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/455

 C H A F F E R X IX W E S T H E M L O C K T O W N S H IP Thift (liviftion o f Montour county wa$ erected in 1853, a fte r the c o n tro v c i^ wtih Columbia county had been settled. T he sur­ face of the township is extrem ely hilly, but ail o f it is now in cultivation. T he east branch o f Mahoning creek passes through the north­ ern part of the township. One of the early settlers in W est Hemlock township w as George Crossley, who built a home alliut a mile south of the point known as New Caledonia. H e had a family* but his descendants long ago left the neighborhood. Michael Sandel* who raised a large family, w as next in order as a pioneer. Another early arrival in the community was Hurtis Arnwinc, who built a house in the southern part of the township. NKW

CXILUSIHKA

T he village o f New Columbia, in West Hemlock township, at one time had ambitious aspirations fo r its future. Ixnratcd on the Bloomsburg stage route, the residents looked forw ard to a healthy growth and material prosperity. I lut the Catawissa railroad, which U tcr w as absorlicd by the Philadelphia & Heading* went by another route, and the only effect that its building had on the comnnmity was to deprive it of the |>criodical visit of the stagecoach. St. Peter's Clmrch and cemetery and a cluster o f residences still mark the vil­ lage* and the inhabitants have long given up the cx|>cctatioii that the community w ill un­ dergo any sudden metamoqdiosis. New Columbia w as destined by its founders to l>c a v ilb g c o f no mean size, but circum­ stances willed otherwise* aud it is now scarcely a settlement. The fine roomy residence of Charles Dcighmittcr stands beside the church, and (here are several empty and dilapidated cottages ranged along the road north o f it. These constitute the "tow n” o f New Columbia. Sxvenoda post office w as established here in with E . C . Crim in charge. It is now abolished. that fam ily, which they call "C lo ver H ill." C.
 * 't S ty c r's C orners is located the farm of

K. Styer, the present owner, has developed the place into a trutt farm. H e has many v a rie ­ ties o f apples, peaches, pears and small fruits* and combines with this work the raising o f fine swine and poultry. flHUCIOVS S t. Peter's Union Church at New Colum bia was built in 1825 by the Presbyterian. L u th ­ eran and R e f o m ^ denominatioos. T he first Presbyterian pastor was Rev. A sa Dunham* and it w as part of the Briarcrcek charge fo r some years. A I present the congregation o f sixtv-six members is without a pastor. T h e Lutherans and the Rcforn>cd members h ave united and are in chaige o f K ev. .M bn C lianilicrlain of the Buckhom Church. T he first church building stood in the center of the cemetery* which is called Sw'cnoda. Here arc the graves o f many of the older p io ­ neers of the county, as w*cll as those o f soldiers of the Kcvolutton* the w ar o f 18 (2 and the C ivil war. In 1870 the old church in the U irying ground w as raze<) and the present one built, across the road. It is a fine brick bu ild­ ing* o f imposing appearance* standing on the top of the hill and overshadowing the fe w houses around it. In the rear are two large sheds fo r the shelter of the teams of the w o r­ shipers* ample space being provided fo r s e v ­ eral hundred vehicles and horses. Frosty V allcv Melho<list Church is located in (he center 0/ the tow nship. T he congrega­ tion worshiped in a schoolhouse near by until i 86q * when a fram e church w as built on the road from Bloomsburg to Mooresburg* three miles from liuckhom. T he trustees arc Henry Hodge* William McMichael* Jolm G ulliver, Samuel Runslcy, W illiam Poolcy. T his church has hccn served fo r many years hy pastors from Danville and Buckhom . SCHOOLS

There arc three schoolhouscs in W est Hem­ lock township. In 19 14 the school directors w ere: L. C. ShulU* W illiam E. Moore, J. H. Tanner, Lloyd Moore* W. W. Laubach.

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