Blooming Valley History

The borough of Blooming Valley is located on a branch of Woodcock
Creek, in the southeast corner of Woodcock Township. It includes about
1,200 acres of land, and had in1870 a population of 209, and in 1880,
232. The village proper is scattered mainly along the State road, or State
Street, as it is sometimes called, for a distance of half a mile or greater.
The name was bestowed upon this region on account of the luxuriant
growth of wild flowers which bedecked the valley with a rich and variegated
vesture in early times. A postoffice of that name was established many
years before the borough was incorporated.

Jeremiah Smith, a farmer, owning land here about 1845, laid out a village
plat of twenty-eight lots at the southwest corner of State and Dickson
Streets. Besides himself, James Williams, a millwright, and George
Roudebush, a carpenter and proprietor of a sash factory, were then residing
in this locality. George Fleek, a blacksmith, Henry Marker, a carpenter,
and others soon after moved in. James Wygant and George Roudebush
were the first merchants. In 1860 the village contained about a dozen families.
It is surrounded by a fertile, well-cultivated farming district from which it derives
its trade. It contains three stores of general merchandise and a drug store,
two hotels, two blacksmith shops, one shoe shop and a paint shop. The school
building is a fine, two-story frame, containing three apartments, two of which
are occupied. It was erected about 1869, at a cost of $3, 700. The village also
contains two church edifices and two benevolent societies. The Blooming Valley
Advertiser, a sixteen-column weekly, has been issued for some time by S. L.
Thompson.

The borough of Blooming Valley was incorporated by order of the Court of
Quarter Sessions May 17, 1867, on the favorable report of the grand jury appointed
to investigate the expediency of its incorporation. The court further directed that
the first election be held on the first Tuesday of June, 1867. James A. Heard was
appointed to give due notice of the election; A. B. Floyd, Judge, and John
Roudebush and S. L. Thompson, Inspectors. The officers elected were: S. L.
Thompson, Burgess; Michael Coy, A. Drake, N. Roudebush, George Floyd,
Thomas Chipman, Council, and John Roudebush, High Constable. Mr. Thompson
was re-elected Burgess in 1868, and his successors have been: Cress Hellyer,
1869; S. L. Thompson, 1870; B. Teasdale, 1871; W. W. Boyles, 1872-73; John
Roudebush, 1874; T. J. Odell, 1875; Daniel Smith, 1876; W. H. Hunter, 1877;
I. C. Teasdale, 1878; Cress Hellyer, 1879; James Wygant, 1880; James A. Heard,
1881; T. J. Odell, 1882; John Roudebush, 1883; G. W. Barr, 1884.

The Methodist congregation of the village was formed more than half a century
ago,
and among its early members were: Andrew Floyd and wife, James Wygant and
wife, Miss Sarah Armstrong, Mrs. John Roudebush and Mrs. John Robbins.
Meetings were held. for years in a schoolhouse which stood about a mile north
of the village. Services were then conducted in the Advent Church until the present
Methodist Church edifice was reared in 1874. It is a handsome and commodious
frame structure, and in its construction cost $4,500. The building is surmounted
by a bell which cost an additional $300. The present membership of the society
is forty-seven. It was formerly connected with Riceville Circuit, but now for many
years has been attached to Saegertown.

An Advent society was formed about 1849 with a flourishing membership under
the successful ministrations of Rev. Wendell. The first services were held in Cowans
Schoolhouse, about one mile north of the village, but soon after a large frame church
building was commenced at Blooming Valley and completed in 1854 at a cost of
$2,000. It was erected by the subscriptions of the people generally in this vicinity,
irrespective of their denominational affinities, and was free to all religious bodies. The
lot was donated by Mrs. Knapp. Early Adventists were: Michael Roudebush, Daniel
Cowan, W. G. Davidson, Orrin Hubbs and Zachariah Cox. Meetings were held in the
Union Church for many years, but the class grew weaker in numerical strength, and
finally discontinued services.

Protestant Episcopal services were commenced in the same church edifice in 1881
by Rev. Carstensen, of Meadville, but two years later they, too, were discontinued.
At present Rev. James T. Bradford, a Baptist minister of Wayland, Mead Township,
conducts occasional services in it.

Blooming Valley Lodge, No. 1232, K. of H., was instituted by E. S. Cutler, of Guys
Mills, October 19, 1878, with fourteen members, as follows: Whitney Braymer, P. D.;
C. A. Buell, D.; W. C. Wygant, V. D.; W. G. Barr, A. D.; A. G. Greenlee, Rep.; Cress
Hellyer, Fin. Rep.; Z. Briggs, Treas.; George Floyd, Chap.; S. L. Wilson, Guide; E. E.
Stull, Guard; W. W. Boyles, Sent.; H. L. Boyles, Miffin Chipman and W. V. Wheeler.
The membership is now forty-one. Regular meetings are held every Saturday.

Banner Lodge, No. 126, K. and L. of H., was instituted with twenty-six members,
December 30, 1878. Its first officers were Whitney Braymer, P. P.; C. A. Buell, P.;
Mrs. L. A. Buell, V. P.; M. L. Roudebush, Sec.; Dr. George W. Weter, Fin. Sec.; Z.
Briggs, Treas.; A. G. Ross, Guide; George Floyd, Chap.; E. E. Stull, Guard; W. C.
Wygant, Sent. The membership has decreased to nineteen, and meetings are held
each alternate Wednesday.