Middlecreek Township

Byadmin

Sep 14, 2015

<center>HISTORY OF THE TOWNSHIP</center>
Organized in 1853, Middlecreek Township contains 19,318 acres or about 30 square miles, and was formed out of the western part of Milford Township. It was named after the stream of the same name that ran through the middle of Milford and became Middlecreek\’s eastern boundary.

One of the first settlers in this township was Caspar Harbaugh, a native of Germany, who arrived around 1790 from eastern Pennsylvania. Several months later, Elijah Lyons of Virginia also settled in the area. About 1791, Andrew Putman from Maryland settled on a farm adjoining that of Harbaugh and, like the other early settlers, he leased land from landholders residing in Philadelphia. Daniel Moore, who emigrated from New Jersey about 1800, was another early settler. In 1806 John Koozer erected a gristmill, and Peter Koozer had a carding-mill in operation as early as 1808. George Barron moved to this area from a neighboring township in 1817.

George Pile located here in 1818 and settled on a farm he had bought from his father-in-law, Andrew Putman. He married Salome Putman and their son, Josiah, is now a farmer here. Joseph B. Critchfield, an old resident of Middle Creek, was born in Milford township. He married Harriet King and settled on a farm which he purchased of Elizabeth Miller, of Salem, New Jersey.

The first store in the township was established by Elias Stahl around 1840. He operated the business for 15 years and then sold it to Henry F. Schell.

Jacob R. McMillen, born in Turkeyfoot township a son of Revolutionary War soldier Rush McMillen, came here in 1847 and settled in the southern part of the township. He purchased a tannery from Harris Luddington, an ecentric who was a “jack-of-all-trades”—a tanner, merchant, minister, lawyer, doctor, etc. After 31 years, he turned the business over to his sons, B. S. & J. J. McMillen. In 1866 he was elected associate judge of the county, and held the office during a term of five years. He was elected to the state legislature in 1872 and served two terms.

In 1855 Jacob Baker, of Rockwood, settled in Middlecreek and became part owner of a woolen mill producing blankets, barred flannels and yarns. Hiram Tedrow, son of John K. Tedrow, moved to the township in 1859. Mr. Tedrow\’s wife, Amanda C., is a daughter of Jesse Moore, an old resident.

Michael Ansell settled on Laurel Hill in 1866, having purchased six hundred acres of land of Samuel King. Isaac Barron, son of John N. Barron, a native of Berks county, married Charlotte Moore and settled in Middle Creek in 1868, on a farm purchased of Abraham Hostetler.

William R. King is a son of Mesmore King who lived for many years in this township. The elder Mr. King owned extensive tracts of land in various parts of the township. In 1875 he disposed of the greater part of his property and removed to Westmoreland county. A gristmill and the first sawmill in the township were built by Philip King on Middlecreek about 1880.

In 1884 the township had two gristmills, one on Laurel Hill creek owned by Moses Barron, and the other on Middle Creek owned by Israel Gross. There was one general store and postoffice located at New Lexington and kept by Cyrus B. Moore. The “Mud Pike”, once a major highway used by drovers, travelers and tradesmen, ran through the township.

At one time the township had four school districts— Mountain (Pletcher), Putman (Trent), Mill (Barronvale) and New Lexington. There were also three postoffices— Trent, New Lexington and Barronvale. By 1930, the township contained approximately 90 farms and had a population of 547 persons.

<center>BIOGRAPHIES</center>
<a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,364048,364048#msg-364048″>Charles J. Barron</a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,609002″>Daniel Moore</a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,609031″>William Moore</a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363820,363820#msg-363820″>Adam F. Snyder</a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,363819,363819#msg-363819″>Dewalt Snyder (Schneider)</a> — <a href=”http://www.pa-roots.org/data/read.php?720,578228,578228#msg-578228″>J. B. Whipkey</a>

<center>CENSUS</center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=26″>1860</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=362″>1878</a>

<center>CHURCHES</center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=329″>Middlecreek Church of the Brethren</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=313″>Middlecreek Evangelical Lutheran</a>

<center>CIVIL LISTS</center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=311″>1854 Voters</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=342″>1861 Township Officers</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=343″>1882 Township Officers</a>

<center>TOWNS & VILLAGES</center>
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=315″>Barronvale</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=316″>New Lexington</a> — <a href=”articles.php?article_id=317″>Trent</a>