected resident of the county, is a small hamlet comprising a few houses and two or three local industries. Judge Shaw built a grist-mill at the place, at the mouth of Trout Run, in the year 1852, on the lands purchased from Stewardson, of Philadelphia. At the death of Mr. Shaw the property went, by devise, to Ar- nold Bishop Shaw, of Clearfield, who now owns it. In 1886 the machinery
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
for manufacturing roller-process flour was placed in the mill, thus making it one of the most substantial in the county.
About the year 1870, Morrow & Smith built a water-power saw-mill on Trout Run, above Shawsville. This is now the property of H. H. Morrow. The Shirey saw-mill, on the west branch of Trout Run, was built many years ago by William Mapes. On coming to the ownership of A. H. Shirey it was substantially rebuilt and afterward sold to Frederick B. Irwin who is now lum- bering at that point. There also stands another saw-mill near Shawsville, built some years ago.
Goshen township has two regularly organized church societies, each of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and each having separate church edifices. The first was built about the year 1870, in what is known as the Sankey Set- tlement, but the church itself is known and distinguished as the Goshen Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Among prominent members of the church and society are the families of Brice Taylor, John Sankey, Robert Flegal, John C. Smith, John A. Fulton, James Graham, Aaron H. Shirey, Matthew Tate, Thomas Taylor, and others. The church edifice is a substantial frame struc- ture, adequate for the wants of the congregation. It has no regularly installed pastor, the pulpit being supplied by the minister in charge of the circuit to which it belongs. The Shawsville Methodist Episcopal Church was built near the hamlet of Shawsville some five or six years after the erection of the Goshen church, and for the accommodation of the residents of the township in the eastern and southeast portion. Its pastorate is supplied in the same manner as the Goshen Church, and belongs to the same circuit. Among the families prominently associated with the church, either actual members or attendants by preference, are H. H. Morrow, William Helsel, J. C. Smith, A. C. Nelson, John Nelson, C. H. Wood, Mitchel Shope, Andrew Shope, and others from Goshen, besides having a fair attendance from families residing in Bradford township on the opposite side of the West Branch.
It will be remembered that one of the reasons expressed in the petition asking for the erection of Goshen township was, that the people of the settle- ment were remote from the schools of the older township. Soon after the new township was formed, a school-house was built on lands of Isaac Graham, not far distant from the place where school number one now stands. This was the starting point in educational institutions in the township, and from this, as the population has gradually increased and the several sections of the township become settled and occupied, the establishment of new schools has become necessary, so that, at the present time, there are five school-houses in the township located and designated as follows: One near Irwin's mill in the south part of the township, and known as the Lick Run school; one at Shaws- ville, near the mouth of Trout Run and known as the Shawsville school; one in the northeast part of the settled lands at the cross-roads, known as Eden
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school ; one near the center of the township on the west, known as the Will- iamsdale school, and one in the western part of the township, and known as the West Goshen school. From the time of the organization of Goshen as a township, then having but about twenty-five heads of families residing within its boundaries, there has been a steady and healthful increase in population, so that at the present time it numbers about five hundred persons, and the enume- ration of taxables for the year 1887, shows an aggregate of one hundred and thirty-two. The chief pursuit of the people is farming, although during the fall, winter and early spring lumbering is engaged in so generally in the town- ship as to be looked upon and considered as an almost essential part of farm life ; but as the timber lands are cleared good farms are made, and agriculture is becoming the main stay of the township.
An abundance of coal of fair quality is to be found in many localities, but none is carried beyond the township limits, or used otherwise than for local con- sumption. The coal measures occupy the surface for a distance of four or five miles back from the river, but as a north course is pursued the rocks rise more rapidly than the surface, and the lower beds extend further north than four miles from the river, except in the extreme eastern part of the township. The deep ravines cut by Trout Run and its branches, and the other smaller rivulets emptying into the West Branch, materially reduce the available coal area. The spur lying between the two branches of Trout Run is just high enough to catch the Freeport coal, both Upper and Lower-Bed D-but the ridge is so narrow, that the workable area is necessarily very small. Between Lick Run and Trout Run, the Freeport Lower coal -Bed D-lies in the summits with very little earth covering. There have been made several openings on the Kittanning Upper and Lower coals-Beds C and B-but they average only from three to four feet in thickness.
The beds of the township are summarized as follows: Freeport Upper coal -Bed E-found only over a small area averaging about three feet, and Free- port Lower coal-Bed D-covering only a small area, about three and one- half feet in the western, and increasing to about five feet in the eastern part. The Kittanning Upper-Bed C-of greater extent, and fully four and one-half feet in the eastern, and thinning to less than three feet in the western part. Kittanning Middle coal-Bed C-averaging from two to three feet. Kittanning Lower-Bed B-ranging from three to five feet, and containing much poor fire- clay and shale parting. Brookville coal-Bed A-a three foot bed, containing impure matter, and not considered valuable. Mercer coal, intra-conglomerate bed, found about one hundred and fifty feet below Bed B, showing about three feet of fair coal.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
CHAPTER XL.
HISTORY OF GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP.
U UNDOUBTEDLY, in the erection of the several townships of the county, there was none that met with the opposition that beset Greenwood. Had the plan been carried out according to its original conception, this township would have been called " Hoyt," in honor of the late Hon. John P. Hoyt, a for- mer resident of Ferguson, but in that part thereof that was set off to the for- mation of what ultimately became Greenwood township. The initial steps looking toward this formation were taken in the early part of the year 1872. At a term of the Quarter Sessions Court held in June of that year, a petition, signed by Hon. John P. Hoyt and fifty-three other citizens, was presented to the court, asking for the formation of a new township, out of parts of Bell, Ferguson and Penn townships; and representing that the convenience and interest of the inhabitants would be greatly promoted by the erection of a new township for the following reasons :
First. Because the township of Bell is too large, the distance from the line of that part proposed to be included in the new township to the place of hold- ing elections, being eight miles, and
Second. Because the school districts in those parts of the townships of Bell, Ferguson and Penn proposed to be erected into a new township, do not suit the convenience or interest of the inhabitants as the townships are at present formed. The children in Bell have to cross the river, and, there being no bridges, they can only cross when the water is very low, or the river is frozen over.
In Ferguson township part of the citizens residing in the vicinity of Dr. John P. Hoyt's mill have no school in their township nearer than three and one-half miles by the public road.
In Penn township there is no school nearer to D. W. Hoyt's than three and one-half miles, and N. C. Hoover's place is two and one-half miles from a school in his township. For these and other reasons your petitioners pray that a new township may be erected out of parts of Bell, Ferguson, and Penn townships.
Upon the presentation of this petition, on the 12th day of June, 1872, the court appointed James Mitchell, A. J. Draucker and Moses Wise, commission- ers, to inquire into the propriety of granting the prayer of the petitioners, and to report to the court with their opinion thereon.
For some reason a majority of these commissioners failed to act, and the matter came up for further consideration by the court at the September term following. At this time George H. Lytle and J. Elliot Kratzer were ap-
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GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP.
pointed in place of Messrs. Draucker and Wise, respectively, and they, with their co-commissioner, James Mitchell, proceeded upon their duties with orders to report at a term of court to be held during the month of January, 1873.
On the fifteenth day of January, agreeably to their instructions, the com- missioners filed their report, together with drafts of the new and old townships. This report and the proceedings were, on the same day confirmed ni si by the court, Charles A. Mayer presiding, but the new township was by no means an assured fact. The succeeding day, January 16, exceptions were filed, and by the way of remonstrances numerously signed. In February other excep- tions were filed, and having become fairly involved in the meshes of the law, and its almost invariable delays, was continued from term to term, through the following courts : April 21, continued to June term, 1873 ; from June to Sep- tember; from September to November; from November to January, 1874; from January to March ; from March to June ; from June to September; from September to November, and from November to January, 1875, at which time the question was finally delivered from the courts, and referred to the electors of the townships affected for final determination.
In their report, after having minutely described the courses and distances of the proposed new township, the commissioners say, that they are of the opinion that the creation of a new township, according to the lines run, would be to the convenience of the inhabitants thereof; and therefore, that, in the opinion of the commissioners, it is proper that the prayer of the petitioners should be granted, and that such new township should be erected.
They further report that the largest number of taxables to be embraced in the proposed new township is taken from Bell, and have annexed a list of the male taxables to be taken from the several townships, as follows : From Bell township, R. C. Thompson, E. B. Thompson, Charles Hullihan, John Mills, J. N. McCracken, D. W. McCracken, Eli Campbell, Jacob Fryer, J. Q. A. John- son, G. W. Dickey, Jacob Uber, John W. Bell, Henry Sharp, Marion Sharp, William Bell, James Wiley, Nelson Young, Eli Passmore, J. N. Kester, Will- iam Kester, Frampton Bell, Samuel Hullihan, James Frampton, G. M. Pass- more, John Cunningham, William D. Beck, Thompson Mclaughlin, G. D. McCracken, Thomas Thompson, C. A. Rorabaugh, H. D. Rowles, Frank Saw- yer, A. T. Goldthread, John Robbins, William T. Thorpe, Charles Thorpe, David Mitchell, A. B. Tate, David McCracken, R. C. McCracken, William Tunblin, John W. Haslet, James K. Henry, Immanuel Hoover.
From Ferguson township: Hon. John P. Hoyt, S. H. Vanhorn, George Ross, Wesley Ross, John F. Wiley, D. D. Wiley, John A. Rowles, William Rowles, Balser Hullihan, Matthias Hullihan, Conrad Hullihan, Thomas Tubbs.
From Penn township: W. C. Hoover, Elah Johnson, William Smith, Al- bert Smith, James Johnson, John L. Johnson, David Johnson, Matthew W. Johnson, Wesley Horn, James Newcomer, Patrick Rafferty, Aaron Newcomer, Josiah Newcomer, Job Curry, Jesse Kester, Frank Kester.
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HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY.
It will be observed that from this report the township of Bell contributed of her taxable inhabitants forty-four, Ferguson twelve, and Penn sixteen toward the proposed new township.
By an order of the court made on the 22d day of January, 1875, the ques- tion was submitted to the electors, a part of which order reads as follows : "The court orders a special election of the qualified voters of Bell township, from which the largest number of taxables is to be taken ; and also the quali- fied voters outside the said township, residing within the bounds of the pro- posed new township, on the question of the erection of the new township, to be called 'Hoyt' township, and appoints the 16th day of February, 1875, as the time for holding such special election." Upon this proposition the vote stood one hundred and twenty-three for, and fifty-six against the erection of the new township, a majority in favor of the erection of sixty-seven votes. On the 19th day of March, by an order of the court, the township erection was con- firmed and named " Greenwood." The first election for township officers was. directed to be held on the IIth day of May, 1875, at the public house of Sam- uel Hullihan.
The first officers elected were as follows : Justices of the peace, Isaac Kes- ter and John W. Bell ; constable, Aaron H. Newcomer; assessor, David Bell ; supervisors, G. D. McCracken and Conrad Hullihan ; overseers, George M. Passmore and Joseph Newcomer; auditors, Frampton Bell, three years, Z. L. Hoover, two years, Nelson Young, one year ; school directors, T. J. Thomp- son and John S. Johnson, for three years ; John A. Rowles and John P. Hoyt, for two years; James Stevenson and J. Q. A. Johnson, for one year ; treas- urer, Wilson McCracken ; judge of election, David Lee.
Greenwood township occupies a central position among the townships in the southwest portion of the county. Being formed from parts of Bell, Fergu- son, and Penn, they form, in part, its bounding townships on the west, north, east, and south. Although decidedly irregular in form, it has the general out- line of a triangle. The Susquehanna River crosses it in a general course from southwest to northeast, but its course is exceedingly tortuous and winding. The principal streams tributary to the river on the north are Haslet's Run, Curry's Run, and Bell's Run ; on the south side are several rivulets of no men- tionable size. The country generally throughout the township is very hilly and mountainous, but along the valley of the river is much productive farming land. All the higher summits are capped with the Mahoning sandstone, indic- ative of productive coal measures; but as the beds of this rich deposit have been opened at but very few places in the township, the value of the coal is as yet undetermined. In the northern part the measures have been more fully investigated, and are known to be well worth operating, but that all-important factor-a railroad-is necessary for the full development of this interest. The beds that have been opened vary from two and one-half to four feet in thick-
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ness. At the hamlet of Lewisville, near the center of the township, and also in the southeast corner are deposits of limestone. At the former an experi- ment was made with this production some years ago, but it was found to con- tain impurities too much to be made of any special value. Such coal as is now produced in the township is used wholly for local consumption.
The early history of Greenwood township and its settlement by the pioneers, was made while it was part of the older townships of Bell, Ferguson, and Penn. Bell and Penn were erected in 1835, and Ferguson in 1838, and they at a still earlier day formed a part of Pike.
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