<center><strong>HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP</strong></center>
Elk Lick was so named from the fact that within the township was a lick which the elk and deer used to frequent. The township was organized as a division of Bedford county about the year 1785. Settlements were made very early by immigrants of German and Irish birth.
The first settled farm is believed to have been that now owned by John W. Beachy, situated immediately north of the town of Salisbury. The settler was Joseph Markley, who became the owner, of a tract of land extending from the mouth of Pine run along the Casselman river to the mouth of Meadow run, thence along Meadow run for a distance of about one and one-half miles; thence north to Pine run; thence following Pine run to the place of beginning. The date of settlement was probably between the years 1755 to 1760. Markley also claimed a portion of the land on the opposite side of the river, being a part of what is now the David Livengood farm. (see <a href=”articles.php?article_id=248″><u>Flog Hill</u></a>)
Peter Livengood, a native of Switzerland, came to America, married in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Elk Lick township, settling on the farm now known as the Arnold property. This was in 1760. It is said that there was then a small clearing on the farm which had been made by the Indians.
Abraham Beachy was a native of Switzerland. He came with his parents to Maryland when, young, and in 1780 settled on a farm three fourths of a mile west of Salisbury, where he resided until his death.
James Kelso came from the Cumberland valley to this township in 1824. He was a farmer and a minister, of the German Baptist denomination. His son, Jonathan, the only one of his children now living in this county, is bishop of the German Baptist church.
The following settlers were among the earliest in the township: Joseph Markley, William Tissue, Ebenezer Griffith, John Hochstetler, Jacob Maust, Peter Livengood, Peter Beachy, John Christner, John Fike, Patrick Sullivan (grandfather of Judge J.S. Black), John Fadley, Peter Shirer, Martin Weimer, Williaim Lietseel, Solomon Glotfelty, Lemuel Engle and John Hendricks.
The first gristmill in the township was built by John Fike on the Casselman river, a mile northeast of Salisbury. Joseph Markley operated the first distillery, about 1790. Christian Fahrney built the first woolenmill in 1813. It remained in operation until 1867. Thomas McCloskey built a woolenmill in 1841, which is now owned by his son Jacob. The first church in the township was erected by the Reformed and Lutheran congregations in 1813. The first minister was Rev. Henry Giesy.
The township contains rich deposits of coal, iron ore and limestone. Since the building of the railroad the development of these products has become an important industry.
<center><strong>AREA LORE</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=248″><u>Flog Hill</u></a>
<center><strong>BIOGRAPHIES</strong></center>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602519″><u>Abraham P. Beachy</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602517″><u>Beachy Family</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,610481″><u>John W. Beachy</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604617″><u>Michael Diveley</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604620″><u>George Folk</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604621″><u>Solomon Glotfelty</u></a><br>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,603054″><u>Hay Family</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,610483″><u>Calvin T. Hay</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602144″><u>David Hay</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604619″><u>John Keim</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604652″><u>Jonas Keim</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602520″><u>J. D. Livengood</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602143″><u>Livengood Family</u></a><br>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604616″><u>Christian Shockey</u></a> — <a href=http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,602141″><u>Jost J. Stutzman</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604618″><u>William Wagner</u></a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,604615″><u>Peter Welfley</u></a>
<center><strong>CHURCHES</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=252″><u>Amish & Mennonite</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=246″><u>Brethren</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=250″><u>Centre Evangelical Lutheran</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=251″><u>Evangelical Association</u></a><br>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=244″><u>St. John\’s Evangelical Lutheran</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=253″><u>St. John\’s Reformed</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=247″><u>St. Paul\’s Reformed</u></a>
<center><strong>ORGANIZATIONS</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=243″><u>Salisbury I.O.O.F.</u></a>
<center><strong>TAX LISTS</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=198″><u>1796</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=93″><u>1840</u></a>
<center><strong>TOWNS & VILLAGES</strong></center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=277″><u>Boynton</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=258″><u>Salisbury</u></a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=278″><u>West Salisbury</u></a><br>
<strong>Coal Tin</strong> is a mining village on the old Samuel C. Lichty farm, and grew up with the mines that were opened along Grassy Run. It was made a post office in 1894.
<strong>Niverton</strong> is a small village in the southern part of the township.
<strong>Springs</strong>, formerly known as “Tub”, is a small village in the southern part of the townshiip. Its postoffice was established about 1894.
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