Early in 1855 petition was made to the court praying for a division of Anthony township, whereupon Charles Hepburn, Samuel Torbert, and J. S. Runyan were appointed viewers. They reported in favor of division, March 31, 1855, and on the 23d of November of the same year, the court made a decree dividing the township and directed that the new part be called Woodward, in honor of Apollos Woodward, of Williamsport, who was on the bench as an associate judge. It is the twenty-sixth in size and contains an area of 9,600 acres. It is bounded on the east by Old Lycoming and the city of Williamsport, on the north by Lycoming and Anthony, on the west by Piatt, and on the south by the river. By the census of 1890 the population was 817.

Geologically the township consists of Lower Helderberg limestone (No. VI) in the bends of the river above Linden, but it is all concealed, with the exception of a few exposures where the roll in the measures brings it up to the surface, and dipping to the south at Linden. The next formation is (No. VIII) Chemung, which occupies the greater portion of the township, excepting a very narrow belt of Red Catskill (No. IX), along the line adjoining Anthony township. A number of exploitations for galena have been made upon Queneshaque run, but no occurrence of it has been discovered. Building and flagstone are found at quite a number of places. The surface of the township is rolling, with fine bottom farming land on the river.

The principal stream in the township is Queneshaque run, with, Kulp's run as a tributary, and Pine run in its northwestern corner. The famous stream with the generally unpronounceable Indian name, Quen-is-chasch-hacki, falls into the river just east of the village of Linden. Heckewelder, the Moravian missionary, and best authority on Indian names and their meaning, says the Delaware Indians, who had a village where Linden now stands, called the "Long Reach" by this name. The "Reach" is a stretch of water in the river, several miles in length, with such a dead, sluggish current, that it can scarcely be seen to move. Hence the Indians called the West Branch Quen-ischachachgek-hanne, which word has been corrupted into Susquehanna. Zeisberger, another eminent Moravian missionary and scholar, thus defines the word: Quin, long; Quenek, length; Schasehack-ki, straight-meaning "long straight water." The white settlers called the creek by the Indian name for the "Long Reach," which was corrupted into "Queen-e-shock-any". It is now generally written "Queneshaque" On the Historical Map of Pennsylvania, drawn by P. W. Sheafer and published by the State Historical Society, the word is spelled Quinishahaguy.

Pioneers. - One of the leading and representative men within what is now the territory of Woodward during the stormy times of the Revolution and Indian invasion was Brattan Caldwell. He was a native of County Kildare, Ireland, and came to this country about 1770, landing at Philadelphia. The Hughes brothers had preceded him in 1760, and settled in Donegal, Lancaster county, where be joined them. Attracted by the flattering, reports of the fine lands on the West Branch, they came here in 1772 and settled west of Lycoming creek. They soon discovered that the lands were in dispute and that they were outside of the Province. In the party were the Toners, McClarin, Magee, James Hughes, and Brattan Caldwell. The latter located on the Indian path on a beautiful flat east of Pine run, near where the public road crosses that stream. There he erected a cabin and made some improvements. On the breaking out of Indian troubles he abandoned the place and his cabin was burned.

In the winter of 1775 Caldwell married Miss Elcy, daughter of James Hughes. Tile marriage ceremony was performed at a cabin in Nippenose bottom by a justice of the peace, and the contracting parties and their friends crossed the river on the ice. The land on the south side of the river was in the Province, and a justice of Northumberland county could act there. This wedding is said to have been the first one that occurred in the settlements west of Lycoming creek, and the event was cause for a great jollification.

Being outside the jurisdiction of the Province of Pennsylvania, and therefore having no laws for their protection and guidance, the settlers organized the Fair Play system and elected three commissioners to administer local laws and see that all had "fair play." Brattan Caldwell became a leading commissioner and frequently served in that capacity.

At the time of the "Big Runaway" he fled with his wife to Lancaster county, where they remained until it was safe to return. After the treaty of 1784 he took out a pre-emption warrant for the land on which he had originally settled and secured 315 acres, for which he was granted a patent.

Brattan Caldwell and wife reared a family of eight children - three sons and five daughters. The sons were named James, David, and John. James lived and died on Pine run. The others went west. The daughters were named Nancy, Elizabeth, Susan, Margaret, and Mary. Elizabeth married Adam King and they went west in 1835 and settled near Indianapolis. Their descendants now reside there. Margaret married William Pearson and they settled near Cincinnati. Nancy, the eldest, remained single, and Susan died young. Mary became the wife of James Watson and they settled in Jersey Shore. Mr. Watson was one of the first storekeepers in that place. Their descendants, the Miss Watsons, are all deceased.

Caldwell, his wife, and daughter Susan all died within a short time of each other, about 1810 or 1811, of some disease like yellow fever, and are supposed to have been buried in the old cemetery on West Fourth street, Williamsport. He was an active and useful man in the community. His name occurs often on the official records after the organization of the county, as assessor, overseer of the poor, and foreman of grand juries.