Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-08-10
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CLEARFIELD COUNTY:
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OR, "REMINISCENCES OF THE PAST
We have now mentioned the principal set
Elements prior to 1904, when the county was
erected. It's population was then sparse. The
whole county known as one township
Chinchaclamoose-that having been the name
which the township on the north side of the
river bore. The first enumeration of taxables
showed l0i, of which 16 were returned as sin
gle freemen. The inhabitants returned for
taxation 81 ,7l6 acres of land, 30 horses, 120
COWS, 81 oxen, grist and saw-mills-the
lowest valuation being 81 90 and the highest
S12SS. In 1910. tthat portion of the county
south of the river having been divided into
two new townships) the taxables were: Chin
chaclamoose Ill, Bradford Sc, and Beccaria
2S, making total of l75. The population,
according to the U. S. census report, consisted
of 437 white males and 403 white females, and
81 negroes. There was then one slave return
cd for taxation, the property of Samuel Cole
man. Beccaria township was named after
celebrated Scotch phlanthropist who had done
much towards reforming the criminal code,
and Bradford township was named in honor of
William Bradford, gentleman of Philadel-
phia, noted for his eminent attainments and
legal knowledge and who acted as Attorney
General of Pennsylvania from 1880 until 1871,
at which time he was appointed one Of the
Judges of the Supreme Court. Chinchacla-
moose township afterwards subjected to
divisions, and now the name is lost. In 1914,
two townships-Pike and Lawrence-were
carved out of it. Their names indicate their
origin and the feeling of regard, rife in the
community at the time of their formation, in
duced by the deaths of Gen. Pike and Commo-
dore Lawrence. The former had shortly pre-
vious Il April 1879 fallen at the taking of
York, thc capital of Upper Canada and great
depository of stores and ammunition of Great
Britain, in his dying moments urging his col
umns to ssmore on - and the dying words of
Lawrence, ssDon't give up the ship" uttered
as he was carried from the deck of the Chesa-
peake, to which vessel he had been promoted
after the gallant contest between the Hornet
and the Peacock, were still ringing in the ears
of his compatriots. Some two years later, Gov
ington and Gibson townships were formed.
We know not the origin of the first name but
the latter towpship was named after John Ban
mister Gibson, an eminent lawyer and Jurisf,
who in 1916 became one of the Justices of the
Supreme Court, and in 1897 was appointed
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, which position
he held until change in the constitution in
1850 made the Justices of the Supreme Court
elective. sThe people knowing his merit, G.
lected him at the first election under the amen
ded constitution. as member of the Supreme
Court He afterwards served as Chief JUS
tice. sGibson township now forms p3rt of
Elk county In 1920 another subdivision was
called Fox. A small portion Of Fox occupies
one corner of the countyi the body OF IL
forms part of the territory of Elk county 1t
was named after wealthy gentleman of Fhil-
aalelphia who owned many tracts in the north,
western part of the county, known as the Fox
& Roberts lands. Maj. Hugh II. Brady, now
a citizen of BrookvilIe in Jefferson county,
and who had earned for himself deathless
reputation in the struggles with the sayages,
had his name connected with the first subdi-
vision after the county was organized for Ju-
dicial purposes. Brady township was formed
in 1925 out of Pike. (Tbe next year portion
Of Beccaria was formed into new township
called ChestSfrom the large tributary OF the
west Branch of that name which flows through
It.s Bradford township was divided in 1928
and part named Decatur in commemoration OF
Com. Stephen Decatur. In 1882, township,
which is now in Elk county, was carved out of
old Chinchaclamoose and received name hal
lowed by the recollection of our Revolutionary
struggle and the conference at Paris which
ended by the declaration of peace John Jay
having been one Of the Commissioners on the
part of the United Colonies. Chest township
sas divided in 1884, aud the western part