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1885 Seven Counties History - Bradford
County PA
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1907 Postcard of Palmer Store and I.O.O.F Hall
in
Austinville contributed by Creig Crippen
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“HISTORY OF SEVEN COUNTIES presented by the Elmira Weekly
Gazette". It is an “Outline History of Tioga and Bradford Counties in
Pennsylvania, Chemung, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler in New York by
TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, BORO’S AND CITIES.” Written expressly for the Gazette
Company, Elmira, N. Y. Copyright 1885.From AN OUTLINE
HISTORY of Tioga and
Bradford
Counties in Pennsylvania, Chemung, Steuben,
Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler in New York by TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, BORO'S AND
CITIES"
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COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP
Columbia township was organized in 1813, taken from
Smithfield. It is situated on the western line of the county of Bradford,
adjoining the townships of Sullivan and Rutland in Tioga county. The north
and south branches of Sugar Creek run through the township, from west to east.
It is bounded on the north by the townships of Wells and South Creek, on the
east by Springfield, on the south by Troy and Armenia, and on the west by Tioga
county. The Northern Central Railroad touches its eastern borders, and
Snedekers, and Columbia Cross Roads are stations in the township on that road.
Austinville and Sylvania are villages, the latter an incorporated boro.
The soil is well adapted to grazing, and the growing of all kinds of cereals.
It is an excellent farming township.
The early settlers were John Ballard, Nathaniel
Ballard, Nathaniel Morgan, David Watkins, Oliver Canfield, Joseph Batterson,
Jeremiah Chapman, Aaron Bennett, Samuel Lamphere, Phineas C. Morgan, Solomon
Soper, William Rose, James Morgan, Elnathan Goodrich, Charles Keys, David
Palmer, Ebenezer Baldwin, Abraham West, Calvin Tinkham, Carter Havens, John
Bixby, Nathaniel Barrett, Samuel Baldwin, Asa Howe, Comfort Peters, Sheldon
Gibbs, Phineas Jones, Rev. Joseph Beeman, David R. Hazewell, John P. Gurnet,
William Furman, Reuben Nash, Jacob Miller, John Lilly, Michael Wolfe, Oliver
Besley, George Moore, Darius Sherman, John McCelland, Asa Bullock, Joseph
Gladding, Vial A. Bullock, Thomas Munroe, Henry Harris, Levi Cornell, Peleg
Peckham, Kingley Peckham, John Calkins, Moses Calkins, A. M. Wright, Richard
Doty, David Watson, Samuel Ingalls, Samuel Hurlburt, Murray Ballard, Ezra
Wright.
--The first house erected in the township was by
Richard Doty, in 1795.
--Columbia was originally known as Cabot.
--Rev. Mr. Rich was the first Methodist minister.
--The first distillery was built by Sheldon Gibbs.
--Austinville, was originally called Morgan
Hollow.
--Jared Rowley erected the first grist mill in the
town.
--Sylvania was incorporated as a borough May 4,
1853.
--The first death was a child of Capt. Calkins, in
1810.
--The first school house was erected in 1814, by
Moses Taylor.
--Darius Sherman was the first blacksmith in
Columbia township.
--Peleg Peckham was the first carpenter in the
town of Columbia.
--An Equitable Aid Union Lodge was organized at
Sylvania, Feb., 1885.
--Charles Keyes, erected the first framed house in
the township, in 1808.
--Oliver Besley, brought the first lumber wagon to
Columbia, in 1812.
--The first saw mill was erected in 1806, by
Samuel Hurlburt and Murray Ballard.
--Laura Watkins born August, 1800, was the first
white child born in the township.
--Jacob Miller, an early settler of Columbia, was
a soldier in the revolutionary war.
--The first religious society was organized by
Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a Presbyterian, in 1800.
--The state road, from Towanda to Wellsboro, was
constructed through Columbia township in 1808.
--The first post office in the town was
established in 1818, and known as Sylvania; Reuben Nash, Post
Master.
--Sylvan Lodge, No. 926, I. O. O. F. Was organized
Feb. 1, 1876. The first officers were J. H.
Calkins, N. G.; A. M. Card, V. G.; George F. Monroe, Sec.; Peleg Peck, Treas.
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