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PRIOR to the Wyoming battle, on theTowanda flats, Jacob Bowman had moved near Mr. Fox, while Capt. John Bartles had settled, or at least made a pitch, above them toward Monroeton, and probably John Neeley at Greenwood. John Neeley had taken possession of the tract of land above Mr. Fox, at Greenwood, and was probably there at this time, and aided Mr. Fox in his emigration. The Strickland family settled on the Cole place at an early day. The first grave at Cole's, as shown by the inscription on the headstone, was that of " Hannah Strickland," whose death occurred January 24, 1791, at the acre of eighteeen months and two days. Noadiah Cranmer, born in New Jersey, August 26, 1736, located on lands east of those of h is son John's, now included in the " Hinman property."
Usual Carter, a warm friend of Samuel Cranmer, came to Monroe before 1796; located on lands now included within the borough limits, and built his house near the residence of IL C. Tracy. Peter Edsall and the Millers -Daniel, Shadrach, Jacob, William and Moses miarated to Monroe at about the same time as did the Carter family.
John Neeley purchased a tract occupied by Mrs. Brown and others at Greenwood. It is stated that, "as early as 1787 he came on and had his land surveyed and made arrangements preparatory to settlement. Undertaking to swim a horse across the river at the mouth of Towanda creek, he was drowned in Bowman's eddy. Timothy Alden came to Monroe in 1800. He was a blacksmith, and worked at his trade for some time after coming into Monroe. In 1827 he built the stone house yet standing on the place where he settled.
The Northrups came to Monroe before the year 1800, and Nehemiah was a property owner in Athens at or before the year 1795. John and James, like Bijah, were " watermen," and employes of the Meanses for some years before becoming- land owners. Henry Salisbury was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and lost his right arm, with a wound in his left hand, at tile surrender of Cornwallis. He migrated when his son Henry was seventeen years old, which would make his advent into Monroe in the year 1791. His purchase included the land held by the Coles, and Ills house, the largest in the neighborhood, stood near the public road between Samuel Cole's and the watering trough.
John Schrader came to Greenwood and settled where the tannery now is, soon after Dougherty, perhaps as early as 1801-2.
Daniel Heverly, a native of Lehigh county, came to Greenwood in 1806, and remained there until 1810, when lie and his sons moved into Overton, being the first settlers there. James Lewis cattle to Monroe prior to 1806, and settled the Shultz place. Reed Brockaway was in inhabitant of the township for a short time, as early as 1800.
Abner C. Rockwell, a native of East Windsor, Conn., born May 4, 17 83, migrated to Monroe not far from the year 1800. James Lawrence, born February 15, 1814, was associated with him. H. Brown in the mercantile business at Monroeton for about twenty years. After the dissolution of the firm he purchased Park's mills, now Rockwell Bridge mills, which he operated until. the time of his death-November 21, 187-5. Rev. Elisha Cole, born August 15, 1769, came to Monroe in about 1810-11. Jared Woodruff, born August 14, 1789, made a trip to the West a-foot and alone in 1812 or '13. With no particular point in view lie drifted into -Monroe, and after having lived there for a short time, a brother, Urial, came in, and they purchased the improvements which had been made by Jothin Northrup.
Timothy Alden came front Otis, Berkshire Co., Mass., to Monroe in 1801. Andrew Irving settled in Monroe as early as 1812, and induced his brother George to come also from Northampton county, their former home. Andrew was a tanner, and had a tannery in the town. Soon after Andrew and George came, their brother, Welch .Irving also came. Noadiah Cranmer came to Monroe from Sussex county, N. J., at an early day. He owned the property where the village stands, and up as far as Mason's Mills. His sons, John and Samuel, had to- houses and improvements. The father was an old man of about eighty years when he came into the country, and he lived alone.He was the ancestor of a large and important family in the township, who have been identified with its history and interested in its progress from the beginning
Peter Edsall came in before 1800, and lived next above Mr. Cranmer.
The Tabors were in the town in 1800, and lived on the old Scott place. . . Mrs. Padnor lived on the property owned by Joseph Homet, in Monroeton, the house being near Mr. Brown's, in 1800.
The father of Nelson Gilbert moved up the creek- in 1813, and lived in one end of a double log house, the other being Occupied by William Dougherty. John Schrader was a Hessian soldier, who was one of thirty who deserted the British army at the battle of Trenton joined the American ranks, and remained in the service until the close of the war. Then lived for a time at Milton, Northumberland county, and finally settled on the lower end of the flats just below Greenwood, where he died at an advanced age. James Lewis settled above Schrader's. He had been a captive to the Indians in the last French-Indian war, being then twelve years of age. After the conclusion of peace he was returned to his parents. He first settled in Wysox, where he owned land on the Little Wysox, and built where afterward known as Hinman's mills, he having sold to John Hinman, Dec. 13, 1793, and moved into Monroe, his house standing nearly on the site of the present Greenwood cottage.
Amos V. Matthews was among the early settlers on the Schrader branch. Vincent A. Matthews built a tavern in what is known as Northrup Hollow, on the farm now occupied by Nathan Northrup.
Henry Salisbury was ail early settler in the lower part of the township, on the farm now occupied by Salisbury Cole. Elijah Head moved out on pack-horses, and settled on what was afterward known as the Daniel Bowman place. Jared Woodruff was early in Monroe, and a pioneer on the hill east of the village.
John D. Sanders, a native of Maryland, came to Monroe in about 1802-3, and settled the Ridgeway place. Daniel Gilbert set- tied at Greenwood in 1812 or '13. Ile was a son of Samuel Gil-bert, a native of Connecticut, who migrated to Pennsylvania in about 1790. William French, or 11 Bill French," as he was more com-monly known, came in from the East as early as 1813 and settled on the hills above Monroeton, near the Franklin line. The Hewitts were lumbermen. They came to Monroe before 1813, and had a mill in operation at Masontown for several years, and did quite an extensive business. Thomas Cox was an early settler, and for a time he lived within the limits of Monroeton, then moved to the hills back of the village, in Towanda township, where lie died. Ile married Susan, daughter of Usual Carter. U. AT. Cox and Mrs. Nathan Northrup are children, and reside in the township.
Charles Brown came to the township and settled the Philo Mingos place, before 1813. Edsall Carr was an inhabitant of Monroe in 1813. Job Irish was an early settler. George Arnout came in 1816, and purchased with his son, Jacob, the farm generally known as the " Salisbury place." Simeon Bristol, or 11 Uncle Sim Bristol," as he was familiarly called, was among the more interesting characters of Monroe, not far from 1818.
Among the names of those contained in the first assessment of Monroe (1821) are the following : James Crooks, William Day, Abra-ham Hess, John and Norman Stone, Solomon Tallady, Daniel Lyon.
Libeus Marcy, a native of Connecticut, migrated to Monroe in 1822. Thomas Lewis, or 11 Uncle Tommy Lewis," as lie was more generally known, a native of Lebanon county, Pa., came to Monroe in 1822 from McKunesville. Dr. Benoni Mandeville, a native of Granby., Mass., came to Bradford county in 1813, at first settling, in Orwell township, where he practiced his profession, and preached for a time. In 1822 lie came to Monroe, and purchased what is now the W. W. Decker property.
Elizer Sweet, a native of Rhode Island, born July 9, 1778, found his way into Pennsylvania not far from the year 1800.
In 1825, the following were assessed in Monroe: Adam Beam, Samuel Campbell, Marcus Campbell, Sherman Havens and William Cox; in 1826, William Black, clothier and spinner; in 1827, Joseph Ingham and John Black, both clothiers; in 1828, Orrin Galpin ; in 1829, Gashun Hart-is, George A. McClen; in 1830, Clark Cummings, Moses Coolbaugh, Joseph Griggs, Elisha Harris, John E. Ingham (physician); in 1831, Fisher and Wilson, merchants; in 1832, Francis Bull, John Gale, Harrison & Warford (merchants); in 1833, Thos. T. Smiley; in 1834, Joab Summers, John Campbell (miller), D. M. Bull; in 1835, Nicholas Wanck, Jeremiah Hollon, Elijah Horton; in 18381 James Blauvelt and Coonrad Mingos.
Joseph Griggs, a native of Windham, Conn., came to the township in 1830. Dr. John Ellicott Ingham, whose father was one of the first settlers in Sugar Run, after having graduated in medicine, located at Monroe in 1830. John Gale, a native of Orange county, N. Y., and grandson of Selah Arnout, became a permanent resident in tile town in 1832. Joah Summers settled at Liberty Corners in 1834.
Liberty Corners has one store and a postoffice. The place was formerly called 11 Hollon. Hill."
Northrup Hollon was named after Nathan Northrup-the name also of a beautiful valley in Monroe.
Weston is a station on the railroad, made notable by the coal-oil excitement of 1884, when a company was formed, and a well put down 1,805 feet; they found sand, rock and greasy odors, but no oil.
Masontown is really a continuation of Monroeton along the highway. Here are the Salisbury Mills.
Greenwood is two miles, on the Canton road, beyond Monroeton. The Barclay road passes through it. It was platted by E. T. Park in 1884, on the old Higby place, and has 327 acres in the plat; 35 acres were sold out in lots. Adjoining this plat is a portion of the village and the hotel. In 1800 William Dougherty kept a house of entertainment here ; sold to Jacob Lowman, who in turn sold to David Gilbert.
Greenwood Tannery, by Thomas E. Procter and Jonathan Hill. They have seventy-five acres of ground connected with the plant, own 15,000 acres of timber land in Bradford and Sullivan counties, also contracts for the bark on 11,000 acres at the Foot of Plane, and have
101000 cords of bark on hand. There is but one larger plant of the kind in the world-the one at Ralston, Pa. They have 458 tan vats 13 coolers, each 8 feet deep and 8 feet in diameter; 16 leaches that will hold 16 tons of ground bark each; employ 100 men in the tanner and 50 men all the time in the woods; ship 3 car-loads of leather a week; their supply of hides, known as the African buffalo hide, come from Calcutta, and the exclusive make is sole leather. They consume 12,000 tons of bark a year. G. B. Griswold, is bookkeeper and cashier M. E. Sarvay is mercantile manager The tannery was established, 1867, by Towanda parties, with a capacity of 25,000 hides a year. 1 1881, it was purchased by the present proprietors, and enlarged to it present capacity. Connected with the tannery is a general store which does a large trade.
MONROE BOROUGH.
Monroeton, which is at the junction of the Barclay Railroad in State Line & Sullivan Railroad, is an important shipping , point. town originally commenced to row at the time of the building of the turnpike in 1819. In 1820 a number of mills were started, and at on time fourteen of these were in the township. The trade reached it highest mark in 1844, and practically ceased in 1859. Matters stood stationary until 1871. the time of the building of the State Line & Sullivan Railroad. The village was plotted in 1828 by G. F. Mason and was made a borough in May, 1855; in its limits are about 250 acres once the property of Timothy Pickering. In 1840, E. F. Young buil a foundry and machine shop; swept away July 19, 1850; rebuilt the nex year. The foundry at that place was joined to the Towanda foundry in bec
1871. In 1882 it ame the property of Rockwell & Cranmer.
Monroe Manufacturing Company was cstablislied in April, 1885, b 0. M. Brock, 11. AT. Mullen and E. F. Fowler; they manufacture lumber, nail-kegs, lath, etc. In IS88 it was sold to an incorporated company, and in IS90 began making toys, etc. The employ about 200 men. Their entire product is completed in the factory.
The first officers or Monroe borough were: Buqgess, W. 11. 11 Brown ; council, 11. S. Phinney, E. B. Coolbaugh, Anthony Mullen, D L. Lyon, John Hanson, Abraham Fox ; secretary, L. L. Terwilliger treasurer, C. M. Knapp. The present officers are: J. T. Sweet, burgess council, Bernard A. Cranmer. F. H. Dodge, G. 11. Smally. Thomas Ackey, I Henry Walborn, J. A. De Voe; clerk, Hobart N. Mullen.
Monroeton has the following industries: Two drug stores, two hardware stores, four dry goods and groceries, one coal dealer and one meat market. Col. Rogers Fowler erected a sawmill and gristmill in 1803, on the creek, at Monroe, and Anthony Vanderpool built, some
time before this date, a little log tub-mill, which was the first mill in all this country. In 1800, Dougherty and Needham bui It the first mill at Greenwood. "King Pool" built a gristmill, with a single run of stone, it Monroe, several years before the Fowlers came. Jacob Bowman built the first frame house in the township. There -were twelve distilleries within four miles of Bowman's; among them, Reuben Hale's Thompson's, Ebenezer Tuttle's Means' Widow Pladnor's, Stephen Wilcox's, Joseph Wallace's, and Johnson's.
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