Mercer County Genealogy

Places Sandy Creek Township     

The successive steps by which Sandy Creek township was reduced from one of the largest to one of the smallest townships of the county were as follows. In 1802 the township of Sandy Lake designated all the northeast quarter of the county, the site of Mercer borough being at about the southwest corner of this township. In 1802 the township was divided by an east and west line, and the lower half was called Cool Spring, and the upper part became Sandy Creek, the name Sandy Lake being dropped. In 1805 Sandy Creek was diminished by the erection of French Creek from the east part. From that year until 1851 Sandy Creek township comprised the territory which is now divided among Sandy Creek, Perry, New Vernon and Deer Creek. The creation of these four separate townships was made in June, 1851. A number of homesteads in this township were settled during the eighteenth century. Several families still live in the township whose ancestry goes back to pioneers of that time. It is doubtful if any permanent settlers were here before 1796, when immigration first began to this county, but some of the families trace their residence to a date at least as early as this. Alexander McCracken, Hugh Minnis, James Brush, David Chess, Thomas Philips and the Findleys were here about that time. About the beginning of the following century, Ross Byers, John E. Larimer, William Church, John Sheakley came to this vicinity. William Church was the father of Gaylord Church, whose career as a jurist reflected credit on his birthplace.

Besides [Sheakleyville] the township has always been one of the finest agricultural sections of the county, and most of its leading citizens have been farmers.

Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, 1909, pages 161-162