Miles township embraces Brush valley proper, the arable portion of which was taken up by warrants by Colonel Samuel Miles, whose name is preserved in that of the township. Surveys on these warrants were made in 1773 and 1774. It was settled by Pennsylvania Germans of Lutheran and Reformed creed and the first church in the valley was erected where Rebersburg now stands in 1804-5. The church records of births and baptisms dates back to July 9, 1792. Rebersburg, the principal town was laid out in 1809 by Conrad Reber. The first mill (at Centre Mills) in the township was erected by Mr. Kreamer prior to 1798. Miles Township was organized in 1797 by a decree of the Court of Northumberland County and is one of the original townships of Centre County. Its post-offices are Madisonburg, Centre Mills, Wolf's Store and Rebersburg.
(SOURCE: Eleventh Census of the Population of the United States Published by Boroughs and Townships, in Connection with a Business Directory of the Same, Bellefonte, Pa., 1890.)
MILES TOWNSHIP CENSUS RECORDS
1850--1,306 1860--1,147 1870--1,325 1880--1,512 1890--1,438 1900--1,347 1910--1,303 1920--1,044 1930--996 1940--1,030 1950--1,081 1960--1,100 1970--1,224 1980--1,375 1990--1,494 2000--1,573
(SOURCE: U.S. Census of Population, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.)
TOWNS & VILLAGES
Villages and towns in Miles Township include Rebersburg, Henrysburg, Bierlyville, Madisonburg, Jacobsburg, Livonia, Smullton, Kreamersville, Wolf's Store, Centre Mill, Spring Bank, Rockville, Noll's Mills and Crabapple. For a further discussion of these, see Paul M. Dubbs, Where to Go and Place-Names of Centre County, 1961.
TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS
Tax assessment records for Miles Township from 1801 forward can be found in the basement of the Centre County Library and Historical Museum in Bellefonte. Persons wishing to use these records must first sign the Guest Researcher register in the Pennsylvania Room.