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The Reverend Mr. David Craft Columbia Township |
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HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIPS
COLUMBIA TOWNSHIP HISTORY
(CRAFT)
The geographical position of
the township of Columbia is between the townships of Wells and South Creek
on the north, Springfield on the east, Troy and Armenia on the south, and
Tioga County on the west.
The township is watered by the
various branches and confluents of the Sugar Creek, as well as by the main
creek, for a short distance; the principal streams besides the latter being
Mill, Wolf, South, and Spring creeks. The surface along the Northern Central
railroad, which passes north through the extreme eastern portion of the
township, is mountainous, and is somewhat so in the southwestern corner
of the township. Its general surface corresponds to that of the towns
in its immediate vicinity, being high and broken, but the town possesses
a fruitful soil, and is well adapted for grazing and dairying.
SETTLEMENT
Judge Darius Bullock,
in the Athens Gleaner of June 29, 1871, gives the following facts
concerning the early settlement
of Columbia.
John and Nathaniel Ballard,
twin brothers and sons of Joseph Ballard, from Framingham, Massachusetts,
made the first clearing in the township in 1795, by chopping four acres
on the farm in Sylvania borough now owned by James Nash, but soon after
sold their interest in the improvement so made for "five dollars and a
hog". In 1798, * Nathaniel Morgan emigrated from Connecticut, and located
at what is known now as Austinville, and began a clearing on the farm now
owned by his grandson, John Morgan. He had previously bought the
Connecticut title to 17,000 acres of land extending eastward through "Cabot
Hollow," to and into the present township of Springfield, the title to
which, like other Connecticut titles, proved worthless. He raised
a few potatoes, which he buried, sowed a piece of wheat, and went back
for his family, with whom he returned in the following spring, and also
accompanied by David Watkins, Oliver Canfield, Joseph Batterson, Jeremiah
Chapman, Aaron Bennett, and Samuel Lamphere, whom he induced to come with
him by giving them each a deed of fifty acres. It is believed that
these were the first permanent settlers. Phineas C. Morgan, the only
surviving child of Nathaniel Morgan, is the last survivor of the immigrants
who came with his father. The latter died in 1804 or 1805.
About the year 1800,
Solomon Soper came in from Vermont permanently to reside, and also William
Rose. Dr. Tracy is authority for the statement that a man named Doty,
the same year that the Ballards made their clearing (1795), built a cabin
on the Scouton farm.
James Morgan was a boy
of ten years of age when be came in 1800, with his father, Nathaniel Morgan,
from Reading, Conn., where he (James) was born. He died Aug. 20, 1867,
aged seventy-eight years, in Austinville. In 1809 be married Margaret
McClelland, with whom he lived fifty-four years, she dying Sept. 8, 1863.
They reared eleven children, seven of whom survived the father. Mrs.
Morgan's father, John McClelland,* was a native of Ireland. He wished
to marry a lady who his father deemed beneath his son's social position,
and to accomplish their union both came to America. She landed in
Philadelphia, and he in New York, and never met again, or saw each other
after leaving their native land.
Phineas Chapman Morgan
and a daughter, Nancy, who afterwards married Amos Satterlee, were, with
James Morgan, the only children of Nathaniel Morgan. The daughter
went to Ohio after her marriage, and died there.
The Bingham heirs received
the Pennsylvania title over Mr. Morgan's Connecticut claim, and after some
years' litigation the Pennsylvania title was confirmed, and a compromise
effected whereby 500 acres were surveyed to Morgan, for which be paid one
bushel of wheat per acre, which amount of land was eventually divided between
Mr. Morgan's two sons, James and Phineas C. On this farm the Austinville
iron ore was taken.
David Watkins located
the farm owned afterwards by his son Mial. His daughter Laura is
the widow of Miles P. Slade. Mr. Watkins died in 1862, aged eighty-four
years, in Austinville. Aaron Bennett lived a short distance below
Mr. Morgan's claim, afterwards occupied by James Morgan, and Oliver
Canfield just below Mr. Bennett. Mr. Lamphere settled on the place
afterwards sold by him to John Besley, and on which the latter resided.
In 1801, Elnathan Goodrich
came with his family into the township, from Delaware county, N. Y. His
youngest child, then a babe, born in August of the same year, was Elisha
S. Goodrich, who afterwards became prominently known throughout the State,
both as an editor and public official of the county and State. His
son, E. O'Meara Goodrich, also prominently known in the same line as his
father, was born in Columbia, about 1824, and is now surveyor of the port
of Philadelphia.
Charles Keyes was an early
settler, and is said by Judge Bullock to have first come to the town soon
after the Ballards' first clearing.
About 1802-3 the Buckley family
came into the town.
In 1804, David Palmer
came from Burlington, and settled on the Scouton farm, purchasing the same
of Ebenezer Baldwin, who had bought it of Doty. When Palmer moved
into the house it had been for some time unoccupied, and the brambles had
grown up through the cracks in the basswood floor as high as the beams
overhead, and were obliged to be cut out before the goods could be stored.
About this time or within a year or two afterwards, Abraham Weast made
a possession on Willard Mosher's farm, but before 1807 he sold out to a
Mr. Sprague.
In 1807, Calvin Tinkham
came from Hampshire Co., Mass, and Charles Keyes from Burlington.
Mr. Keyes was a hatter, and followed the business here some years.
He died in the winter of 1856.
In 1808 the Havens family
settled on a hill half a mile north of Austinville. They were a numerous
family, and Carter Havens was the father of twenty-two children.
John Bixby, also, came
in 1808. He cleared up the farm on which he ever afterwards resided.
After he had built a house and moved into it, he commenced chopping a fallow;
one tree, standing near the house, fell contrary to his intentions, and,
striking the roof, broke in the gable and a portion of the rafters.
He died in October, 1866, lacking but about four months of ninety years
of age.
Nathaniel Merritt came
from Vermont in September, 1807, and settled on James McKean's farm.
He had five sons, one of whom, Curtis Merritt, resides in Sylvania.
At this date (1807) there was not a house between Springfield Centre and
Bentley's Creek, and nothing but a bridle path to travel in. When
Mr. Merritt came in, Samuel Baldwin lived on the Smead farm, and Ephraim
Cleveland on John Calkins' farm.
In 1808, Deacon Asa Howe
took up a farm near Helen Budd's, and gave the locality the name of Howe
Hollow thereby. Comfort Peters settled on the Pettibone farm the
same year, and Sheldon Gibbs came in 1809 to the same neighborhood.
Both of these men were basket-makers, and peddled their wares through the
country round a bout, even as far away as Oswego. For this reason
the road on which they lived was called Basket street, and still rettains
its early cognomen, and is the road leading from C. H. Ballard's to Austinville.
Phineas Jones came in
about the year 1808. He was a brother of Mrs. Comfort Peters, and came
from the same locality. He removed in 1818 into central New York.
Rev. Joseph Beeman,
a Baptist clergyman, and Deacon David R. Haswell came together from Vermont
in 1807-8, and settled near each other on the northern border of the town,
and died on their farms.
John Peter Gernert, William
Furman, Reuben Nash and Jacob Miller, the latter a Revolutionary soldier,
were among the earlier settlers of the township; but the dates given by
different authorities of the time they settled are so conflicting it is
impossible to venture an exact statement.
The dates range from 1808
to 1817. Mr. Furman was from Delaware Co., N. Y., and was the first
of his family to settle in Columbia. He lived at the crossroads,
and was a justice of the peace. Peter and John were his children,
and John, the elder, lived near Austinville. Mr. Furman's brother,
Paul Furman, lived on the creek. John Peter Gernert was a German,
and died in the early days of the settlement. He lived near Mr. Besley's
place.
John Lilly was of English
parentage, but born in Hillsborough, Ireland, in 1781. He was impressed
into the military service and sent to Canada, where he deserted and came
to Ogdensburg, N. Y., thence to Vermont, where he married Nancy Smith.
From Vermont he came to Troy, Bradford County, and stopped for a time at
Long's Mills, and then moved up towards Sylvania, to which place he came
in or about 1808-9. He bought the Sheldon Gibbs farm.
Michael Wolf camo from
Delaware Co., N. Y., via Athens, in 1811. He married Betsey Furman.
Oliver Bosley, a French
Huguenot, in 1812, with ,labors abundant and trials oft," brought a lumber-wagon
tbrough from South Creek to Columbia Cross-Roads.
George Moore was born
at Columbia Cross-Roads in 1810, and married Sallie Gernert. About
this time, or earlier a year or two, a blacksmith named Sherman lived where
Jacob Fries now lives, and a man named Robbins lived where Mrs. Bosley
resides.
John McClelland, commonly
called Esquire McClelland, must have come to the county at least before
1809, as his daughter Margaret was married that year to James Moran. He
probably came in 1807-8. He was an Irishman.
Asa Bullock came to the
town in 1817, and died Jan. 1, 1831, on his farm. He was a native
of Bristol Co., Mass. He was a brother of Judge Darius Bullock.
Joseph Gladding came the
same year, from Barrington, R. I., in December, being thirty days on the
road. He came with his wife's brother, Vial Allen Bullock, a son
of Asa Bullock, before named, in the spring before. Dr. Darius Bullock
came before this time to the county, locating, in Smitlifield.
Thomas Monroe, Harry Harris,
and Levi Cornell came soon after 1817.
Peleg Peckham came from
Rehoboth, Mass., and settled in Columbia in 1818. His first location
was on a part of that part of the farm now owned by Mr. Gladding. He was
a carpenter, and built some of the best houses of his time. He was
brother to Kingsley Peckham, and married a sister of Mrs. Joseph Gladding.
Kingsley Peckham bought
the Merritt location.
John Calkins came to Columbia
in 1817, from Burlington, exchanging his possession there with Samuel Lamphere
for his in Columbia. Mr. Calkins was born in 1790, and came with
his father, Moses Calkins, from Duanesburg, Schoharie Co., N. Y., to Sugar
Creek in 1794, his father having preceded the family the year before, and
prepared a home for them.
FIRSTLINGS
The first house built
in the township was the log cabin of Doty, erected in 1795. The next
ones were the cabins of the six families who came in the year 1799, or
1800, as it is variously given, viz., Nathaniel Morgan, Aaron Bennett,
David Watkins, Joseph Batterson, Oliver Canfield, and Samuel Lamphere.
These men were rich in energy and perseverance, though poor in worldly
goods. David Watkins said when be arrived he had of worldly possessions
nothing save his wife, and ox-team, and seven dollars and a half in cash.
The pioneers soon, however, had each a cabin with a bark roof, the more
luxurious ones had a floor of basswood Puncheons (rifted logs hewed smooth)
for others, mother earth furnished their floor, uncarpeted. The windows
were for a time unglazed, and when they could afford such a luxury, they
paid twenty-five cents per pane, seven by nine inches, for it at Tioga
Point. The doors were made of split basswood, set on end, and held
in place by a cross-bar, secured by wooden hooks driven into the logs.
Nails there were none, save such as the blacksmith forged for them out
of wrought iron, and wooden pins served the purpose. Huge wooden
fireplaces were built into one end of the cabins, outside of the wall usually,
and whatever else was lacking, fuel was plenty. The back-log, from
three to six feet long and from one to two feet in diameter, formed a substantial
foundation to receive another log of about half its size. Two other
logs of smaller dimensions, properly placed, served as fire-dogs, upon
which the forestick rested; then the split wood was artistically worked
in and about the foundation thus laid, and a crackling, roaring flame was
soon ascending the broad-throated chimney, built, sometimes, of round sticks
plastered with mud, and the bright glare of the burning wood diffused light
and warmth throughout the small apartment, provided the same was well chinked
up with mud between joints. A cord of good wood would not last long
in cold weather in such a fire.
At Tioga Point, twenty-one
miles distant, were the nearest neighbors, with one exception, to these
pioneers. There, too, they did their trading, paying Seventy-five
cents, or a bushel of wheat, for a yard of factory cloth or calico.
The nearest neighbor,
the exception noted above, was Reuben Mitchell, who had moved up a little
east of Smithfield Centre. He had a grindstone, and the new-comers
had none; therefore they went to neighbor Mitchell's, twelve miles away,
to grind their axes, which saved a journey " clean down to the P'int."
Their milling was done
at Wilkes-Barre, involving a journey of two men a week or more. The
grist was carried to the river by horseback, a load being made up by the
neighbors for a canoe, which would float down, but must be poled back.
Pounded corn samp was the diet till the grist got home, the women doing
the pounding with a pioneer mill, mortar and pestle.
For hay, the cattle browsed
the twigs and buds of the trees, which were felled for the purpose.
The snow was frequently so deep that tracks would need to be shoveled out
for them to reach the tops.
The first framed house
built in the town was erected in 1808 by Charles Keyes, near Harry Smith's.
The first white child
born in the town was Laura, a daughter of David Watkins, who was ushered
into this busy world, according to her own statement, in August, 1800.
She was cradled in a sap trough on the farm owned subsequently by her brother
Mial. She subsequently married Miles P. Slade, and is still living.
The first male child born
in the town was Herman Soper, a son of Solomon Soper, who was but a little
way behind his pioneer sister, Mrs. Slade, he putting in an appearance
in September following.
The first death that occurred
in the township is agreed to have been that of a young child, who was,
as one authority says, "scalded to death," July 4, 1810. Dr. Tracy
says it was before 1810, and Mrs. Slade says it, was the first death,
but gives no date. However, she places the death of Nathaniel Morgan
in 1804 or 1805. There is a discrepancy also as to the name of the
child, one authority assigning it to Capt. Calkins and another to
Esquire ______. A Mr. Wright is also said to have been the first adult
who died in the town. With the Morgan family came also the grandmother
of the children, "a very old woman," who died in 1810-12.
The first distillery in
the town was built by Sheldon Gibbs, where Dummer Lilley now resides.
The first road cut into
the town was that one " blazed" through to Sheshequin by the first pioneer
settlers, after they had built their cabins, as they returned to their
families at the place named, where they had been left.
The first post-office
was called Sylvania, and subsequently gave its name to the borough.
It was established in 1818, previous to which time Athens was the nearest
point of postal communication with the outside world. Reuben Nash
was the first postmaster. There are now five post offices in the
township.
The first store was kept
by David Watson. It was a mere grocery, its principal stock in trade
being tobacco and whisky.
The first school-house
built in the settlement was erected by Moses Taylor, on the farm now occupied
by Alanson Taylor, in the town of Smithfield, to which Columbia belonged
until 1814.
The first religious society
in the settlement was one formed about 1800, by Rev. Daniel Thatcher,
in Wells township (now), as a branch of the Presbyterian church at Elmira,
organized by him in 1795. Later, Mrs. Haswell, Mrs. Wright, and Mrs.
Hyde, the former a Congregationalist and the other Presbyterians, formed
a praying band; others soon joined, and prayer-meetings were instituted.
The Baptist clergymen Bacon and Beebe visited the settlements, and in 1819
the Rev. Benjamin Oviatt came, and preached three years in the neighborhood,
holding meetings in the schoolhouse near Mr. Corey's, which was soon called
Baptist Hill," and in Samuel Edsall's barn.
Samuel Ingalls was the
first Methodist in this part of the country, and fitted up a shed for meeting,
where David Fries now resides. Mr. Bird was one of the first preachers
of that denomination here.
Dr. Tracy says Elder Rich
was the first preacher in the township, and was succeeded by Elder Simeon
Powers. Subsequently, Elder Rich, a son of the first Elder Rich,
was an itinerant in several of the towns west of the Susquehanna, and,
being minus one limb, always sat down when he delivered his sermons. The
detailed history of the various church organizations of the township will
be found elsewhere, in the general history of the county.
The first sawmill built
in the town was put up, in 1806, by Samuel Hurlburt and Murray Ballard,
where Waldo's mill now stands.
The first grist-mill built
in the settlement was a little log affair, put up by a Mr. Rowley, near
the site of Long's mills, which was formerly included within the township
lines.
INCIDENTS
In the year 1795, when
the Ballard boys, then eighteen years old, came into Columbia to make their
clearing, they carried nothing with them but their knapsacks, filled with
pork and johnie-cake, and their axes. They followed the creek to
avoid losing their way, as no white man had ever gone that way before,
and no track was visible, or blazed tree to mark the way. When they
arrived at the present site of Long's mills, two panthers sprang from their
coverts across their way, and seemed disposed to dispute the farther progress
of the young pioneers. The beasts were not easily scared, and the
"grass policy" only made them show their fangs the more fiercely.
At last, armed each with a heavy club, the boys made a dash upon the long
tailed cats, and a few blows well delivered soon put them to flight. Before
arriving at their point of destination, a pack of bears attempted to oppose
the advance, and being treated to like onslaughts retreated and left the
field to the victors. After a week's labor, the provisions gave out,
and they returned to Burlington for fresh supplies; and on their return
to their clearing, the next week, they brought their rifles along.
These boys, after selling
out
their improvement, located in Burlington, and found one day they were trespassing
on a former possession, whose occupants stoutly resisted the encroachment
on their claim. A den of rattlesnakes occupied a portion of their
claim, and it is said the boys killed seventy two of the reptiles in one
day, while " logging" an acre of land,-and it probably was not much of
a day for snakes, either.
When the first permanent settlers
came into the township in 1799-1800, they found the door of Morgan's
cabin, built the year before, standing ajar, and the skeleton of a deer
hanging from one of the beams. Some hunter had killed the animal
and hung it up there, and the wild beasts seeing it, had pushed open the
door, and picked the flesh clean from the bones.
David Watkins frequently
carried a bag of wheat on his back to the mill in the Sheshequin, bringing
the flour home in the same way, in default of having a horse to do the
portage. Mrs. Slade says her mother's only fare on the day of her
(Mrs. Slade's) birth, was boiled wheat, the father going to mill
with a bushel of wheat, as above described, soon after his little daughter
made her debut on the stale of action. Boiled wheat nowadays is somewhat
prized as a delicacy.
Abraham Weast, one of
the pioneers before 1807, was a celebrated hunter and woodchopper, but,
notwithstanding his skill in woodcraft, he once lost his way in attempting
to go to Mill creek, and wandered in the woods for three days. Being, without
his gun he could kill no game, and became nearly famished. Towards
daylight of the third day be came to a turnip-patch, and began an attack
on those esculents to appease his hunger, when be was discovered by the
owner of the vegetables, who took him to his cabin, and by a judicious
feeding on venison soup, etc., restored his strength.
CIVIL HISTORY
The first township organized, which included the present township of Columbia, was called Cabot, by Nathaniel Morgan, who bought the territory included in its limits of the Connecticut company. He surveyed the township to include the 16,000 acres he bought, beginning at the southeast corner of the township, on the top of the hill south of Mial Watkins' house. From this point two parties of surveyors ran the lines, one going north and the other west. The two parties met on Pickle hill, the northwest corner of the township. From the name then given comes "Cabot Hollow," since called Morgan's Hollow, and still later as now known, Austinville. Subsequently the town was included in one called Ulster, from which Smithfield was taken before the organization of Bradford County; Columbia being given a separate organization from Smithfield in 1814. The name of Cabot was changed to Columbia before it was separated from Smithfield.
SYLVANIA BOROUGH
is situated in the southern part of the township, and is the old village of "Columbia Flats." It was incorporated as a borough May 4, 1853, and has an area of about 500 acres. The confluent bead-waters from the north and south and west unite in the borough and form Sugar creek, which thence passes out of the borough eastward. The village contains two churches, one Union and one Presbyterian, one schoolhouse, one hotel, a post-office, steam saw mill, a store, grocery, and about forty dwellings. It is at the head of a beautiful valley hemmed in on three sides by high hills.
AUSTINVILLE
is a village of about the same extent as Sylvania, and is situated in the western-central part of the township, in a narrow valley, on the north branch of the Sugar creek. It was named in honer of a young man named Augustus Austin, who, about 1857, moved into the place, at that time called Morgan Hollow, and who displayed great energy and enterprise in building up the place. Iron mines formerly worked here are not at present in operation. The village contains a Baptist church, a schoolhouse, hotel, post-office, two general stores, a hardware and a drug-store, and a steam sawmill.
COLUMBIA CROSS-ROADS
is a station on the Pennsylvania Northern Central railroad, and is situated in the southeastern part of the town. It contains a church, schoolhouse, store, and post-office, and a few dwellings. It is beautifully located in a valley of the north branch of the Sugar creek.
SNEDEKERVILLE
is also a station on the Pennsylvania Northern Central railroad, and is situated in the extreme northeastern part of the town. It was named in honor of Mr. W. H. Snedeker, and has a saw-mill, post-office, schoolhouse, and a few dwellings and a general store.
POPULATION
The town of Columbia possessed
in 1850 a population of 1383 souls. In 1860 the number increased to 1468,
Sylvania having 215. In 1870 the town had 1521, including Sylvania,
which had 212. 42 were foreign born and 16 were colored.
SCHOOLS
The township is divided into 14 school districts, wholly lying within the town, and two joint districts with Wells and Troy. During the school year ending June 1, 1877, schools were taught in all of the districts an average of six months each, Sylvania having seven months' school. 4 male and 11 female teachers were employed, and received salaries therefor averaging $24 per month for the gentlemen, and $20.60 for the ladies. 179 boys and 157 girls attended the school, the average attendance for the whole period of the schools being 216. Seven mills on the dollar of valuation were raised for school purposes on the property in the town, producing $1621.50. $385.35 was received from the State; the total receipts from all sources bein$2517.18. Teachers' wages were $1448 - the total expenditures being $2071.56.
PELEG PECK
(See biography, wine the portrait
and biography of Peleg Peck, Jr.)
The subject of this sketch
was born in Warren, R. I., December, 1798. He is a son of Hezekiah
and Abigail Peck. His ancestry belonged to the old English gentry.
Joseph Peck, the founder of the Peck family in America, emigrated from
Ipswich, England, in the ship "Diligent" in the year 1638, and settled
in Hingham, Norfolk Co., R. I. The papers in the town clerk's office at
Hingham record his arrival in the following manner; "Joseph Peck, with
three sons, one daughter, two men-servants, and two maid-servants, came
from Old Hingham and settled in New Hingham."
Mr. Peck's early educational
advantages were quite limited, owing to the newness of the country and
the absence of those institutions which are the outgrowth of a more settled
and civilized condition of life. He, however, made excellent improvement
of the limited advantages which a common district school afforded.
Under the fostering hand of puritanical influences, he developed into an
industrious young man. At the age of twenty one he turned his gaze
to the far west, which in those days meant Pennsylvania, just as much as
Colorado does to-day. After much hardship he reached Smithfield,
Bradford Co., Pa., where he at once, with youthful ardor and industry,
engaged in the farming and lumbering interests.
(See portrait of Peleg Peck
on preceding page.)
He was united in marriage,
Nov. 3, 1821, to Miss Lydia C., a daughter of Daniel and Lydia Hunter,
of Bristol, R. 1. The fruits of this happy union were the birth of eleven
children, most of whom are now living. Peleg Jr., and Hezekiah Peck
were born in Smithfield, respectively, July 2, 1831, and Nov. 26, 1826.
In 1856 they purchased their father's interest in the lumberman business.
The are at present extensive dealers and manufacturers of lumber.
Their mills have a capacity
of one and a half million feet per year. They are both enterprising
business men, and have largely identified themselves with the political
and educational interests of their town and county. Mr. Peck in the
year 1840 removed to Sylvania borough. He held the office of justice
of the peace ten years, discharging the duties of his office with great
fidelity, and giving excellent satisfaction to his fellow townsmen.
He was an earnest and zealous member of the Disciple church. He was
always favorable to the advancement of school and church interests, believing
them to be vital factors in the progress of civilization.
Mr. Peck died in the month
of February, 1875, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years, having closely
identified himself with the growth and development of Bradford County for
upwards of fifty-four years. His death was regretted by all with
whom he had come in contact during his long and busy life.
