Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/277

 C H A P T E R XXVI H E M L O C K T O W N S H IP E b H); surveys included the section now em­ braced in Hemlock township in what was then W yoming township, Northumberland county. T he name o f Hemlock creek w as then men­ tioned. and when this township w as erected in 1801 the name w as applied to both. It is one of the original townships included in Colum­ bia county when the latter w as fonned. Part of the present territory of the township was incorporated into Montour county at first, but after the act o f 1853 the part thus separated w as returned. T he earliest warrantees were John Nichol­ son. Robert Rogard, William Eikc, Philip Hahn. David Lynn. Elizabeth G ray. William Patterson, Evan Owen, Michael Bright, Henry Funk. Philip Gable. Samuel Einmitt. Sebright W agner, A lexander Johnson, Jam es Ellis, Daniel Duncan, M argaret Duncan. Thomas Barton. Daniel Montgomery. Nathaniel Brader. Peter Brugler. Andrew Waltman, John Lilly. Peter Brugler was the first person to enter on and improve his land, coming here between 1788 and 1790. H is land extended from the eastern part o f Frosty valley to the west branch o f Hemlock creek, and embraced about six hundred acres. H e built his home on the slope o f F ro sty vallcv, but it has long since vanished. Peter and Pfiilip Appleman came soon after Brugler. Through a mistake they built their house on the wrong tract, but later acquired title to this also. T hey occupied the Duncan tract, part o f which they sold to Hugh M c­ Bride. whose descendants still own it. Other German families came soon a fte r the above persons, emigrating from B erks and Northampton counties. T h ey came by w ay of the I.ehigh and Susquehanna turnpike, through its northern terminus at Berwick. T heir first supplies were usually bought at Catawissa and .Sunburv. Among these families were those of the Ohls. Hartmans. Neihardts. Wliitenichts, Lcidys, Girtons. Menningers. Merles, Grubers, Yocum s and Haucks. T hey purchased their

lands from the patentees, but few receiving title from the State. H enry Ohl, who w as a soldier of the R evo­ lution, came in 1804. Michael Mcnningcr lo­ cated on a hill above Fishing creek and H enry Wanich w as Ihe owner of Che adjoining tract. Most of their lands are now in the h ^ d s o f later settlers’ descendants. INDUSTRIES

Hemlock township w as rich in iron ore and the mines produced a fa ir income for the own­ ers of the land from which the raw nu terial was taken, but as the years passed the oper­ ators were compelled to go deeper a fte r the mineral and the expense o f keeping the mines free o f water in this re^ on o f springs became so great as to make unprofitable the further exploitation of the veins. Besides ore could be purchased from the Michigan mines at less cost than it could be mined here. T his, added to the necessity o f radical changes in the meth­ ods o f smelting, finally caused the closing down o f (he furnaces and (he abandonment o f this once highly remunerative industry. Though somewhat hilly this township is a fine farm ing section and is cultivated to tlte limit, most of the forests being cleared aw ay. A good State road runs through the western end of the township towards Danville and is much used by automobiles. T he sccnera* o f this part is fine and worth the trouble ot the trip. T h e first mill fo r the production o f boards and timber w as built at an early date in the I.iebenthal—a narrow valley' in which flows the west branch o f Hemlock crcck, but the builder’s name as well as Us location are now forgotten. Other mills were later built at d if­ ferent points, served their purpose and passed into ob ivion. Elisha Barton came to Hemlock township ahout 17 8 1 and bought a tract o f land extend­

288

D igitized by Google