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/294

 C H A P T E R X X X II M O U N T P I .E A S A N T T O W N S H IP In i8 i8 this township was constructed from portions o f Bloom. Greenwood and Fishing­ creek townships, it lias never been a very important division of the county, although a farm ing section. The little villages o f tanby, W elliversville and Mordansville have never developed into sufficient size to be classed as towns. township was noted in the days of settlement of the county fo r the abundance of timber and the unfailing character o f its water supply. Most of the settlers o f this region were of English descent, and natives o f New Jersey. They did not come until after the Revolution and the settlement of the Indian troubles. The first to arriv e were Peter Eveland and Jacob Force, the former locating near the site of Welliversville, and Ih e latter near the spot where the Kitchen church w as later built. Adam W elliver came soon after and settled between these first two arrivals, the spot being afterwards called iV ellivfrsviJU in his honor. Frederick M iller, a German from Northamp­ ton county, came some years later and settled at the site o f Canby, the post office established here in 18 3 1 by him bearing at first his name—, ^ j 71rr/ou’«. T his office was for a time discon­ tinued, but revived in 18 7 3 under the name of Canby. from the rallant general whose death occurred in the Civil war. T his office is at present replaced by the rural route. A dozen houses, a Lutheran church and a schoolhouse form the town in 19 14. The first stone house in the township, built by Philip K istlcr, still stands near the village. T h e present store­ keeper is A. M. Shultz. John K ester located on the hill above M or­ dansville. where many o f his descendants now reide. John Kitchen settled near W ellivcrsville. T he Vandcrslices, Ikclers, .Applemans, Crawfords. Bittenbenders, Whites. Hartzells and Howells were among the later arrivals. George Van operated a smal! woolen mill for a few years on a run in the eastern edge of the township, and a number o f sawmills and

lime kilns in the southern portion were the limit of industries, outside o f Mordansville, in the early sixties. M OROANSVILLK

T he sawmill o f Jo h n M ordan, the first built in the early days o f settlement, gave this vil­ lage its name. F o r a time the place was a thriving spot, due to the woolen mills built here in 1856 by Joseph E. Sands and Thomas Mather. In i860 M r. Sands became sole pro­ prietor. A t first the farm ers brought their wool to the mill to be carded, then spun and wove the cloth at their homes, returning the material to the mill to be full<m and pressed. l.ater M r. Sands installed the necessary looms and for many years did a fine trade with the mining regions of the State. In 1881 he died and his son, Charles L. Sands, took charge, introduced improved machinery and increased the capacity of the mills. In 1886 he took into partnership William R. Hagenbuch and M. J. Elder, calling the firm C. L. Sands & Co. In 1898 Mr» Elder retired, and in the year 1905 the mills were burncVl. T hey were never re­ built. T he capacity of the mills had grown from 6,000 to 25.000 pounds o f wool per year. Joseph E. Sands established the first store there and was the first postmaster, the office being at first called Bear Run. A t present the only industry in the little village is the saw. shingle, planing and cl>op mill o f John V. Kline. It Is run by steam. The old Sands home has been converted into a hotel, operated by H arry W. Johnson. Previ­ ous owners of the property were E. B. Hagcnhuch and. before him, Joseph E. Sands, John McCaslin, a native o f M issouri, opened a store here in the old Fran k K indt home in 19 14. The village bhicksmith is R. C. Kindt. There is no post office here, the rural route taking its place. T he Susquehanna. Rloom.sburg & Benvick railroad (now owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company) runs through the village.

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