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dead. Their graves are still pointed out on the old road from Jerseytown to Washingtonville.

     In the autumn of the same year, the Billhimes and Wellivers returned from New Jersey. They came by a route different from that taken on their previous journey. Following the Delaware some distance northward, and crossing the ranges of the Blue Ridge and Kittatinny in a north-westerly direction, the North Branch of the Susquehanna was reached through the Nescopeck Gap. Daniel Welliver was accompanied by three cousins, John, Adam and Christopher, and in course of time this family became numerously represented. The purchase of the latter included the site of Jerseytown. John located where the Whitmoyers had previously lived, and Christopher occupied an adjoining tract. Michael Billhime found his former residence in possession of a "squatter,: and was obliged to make a second clearing on Spruce creek. Joseph Hodge and Peter Brugler, former neighbors in Jersey, continued to be such by securing titles to contiguous surveys. In 1785 Thomas Pegg settled on the Chillisquaque tow miles south-west of Jerseytown. Three years later Phineas Barber became owner and occupant of a tract on the opposite side of that stream. The following year Hugh Watson became a resident of the vicinity. John Funston located one mile west of the village, and Evan Thomas about the same distance east on the Millville road, near the lands of Richard Demott, who had entered the region several years previous. Lewis Schuyler, and ex-revolutionary soldier, came to the neighborhood in 1794, and permanently fixed his residence in the valley of Spruce creek five years later. This seems to have been regarded as a desirable locality, for in 1794 Jacob Swisher, and in 1796 George Runyon also became residents here. The former was appointed justice of the peace by Governor Snyder, and continued in that capacity until the office became elective. Other early settlers were James Laird, Thomas Laird, John Smith, Henry Kitchen and Hugh McCollum. The trials and inconveniences of this pioneer community were lessened to each of its members in being shared by all. A mitigating circumstance was the fact that the larger proportion of families represented had previously resided in Sussex county, New Jersey, and there formed acquaintance of each other. Those who were not among the first to enter the region did not on their arrival have the feelings of "strangers, in a strange land." They were constrained to leave Sussex by gratifying report of a fertile soil and equable climate at the frontier settlement, which appropriately bore the name of their native state.

     From a comparison of the dates above given with the time at which other portions of Columbia county received settlement, it appears that Madison is on of the earliest settled townships north of the Susquehanna. A person considering the relative value of the river land and the Jerseytown valley at the present day, would doubtless conclude that this order should have been reversed. The comparison in 1780, however, was between the swampy, malarial region near the mouth of Fishing creek, and the healthful, undulating, and well watered hill country further north. At this period, and to a certain extent since, the quality of the timber was regarded as a criterion of the quality of the soil. At Sussex, in Jersey, the best lands were invariably covered with luxuriant forests of pine and oak. The natural inference from this circumstance explains the priority of settlement and improvement at localities which would not now be regarded as preferable. The indefinitely increasing value of the river lands between Fishing and Briar creeks, and the growth of a thriving town contiguous to an apparently irreclaimable swamp, were contingencies which no foresight could then determine.

     Jerseytown valley was not exempt from the ubiquitous operations of the

land speculator. The class of individuals which originally owned the larger portion of its area secured their titles without the remotest idea of ever becoming resident proprietors'. In the immediate vicinity of the village William Wilson, John Rogers, Jasper Yeates and Benjamin Humphreys were the warrantees. One of the most singularly shaped surveys ever recorded in the land office was that of Joseph Codd. In proof of its irregular form it may be stated that thirty-four corners and ten adjoining surveys are mentioned in a description of its boundaries. Some of the first settlers secured titles from the warrantees; others "squatted" on the land, and were not disturbed in its possession. The notorious carelessness and indifference of the latter with regard to its ownership have resulted in legal complications which might otherwise have been avoided. There was not, however, any apparent fear of defective titles to discourage settlement. The population increased; the opening of a road from Bloom to Muncy, and of another from Berwick to Milton, both of which passed through this region, gave a new impetus to the improvement of lands and farm buildings.

     The growth of population called for a separation from the old and extensive township of Derry. Accordingly at the April sessions, 1817, of the Columbia county court at Danville, the new township of Madison was erected and its organization ordered. The president of that name was just completing his second term. The compliment thus bestowed indicates the political faith of those who conferred it. The democratic majorities in the township through a series of years would seem to signify hereditary tendencies in the expression of political preferences. The complexion of the township in this respect has not been changed by the reduction of an area originally including Pine and part of West Hemlock to its present limits.

     The stage line from Bloom to Muncy in the years immediately following received a fair degree of patronage. At the former point it connected with other lines for Reading, Sunbury and Wilkesbarre. The Muncy hills and the valley at their base may have been a pleasant region to traverse in summer and autumn; but this was amply compensated by the almost impassable condition of the road in winter and spring. The wheels of the vehicle sank in the mire to their hubs. When further progress became impossible, the impatient passengers alighted unceremoniously, and gave vent to their feelings in vigorous and energetic efforts to assist the team in surmounting the obstacle. Sometimes the coach obstinately refused to move, and a fence rail was hastily improvised as a lever to pry the wheels from the mud. When this was ultimately accomplished, the journey could be pursued until an occurrence of a similar character relieved its monotony.

     The village of Jerseytown reached its present proportions during the most prosperous period of stage travel. The first store in the township was opened by John Funston on the site now occupied by Conrad Kreamer, and formed a nucleus for subsequent growth. Evan Thomas was the first blacksmith and hotel proprietor of the place. Jacob McCollum began the manufacture of leather in 1826; Hugh McCollum succeeded to the business in 1856 and E. W. McCollum became proprietor twenty years later. James Masters, who settled on Spruce creek in 1788, built the first saw-mill in this section and operated the first carding machine north of Danville. No grist-mill has ever existed in Madison as none of its numerous streams affords adequate or reliable motive power. Besides the tannery above the mentioned Jerseytown comprises about forty dwellings, two stores, a church building and school- house.

     The predecessor of the latter was the first of that character in this region. The school opened here in 1799 was taught by Mr. Wilson. In 1810 Thomas

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Lane opened another in a dwelling on the land of Leonard Kisner. A third opened in 1815 where the Reformed church has since been built, and a fourth, conducted in the eastern part of the township, completed the number of early schools.

     Organized religious bodies appeared in Madison at a later period than the schools just noted. Many of the early settlers, the Demotts, Runyans, Hulits, Hodges, Wellivers and Swishers were members of the Baptist society, and retained their religious preferences in their new homes. September 27, 1817, Elders John Wolverton of Shamokin, Smiley of White Deer, and Simeon Coombs of Middleboro, Massachusetts, organized the Little Muncy (Madison) Baptist church in the union meeting house of Moreland. This society is one of the oldest within the present limits of the Northumberland Baptist Association. Its representatives at the formation of that body in 1821 were Henry Clark and Silas E. Shepard, pastors; James Moore, Richard Demott, James Hulit and Powel Bird, lay delegates. In 1845 the Madison church edifice was erected. Elder Clark remained in charge until 1829; his successors were J. Green Miles, Joseph B. Morris, Henry Essick, A. B. Runyan, Henry C. Munro and R. M. Hunsicker.

     In 1826 the German element of the population erected a church building on the exact site of a structure in which the Reformed congregation now worships. Many of those connected with this body reside in the adjoining township of Hemlock. Reverend Jacob Dieffenbach organized "Heller" church about 1820; among his successors were Daniel S. Tobias, Henry Funk and William Goodrich.

     The Methodist and English Lutheran denominations were the last to secure representation in the township. The Jerseytown appointment of the former is connected with the Washingtonville circuit. A house of worship was erected in 1832. Vandine Lutheran church was organized in 1869 by Reverend George Eicholtz of Lairdsville, Lycoming county. A building for religious services was erected in the following year. Reverends Miller, Bodine, Battersby and Hutchison have successively preached at this place.