History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches |
CHAPTER LV.
WEST BURLINGTON TOWNSHIP.
THE topography of West Burlington township, is similar to that of Burlington, of which it was' formerly a part. The principal stream by which it is watered is the Sugar creek, which passes through the town in an easterly and northeasterly direction, centrally, and has several small tributary creeks, flowing in from the north and south. The soil and its productive capacity is the same as that of the surrounding towns, and its many roads offer good facilities for reaching a market.
The settlement of the township is given in the history of Burlington, the Sugar creek colonization being common to both townships. The first clearing in the town was made on the Sugar, near the mouth of Mill creek, in the east part of the town, near Burlington borough
and at the junction of the roads, west of that point, the first church on the creek was built.
Many descendants of the old pioneers, whose names are given in the history of Burlington, are living in West Burlington, the McKeans, Ballards, Goddards, Baileys, Pratts, Swains, Beaches, Leonards and others, whose farms he along both banks of the creek.
Organization. -The town of West Burlington was formed in 1855, from Burlington township, the boundary line between the two towns being very nearly located on the center line from north to south of the original town, in its wider part. The area of West Burlington is somewhat less than Burlington, but not much.
West Burlington Village is located in the western part of the town, at the junction of the roads north, a short distance of the bridge over the Sugar creek. It is a small hamlet, containing a postoffice, store, wagon, blacksmith and cooper shops, grocery, a school-house, and a Methodist Episcopal church, and thirty or more dwellings. On the Opposite sides of the creek, the grist and saw mills of B. L. Rockwell & Sons are situated, known as the 11 West Burlington Mills." North of the village, in District No. 4, A. L. Ballard's sawmill is situated in Bloom District, No. 1, D. & G. D. Bourne have a lumber mat tory and steam sawmill, and in District No. 3 is still another sawmill
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