Greenwood Township History

GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP lies on the southern border of the county,
between East Fallowfield and Fairfield. It was organized in 1829, from
portions of Fallowfield and Fairfield, and lost a small portion of its
territory by the formation of Union. The place authorized by the
Assembly in 1829, for holding elections, was the cabin of Thomas
Abbott. Its area is 19,336 acres, valued on the tax duplicate of 1882
at $359,494. The population in 1850 was 1,127; in 1860, 1,729; in
1870, 1,782, and in 1880, 1,614.

The surface is generally level, but a little broken in the northeast part.
Conneaut Outlet forms the northern boundary, and Conneaut Marsh,
along its banks, has a width of about half a mile, and is from 100 to
200 feet below the general level of the land. Most of this land has
recently been made tillable by the public excavation of the channel
of Conneaut Outlet. The township is well watered by numerous
springs, the outpourings of which form rivulets threading the land in
all directions. The soil is a fertile, gravelly loam, well adapted to
dairying and fruit culture. The principal timber consists of beech,
maple, pine and hemlock.

The southern portion of the township is a part of Field's claim. Field
was a wealthy Philadelphia Quaker, who purchased a large tract
of land in this county, and gave 200 acres, or half the tract to each
settler fulfilling the requirements of residence and improvements
necessary to perfect his title. Many of the first settlers obtained
their farms in this way.

Among the earliest settlers in the western and central parts of
Greenwood were James Abbott, Abraham Martin and John
McMichael, who paid tax on chattel property in 1798; and Samuel
and Joseph Anderson, Abraham Abbott, Robert Adams, Hamilton
Armour, Graviner Bailey, Alexander Clark, John Cook, Arthur Dillon,
Robert Hood, John Harkins, Moses Logan, Thomas McMichael,
Robert Power, Samuel Power, Uriah Peterson, Francis Porter,
Thomas Ross, John Sutton, Cornelius Smock and William and
Asher Williams; all of whom had settled prior to 1804. A little later
John Anderson, Jonathan Culver, Isaac Hazen, Andrew Mellon and
Thomas Peterson were settlers. In the eastern part the earliest
settlers included Thomas Abbott, William Brooks, Richard Custard,
James Hackett, Daniel Harkins, William and John McFadden,
James, John, James, Jr. and William Peterson, Abraham Williams,
Joseph Work and others. As shown by the above list of pioneers,
Greenwood was soon thickly settled. Very few years had elapsed
in present century before nearly every tract in what is now the
township had one or more occupants, and the fertility of the soil as
well as the contentment of the pioneers is attested by the fact that
most of the pioneer families are still well represented in the township.
Many of them were of Scotch-Irish extraction, while quite a number
were of German ancestry. Most of them emigrated from Mifflin,
Cumberland, Lycoming and other counties in the Susquehanna
Valley.

The only two tracts patented by individuals were settled by their
proprietors, Samuel and Robert Power, who were brothers, and
hailed from Mifflin County. They first visited and selected their future
homes in 1795, but did not settle permanently upon them immediately.
Robert Power took possession about 1800, and remained a farmer on
his place until his death, which occurred in September, 1824; he left
three children. Samuel remained an unmarried man until 1804, when
he wedded and brought his wife from her home in Mifflin County, to the
little cabin already prepared in the wilderness. He afterward removed
to Fairfield Township, and died in Union September 6, 1848, aged about
seventy-two years. He was a farmer, a Democrat, a Presbyterian, and
by his two marriages had nine children, six of whom yet survive.

Abraham Martin is said to have emigrated from the eastern part of the
State to his farm of 400 acres in this township in 1794. He was an old
bachelor and died in 1820. Asher and William Williams, two brothers
were among the earliest, but the date of their advent in the new country
is unknown. They settled in the southern part of the township. Samuel
Anderson accompanied Samuel Power from Mifflin County in 1796, and
settled near the center of the township. His brothers, Joseph and John
a little later removed to the same vicinity. Joseph afterward moved away
but Samuel and John remained in the township through life; the latter
was unmarried. In 1797 Richard Custard, a native of Chester County,
came from the west branch of the Susquehanna, and settled upon a
tract in the eastern part on Tract 29, where he remained till death. He
here kept the Black Horse Tavern, the first public house of entertainment
in the township. It was located on the State road, leading from Pittsburgh
to Meadville, and in those times the most traveled thoroughfare in the
county, and was a welcome and much frequented shelter for the weary
travelers. The tavern was open prior to the war of 1812, and continued
probably twenty years.

John McMichael came from the Susquehanna to Meadville in 1797,
and in the following spring removed to the northwestern part of Greenwood,
where he remained until his death in March, 1817. James Abbott, hailing
from New Jersey, came in 1797 or earlier, and his brothers Abraham and
Thomas soon after joined him, the latter in 1802. They all remained in the
township till death. John Sutton, also from New Jersey, settled on the site
of Geneva in 1803, and remained until his death in old age. The entire
 journey was made in a wagon.

Robert Adams emigrated from Ireland to Philadelphia in 1799, and two
years later with a yoke of omen made his way to Tract 418 in the
northwestern part of the township, still owned by his descendants. He
was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died May 17, 1844. Alexander Clark,
a Virginian, came in 1802, and settled in the northwest part. In 1803
Francis Porter emigrated from Cumberland County. He settled on the tract
upon which the Presbyterian Church now stands. William Brooks
emigrated from Ireland to Philadelphia in 1798, thence in company with
John Cook and family and John McDermont he emigrated to South
Shenango Township, and in 1808 he came to Greenwood. He was a
soldier in 1812, and in 1813 removed to Geneva, where he died. John
Cook also settled in Greenwood on Tract l8. He was an Irishman and
a life-long citizen.

Hamilton Armour was of Irish extraction, and settled in the southern part.
Graviner Bailey died about 1812, leaving a family, which soon after left
this vicinity and became scattered. Arthur Dillon was an Irishman of
roving proclivities, married but childless. He died in Mercer County.
Robert Hood settled in the western part of the township. Daniel
Harkins, brother of John, was also an early settler. Moses Logan
was Justice of the Peace in 1810, and for many years thereafter.
James Peterson, father of Uriah, was originally from Now Jersey,
but directly from Fayette County. He settled in the eastern part of
the township, where he died in extreme old age, leaving a numerous
posterity. Thomas Ross came to the township a single man, and like
all other bachelors in those days paid a tax for enjoying the state of
single blessedness. James Hackett was an old bachelor. Abraham
Williams settled on a tract of land located near the township center.
Joseph Thatcher came from Washington County in 1810 with his family
and wife's sister's family, the journey from Pittsburgh being made on
horseback. He died in 1862, aged seventy-two years.

The settlements in Greenwood, like those of other parts of the county,
were not without their early mills. The first saw and grist mill was
started on McMichael's Run by John McMichael in 1799. A mill has
ever since been in operation on its site, and is still owned by the
McMichaels. Mellon's Mill and others were afterward built on the same
stream. James Peterson built the first grist-mill in the eastern part,
the date of its erection preceding the year 1812. It was used until 1840.
William Williams operated a saw-mill in the south part of the township
prior to 1810.

Thomas Ross was probably the first distiller, having a still in operation
prior to 1804. Robert Power, Richard Custard and Samuel Power also
had distilleries. In those days if a settler made any pretentions to
respectability in the popular estimation he must have at his cabin a
barrel of whisky for his own use and the entertainment of his visitors.
The article was then cheap, and the copper stills were usually operated
steadily during the winter season. Some distillers had one and others
had two stills. Their capacity per week was from twelve to thirty bushels
of rye, this being the only grain used. A bushel of rye would yield three
gallons of distilled spirits. What little remained after the home trade was
supplied, found a ready sale at Pittsburgh or at Erie.

James McEntire taught school near McMichael's Mill in 1807. Sarah
McQueen, the Adamses, McMichaels, Mellons and others attended.
George Cather was also one of the early teachers in the township. He
held a school in a log-cabin near the Custard place. Colvin Hatch taught
a term in the northeast part of the township about 1821, and the year
following John Limber instructed the youth in that vicinity. Betsy Quigley,
sister to John Quigley, of Watson's Run, held a term about two miles
west of Geneva in a log schoolhouse in 1,817, and the next year John
Andreas taught in the same place.

Glendale-Custard's Postoffice-is a hamlet in the northeast part of the
township. It contains two harness shops, two blacksmith shops, two
stores, a steam and water grist-mill and saw-mill owned by Sylvester
Loper and Joseph Williams, and a few dwellings. Ezra Peterson built
the first saw-mill at this place.

West Greenwood Postoffice is located in the extreme western part of
the township.

J. J. Coulter now owns and operates the grist-mill formerly known as
McMichael's. William Mellon owns a saw and gristmill on McMichael's
Run. Charles McMichael operates a saw-mill near the railroad about
a mile west of Geneva, and Hunter & Hall have one in the interior of
the township.

Greenfield Presbyterian Church was organized June 22, 1854, with
twenty members. Rev. James Coulter supplied the charge for a time,
and Rev. George Scott, the first pastor, was installed June 27, 1860,
and released June l0, 1862. His successor, Rev. David Waggoner, was
installed July 1, 1864. The congregation has since been supplied, Rev.
I. W. McVitty being the last minister in charge. The church building
was erected at a cost of $1,500 the year of organization. It is located
in the southwest part of the township, and was repaired in the fall of
1883. Regular services have not been held for several years on
account of a diminished congregation. Elliott Logan and John R.
Slaven were the two first Elders. J. H. Tiffany, James Hamilton and
T. J. Miller have since been elected, Mr. Miller being now the only
Elder remaining in the congregation.

Greenwood Free-Will Baptist Church was organized with six members
January 22, 1832, by Rev. George Collins, the first pastor. The first
members were Caleb and Margaret Newbold, Jacob H. Bortner, Jacob
and Nancy Cook and A. Turner. Early meetings were held in private
houses and schoolhouses, and a log church was built about 1843 at
the east line of Tract 37, in the south central part of the township. It
was superseded in 1874 by a handsome brick structure, 40x50 feet,
erected at a cost of $3,500. The present membership is ninety.
Among its pastors have been Elders George Collins, James Haskin,
William Ray, Rittenhouse, John C. Manning, Harvey, Gill, J. C. Nye,
A. C. Bush, J. B. Page and L. F. Sherritt.

At Peterson's Schoolhouse, in the eastern part of the township, a
United Brethren class numbering seventeen meet for worship. It was
organized about 1868, and among its early members were Ragan
Peterson, the first class leader; Darius William, Steward; William
Loper, David Phillips and William P. Biles. The class is connected
with Geneva Mission Station. A society of this denomination flourished
in this locality many years ago.