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1885 Seven Counties History - Bradford
County PA
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Photo by Joan NASH O'Dell May 1999
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“HISTORY OF SEVEN COUNTIES presented by the Elmira Weekly
Gazette". It is an “Outline History of Tioga and Bradford Counties in
Pennsylvania, Chemung, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler in New York by
TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, BORO’S AND CITIES.” Written expressly for the Gazette
Company, Elmira, N. Y. Copyright 1885.From AN OUTLINE
HISTORY of Tioga and
Bradford
Counties in Pennsylvania, Chemung, Steuben,
Tioga, Tompkins and Schuyler in New York by TOWNSHIPS, VILLAGES, BORO'S AND
CITIES"
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WELLS TOWNSHIP
Wells township was formed in 1813, taken from
Smithfield. It is bounded on the north by the New York State line; on the
east by South Creek; on the south by Columbia; on the west by Tioga County, Pa.
It is situated in the extreme north-west portion of Bradford County.
Seeley Creek rises in the township and flows northward and eastward into the
Chemung River, in Tioga County, Pa. The surface is broken, but well
adapted to grazing and the dairy. There are three post-offices in the
township. The Tioga and Elmira State Line Railroad touches its
north-western boundary.
Its early settlers were Rev. John Smith, Austin
Reeder, Vincent Reeder, Lemuel Gaylord, Solomon Judson, Ithamar Judson, Silas
Waldron, John Osgood, John Osgood, Jr., Isaac Judson, Samuel Edsall, Adam
Seeley, Thomas Osgood, Shuabel Rowley, Shuabel Rowley, Jr., James Rowley,
Jonathan Rowley, Benjamin Seeley, Squire Hyde, George Rowley, Peter Rowley,
William Ingalls, Samuel Ingalls, Thomas Warner, Truman Warner, James Warner,
Hiram Warner, James Gordon, Ralph Bovier, David Griswold, Peabody Keys, Peter P.
French.
--Wells was named in honor of General Henry Wells.
--Mrs. Lemuel Gaylord taught the first school, in
1802.
--The first permanent settler was Rev. John Smith,
in 1792.
--Peter P. French built the first saw mill in Wells
township, in 1824.
--William R. Wilson, son of an early settler, was
in the Mexican war, in 1846.
--Mary Reeder, daughter of Vincent Reeder, was the
first death in the township.
--The first post-office was established in 1826,
Peter P. French was the first post master.
--Wells township sent one hundred and thirteen
soldiers into the union army during the late rebellion.
--Shubael Rowley, Jr., an old settler, was justice
of the peace in Wells township for twenty-two years.
--Shubale Rowley, Solomon Judson, Thomas Warner,
were early settlers and soldiers in the revolutionary war.
--Gersom Davis, of Wells, and his eight sons were
in the union army during the late rebellion; his sons names were Lewis, Edson,
Charles, Thomas, John, George, William, Samuel.
--Rev. Joel Jewell preached twenty-five years in
the township of Wells.
--Nathan Shepard, Sr., William S. Ingalls, Shuabel
Rowley, Jr., John Fitzsimmons, Strong Seeley, Amos Baker, William Osgood,
Theopolis Moore, Israel Moore, Partial Mapes, Searles Barrett, Jesse Edsall,
Richard Edsall, Joseph Capron, Thomas Ferguson were early settlers and soldiers
in the war of 1812.
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