LYCOMING, one of the original townships, now called Old Lycoming, to designate it from Lycoming, a subdivision of modern creation, was erected August 22, 1785, over nine years before Lycoming county was formed. The petition to the Northumberland court set forth the absolute necessity that this territory should be, organized "for the purposes of order and a civil state of society," and prayed the court "to erect that part between Lycoming and Pine creeks, being near, fifteen miles, into one township; and from Pine creek upwards into another township," which was accordingly done, the former receiving the name of Lycoming, and the latter that of Pine creek. This territory had just been acquired from the Indians by the treaty of 1784, and it had been under Fair Play government for at least ten years.

The township officers chosen March 25, 1786, were as follows: Constable, John Johnston; overseers of the poor, Amariah Sutton and John McAdams; supervisors, William Winter and William Hammond; viewers of fences, William Jones and Samuel Sutton; assessor, Brattan Caldwell; collector of, taxes, Joseph Mahaffey. In 1788 the assessor returned 21,506 acres, 182 horses, 177 cows, and thirty single. men. Total valuation, £23,184; quota of State tax, £56; county tax, £24.

In its original boundaries Lycoming township extended from Lycoming creek to Pine creek, and the court annexed to it the lower end of Bald Eagle township, from opposite the mouth of Lycoming creek, and extending up the south side of the West Branch as far as opposite Pine creek, to include Nippenose valley, now in Limestone township. This was a large district for a township, but land was plenty in those days and the inhabitants were few, But the last 100 years have seen: Old Lycoming. divested of so much of her territory that she is now the thirty-first in size in the county, and contains only 8,960 acres. Her boundaries are as follows: On the east, Lycoming creek; on the north, Lycoming township; on the west, Woodward, and on the south, the city of Williamsport. The principal streams within her borders are Dougherty's and Bottle runs, while Lycoming creek forms her eastern line between Loyalsock township. By the census of 1890 the population was 589.

Looked at from a geological standpoint, Old Lycoming consists of formation (No. VIII) as the lowest observed (No. VI), (Lewistown limestone) sinking rapidly southward, and at Lycoming creek being some 2,000 feet or more beneath the surface, where, on the west side of the creek, Genesee (VIII d) or Hamilton (VIII C) forms the first rock under the valley drift at a depth of sixty-five feet from the surf ace, and makes up about the entire area of the township, except a small part along the north line, which is supposed to be Red Catskill (No. IX).

The mineral developments in this township are meager. There are some good rock exposures, where flag and building stone might be quarried; Youngman's quarry at Newberry is extensively worked. The first fossil ore belt on the south dip passes along the north line of the township. The surface is generally rolling with some high ridges, and there are some very fine farms along Lycoming creek.

Early History. - The history of Old Lycoming commenced before Revolutionary times and will be found fully detailed in the earlier chapters of this work. Newberry, the first town laid out in this part of the county, was within its borders, and then came Jaysburg. John Sutton's trouble in getting a title for the land on which he laid out Newberry is described in Chapter XX. The names of the early settlers will be found in the enumeration lists for 1796 and 1800, given in Chapter XV. The first courts in the county were held at Jaysburg, and there the first jail was located and kept till the beginning of 1800. French Margaret's Town stood near where Jaysburg was founded, and there is where the Moravian missionaries met her in 1753.

Jaysburg had been laid out in lots soon after the county was formed, by Jacob Latcha, and strenuous efforts were made to found a town. Buildings were erected and stores and shops and a tavern were opened. In fact it was the only settlement at that time in this part of the county that could lay claim to being a town. And in order to give a further impetus to improvements Jacob Latcha on the 13th of August, 1796, conveyed "lot No. 133, fronting southward on Fifth street," to John Cummings and John Stewart, trustees, in consideration of 5 shillings, for the erection thereon of an "English school house." The tradition is that the school house was built, but who the first teacher was is unknown. The township enumeration report shows that in 1796 Robert Young, John McMachan, and Samuel Reed were "schoolmasters," and possibly they all taught at Jaysburg.

Prominent Settlers. - William McMeens was a native of South Carolina. He first located in Cumberland county, near Carlisle, where he married Miss Sharen, of a distinguished Presbyterian family. They came to the West Branch valley and settled on the river opposite Lewisburg, and at the first court held in Northumberland county (1772) he served as the constable of Turbutt township. At the end of four years (1776) they removed to "Long Reach," and settled on the river in what was afterwards Lycoming township. They were driven off at the time of the "Big Runaway," and did not return until 1791. During their absence he served a short time as a captain in the Revolutionary army. He died about the close of the century and, was buried in the Newberry graveyard. His family consisted of two sons, John and William, and three daughters, Margaret, Jane, and Rachel. The first married Stephen Fennes, the second, William Watson, father of Oliver Watson, and Rachel, the third, died unmarried.

John McMeens, first son of William, afterwards known as Colonel McMeens, became a man of considerable prominence. He was one of the county commissioners in 1808. In 1809 he was appointed a State commissioner, with Jabez Hyde, of Luzerne county, and Samuel Hunter Wilson, of Centre county, to superintend the disbursement of an appropriation made by the legislature to improve the navigation of the Susquehanna river to the mouth. He was chosen a member of Assembly from this district in 1814 and 1818. Colonel McMeens was a remarkable man, of great energy and untiring industry. When young his opportunities to acquire an education were limited, but on attaining manhood be took up his studies and succeeded in becoming a good scholar. Governor Synder appointed him a justice of the peace and he filled the office creditably. His wife was a Miss Ritchey. They had three sons: Robert, John, and William, and four daughters: Margaret, Elizabeth, Anna, and Rosina. Of the sons Robert became a surgeon in the United States Navy, John emigrated to California and died there, and William died here. Elizabeth married Dr. Andrew Hepburn, of Williamsport; Anna married Dr. Massey, who died in Kansas, and Rosina and Rachel died unmarried. The date of the death of Colonel McMeens was not discovered by the author, but it must have occurred about 1820 or 1822. He was buried at Newberry.

Thomas Mahaffey settled on the west side of Lycoming creek in 1773, and built a log cabin near what is now bridge No. 2. He was a soldier in the Revolution. During the Indian invasion of 1778 his house was burned. On the restoration of peace he returned and built another house. Thomas Mahaffey was a man noted for his strength and courage. He had four sons, viz: Moses; William; John, and James; and several daughters. Moses was the father of Lindsay, David, and William. Mahaffey. John was the grandfather of Sheriff Thomas Mahaffey. The descendants of the pioneer are numerous, and several of them reside in Williamsport.

In 1787 Dirck (now called Derick) Updegraff purchased over 500 acres of land from Clark and Dougherty, and soon afterwards located here. Mr. Updegraff at that time lived at or near York. After making his purchase he removed hither. On account of old Fair Play claims he became involved in, a lawsuit which lasted six years, but he finally won and got his title. With the, aid of five grown up boys he cleared a farm which became one of the finest on the river. His barn was the largest in the county and stood for years as a monument of its builder. He prospered and in course of time purchased what were known as the Weir and Latcha farms, seven miles up the river. Derick Updegraff's sons were Herman, Samuel, Daniel, George, and Martin. He divided his estate among them, and many of their descendants still live in the county and city.

Mills. - The flouring mill of John Good, on Lycoming creek, was, built in 1798 by Thomas Caldwell. In 1833 it was purchased from his heirs by Lloyd & Oliver; and afterwards it was run by Anderson Harvey for several years. In 1858 the mill was purchased by George Good, who carried it on until 1874, when he sold out to his son, John Good, who still owns it. In 1886 he greatly improved the mill by introducing the roller process and other modern improvements. It is one of the oldest mills in the county. When Caldwell came over from the Culbertson mill and built it, there were few improvements in the township; and it becomes more historic, from the fact that one of the first if not the first saw mill in this part of the county was built there, and was the beginning of the great lumber industry of Williamsport.

Churches and Schools. - There is one German Baptist church in the township, situated near Buchanan; also three school houses, viz: Bottle Run, Oak Grove, and Franklin. The report for 1891 shows six months taught by three female teachers, whose pay averaged $32.50 per month. Number of male pupils, 55; female, 61.