Dallas Township (from Luzerne Co.,
GenWeb page)
Was formed in 1817 of territory taken from Kingston township, and embraces
a portion of one of the
"certified township." Stewart PEARCE says the Ephraim McCOY, a Revolutionary
solider, built the first
log cabin in 1797 near the site of old McClellandsville (Dallas borough).
Some unknown party had years
before built a small floorless cabin near the same spot, it is supposed
for the purpose of camping and
hunting, but it had long been deserted before McCOY came. William BRIGGS
was the next settler. The
next settlers in the order of coming as is supposed were Daniel SPENCER,
John WORT, and John
KELLEY (Revolutionary soldiers), and Elam SPENCER, J. MEARS, John HONEYWELL,
Sr., and Jr.,
William HONEYWELL, Isaac MONTAGUE and two AYERS brothers. William HONEYWELL
came in
1808 and purchased 500 acres of land and built a log house and the
next year a frame addition the first
frame in the township. R.M. DUFFY was the first house carpenter.
Judge BALDWIN built on Tobey creek, in 1813, his sawmill. In 1818 Christian
RICE built his sawmill
on the same creek. The place descended to his son, Capt. Jacob RICE.
This mill was in use until 1875.
The area of the township (less Dallas borough) is twenty-one square
miles and is mostly cleared farm
lands the hill farms proving productive. Stewart PEARCE says, in 1866
improved farms here were
valued at $30 to $45 per acre; that there were eight sawmills and two
stores at that time in the township.
At that time he says many farmers were turning their attention to dairying
and the township was noted
for the excellence of its butter.
It is a tradition that the first clearing in the township with the intention
of settling was made in 1777 or
1778, by Charles HARRIS and his father. They lived in the adjoining
section of the country; started out
prospecting and found a place that suited them and spent a day chopping
and clearing; returned home,
and, as soon after was the Wyoming massacre, their return was thus
delayed a considerable time and
they never were able to again find the spot, although they hunted faithfully
for it.
The township as stated is purely agricultural since the sawmills have
cut most of the once heavy timber
that prevailed all over it. But two mills now remain. An account of
them will more fully appear in that of
the borough.
Kunkle Village has its origin and name from J. Wesley KUNKLE, was thus
designated when it was made
a postoffice and he was appointed postmaster. The place has a tannery
and a grange hall. It is in the
north part of the township and a mile from the railroad.
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