Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice 1885 Seven Counties History - Bradford County PA

1907 Postcard of Palmer Store and I.O.O.F Hall in  Austinville contributed by Creig Crippen

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 Columbia township was organized in 1813, taken from Smithfield.  It is situated on the western line of the county of Bradford, adjoining the townships of Sullivan and Rutland in Tioga county.  The north and south branches of Sugar Creek run through the township, from west to east.  It is bounded on the north by the townships of Wells and South Creek, on the east by Springfield, on the south by Troy and Armenia, and on the west by Tioga county.  The Northern Central Railroad touches its eastern borders, and Snedekers, and Columbia Cross Roads are stations in the township on that road.  Austinville and Sylvania are villages, the latter an incorporated boro.  The soil is well adapted to grazing, and the growing of all kinds of cereals.  It is an excellent farming township.
 The early settlers were John Ballard, Nathaniel Ballard, Nathaniel Morgan, David Watkins, Oliver Canfield, Joseph Batterson, Jeremiah Chapman, Aaron Bennett, Samuel Lamphere, Phineas C. Morgan, Solomon Soper, William Rose, James Morgan, Elnathan Goodrich, Charles Keys, David Palmer, Ebenezer Baldwin, Abraham West, Calvin Tinkham, Carter Havens, John Bixby, Nathaniel Barrett, Samuel Baldwin, Asa Howe, Comfort Peters, Sheldon Gibbs, Phineas Jones, Rev. Joseph Beeman, David R. Hazewell, John P. Gurnet, William Furman, Reuben Nash, Jacob Miller, John Lilly, Michael Wolfe, Oliver Besley, George Moore, Darius Sherman, John McCelland, Asa Bullock, Joseph Gladding, Vial A. Bullock, Thomas Munroe, Henry Harris, Levi Cornell, Peleg Peckham, Kingley Peckham, John Calkins, Moses Calkins, A. M. Wright, Richard Doty, David Watson, Samuel Ingalls, Samuel Hurlburt, Murray Ballard, Ezra Wright.

 --The first house erected in the township was by Richard Doty, in 1795.
 --Columbia was originally known as Cabot.
 --Rev. Mr. Rich was the first Methodist minister.
 --The first distillery was built by Sheldon Gibbs.
 --Austinville, was originally called Morgan Hollow.
 --Jared Rowley erected the first grist mill in the town.
 --Sylvania was incorporated as a borough May 4, 1853.
 --The first death was a child of Capt. Calkins, in 1810.
 --The first school house was erected in 1814, by Moses Taylor.
 --Darius Sherman was the first blacksmith in Columbia township.
 --Peleg Peckham was the first carpenter in the town of Columbia.
 --An Equitable Aid Union Lodge was organized at Sylvania, Feb., 1885.
 --Charles Keyes, erected the first framed house in the township, in 1808.
 --Oliver Besley, brought the first lumber wagon to Columbia, in 1812.
 --The first saw mill was erected in 1806, by Samuel Hurlburt and Murray Ballard.
 --Laura Watkins born August, 1800, was the first white child born in the township.
 --Jacob Miller, an early settler of Columbia, was a soldier in the revolutionary war.
 --The first religious society was organized by Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a Presbyterian, in 1800.
 --The state road, from Towanda to Wellsboro, was constructed through Columbia township     in 1808.
 --The first post office in the town was established in 1818, and known as Sylvania;    Reuben Nash, Post Master.
 --Sylvan Lodge, No. 926, I. O. O. F. Was organized Feb. 1, 1876.  The first officers were     J. H. Calkins, N. G.; A. M. Card, V. G.; George F. Monroe, Sec.; Peleg Peck, Treas.

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