Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice 1885 Seven Counties History - Bradford County PA Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

Photo by Joyce M. Tice  June 26, 1999

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Canton township is situated in the extreme southwest portion of Bradford county.  The sources of
Towanda creek, which flows eastward into the North Branch of the Susquehanna, and the sources of the Lycoming creek or river which flows southward into the West Branch of the Susquehanna, are found in this township.  The Northern Central Railroad passes through the township from south to north, having several stations in the township.  Canton and Alba are boroughs which have been formed from its territory.  East Canton, Grover and Minnequa, are villages and post towns.  The soil is well adapted to grazing, orchard products, and growing of corn, oats, buckwheat and wheat.  Some of the finest farms and farm dwellings and capacious barns in the county are found in Canton.  Canton borough stands third in the county as a shipping point for agricultural and other products, and is only excelled by Troy and Towanda.  Canton borough is rapidly increasing in wealth and population.

The early settlers were:  Rufus Gere, Orr Scoville, Ezra Spalding, Horace Spalding, Jonas Gere, Jonathan Prosser, Alvin Cook, Gershon Gillett, Wilkes Gillett, Zephaniah Rogers, Zephaniah Rogers, Jr., John Newell, Dr. Moses Emerson, Ichabob Sellard, Labon Landon, Benjamin Landon, Major Withey, Ebenezer Bixby, Samuel Griffin, Nathan Roberts, Samuel Griffin, Jr., Joel Bullock, Abram Taber, Jacob Granteer, Isaiah Grover, Benjamin Babcock, Nathaniel Babcock, Samuel Rockwell, David Pratt, Stephen Sellard, Elisha Wilcox, Stephen Strickland, Amos Strickland.

 --Ezra Spalding kept the first hotel in 1799.
 --Canton borough was incorporated in 1863.
 --Orr Scoville built the first framed house, in Canton.
 --Samuel Strait opened the first bank in Canton, in 1871.
 --Dr. Sylvester was the first regular physician in the town.
 --The first settler in the town of Canton, was Rufus Gere, in 1796.
 --Zepaniah Rogers built the first grist mill.  It was a small concern.
 --Canton borough was originally known as “Canton Four Corners.”
 --Canton was named in honor of a town by that name in Connecticut.
 --Samuel Griffin erected the first school house in the township, in 1803.
 --Samuel Griffin, an early settler of Canton, was a revolutionary soldier.
 --Ezra Spalding, an early settler of Canton, was a soldier of the revolution.
 --Miss Emma Seagar taught the first school in 1803, now within Canton borough.
 --Loren Kingsbury taught the first school in Canton township, in the winter of 1801-2.
 --The early settlers in Canton, had to go to Towanda, Tioga Point, Newtown or Williamsport,  for their “store goods.”
 --Canton Lodge, A. Y. Masons, No. 415, instituted March 4th, 1868.  C. W. Landon, W. M; Warren Landon, S. W.; W. W. Whitman, J. W.; B. W. Clark, Sec.
 --Minnequa Lodge, No. 374, Knights of Pythias, instituted in April 1871, Theodore Pierce, V. P.;  J. A. McNaught, C. C.; E. L. Manley, V. C.; M. R. Doty, K. Of R. S.
 --Canton Lodge, No. 321, I. O. O. F., organized October 29, 1848.  First officers were:  William Gosline, N. G.; Dr. W. S. Baker, V. G.; A. C. Pickard, Sec.; J. W. Griffin, Treas.

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