GREENWOOD TOWNSHIP
Greenwood Township at one time comprised all
of the present territory of Perry County lying east of the Juniata River, which
includes its present territory as well as that of the townships of Liverpool,
Buffalo, Howe, and Watts. In 1763 Stephen Munce took out a warrant for
land in Greenwood Township, but which is located in what is now Watts Township.
he was made the first tax collector upon the erection of the township in
1767. Others on the assessment roll of that year were Joseph Greenwood,
after whom the township was named, and John Foughts (Pfoutz). Joseph
Greenwood is mentioned by Marcus Hulings, who owned Duncan's Island and who
resided at the Dr. George N. Reutter farm--now known as Amity Hall, and the
present owner being McClellan Cox--as one of his closest neighbors. John
Foughts (Pfoutz) lived in Pfoutz Valley, which bears his name, most of which
lies within the confines of Greenwood Township, as at present constituted.
The name Pfoutz is now extinct here.
Greenwood was formed from a part of the territory of Fermanagh Township, an
original township of Cumberland County, on March 25, 1767, being the fourth
township formed of the territory now comprising Perry County. At the July
sessions of the courts of that year the boundaries of Fermanagh Township were
fixed as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Cocolamus Creek, up the north
side of the Juniata, and to terminate at the middle of the Long Narrows; thence
(along the mountain) to the head of Cocolamus Creek; thence down the said creek
to the place of beginning." Hence it will be noted by the above
boundaries that that part of Greenwood Township north of the Cocolamus Creek,
including the Borough of Millerstown, was in Fermanagh Township and so remained
until the organization of Mifflin County (which included the present county of
Juniata), on September 19, 1789.
At the same session of the Cumberland County courts in July, 1767, the
boundaries of Greenwood Township were defined thus: "Beginning at
McKee's path, on the Susquehanna River; thence down the said river to the mouth
of the Juniata River; thence up the Juniata River to the mouth of the Cocolamus;
thence up the same to the crossing of McKee's path; thence by the said path to
the place of beginning." McKee's path, mentioned therein, began at
the mouth of the Mahantango Creek, a short distance below the residence of
Thomas McKee, on the Susquehanna River. It followed the line of the
present public road which runs through Greenwood Township, Juniata County,
westward to the mouth of the Delaware Run, at Thompsontown.
Then, when Mifflin County was organized, in 1789, the territory that lay between
the present county line and McKee's path became a part of Greenwood Township, in
Mifflin County (now Juniata), and the territory that lay between the present
county line and Cocolamus Creek became a part of Greenwood Township, Perry
County. In 1799 Buffalo Township was created and took off the territory
now comprised in Buffalo, Howe and Watts Townships. In 1823, it was again
divided by the erection of Liverpool Township. January 4, 1854, a petition
was presented to the Perry County courts asking that the lines and boundaries of
Greenwood Township be altered and a portion of Juniata (now in Tuscarora)
Township, lying in the Raccoon Valley, bordering the river, become a part and so
remained until the erection of Tuscarora Township, in 1859, when it became a
part of that township.
As now constituted Greenwood Township is bounded on the north by Juniata County,
on the east by Liverpool Township, on the south by Buffalo and Howe Townships,
and on the west by the Juniata River. The township is composed of two
valleys--Pfoutz and Perry--the former being of limestone soil, and the most
fertile section of the county lying east of the Juniata River, and he equal of
the best lying west of it. Perry Valley was once known as Wildcat Valley,
but an organization formed in 1884 and known as the Farmers' Mutual Protection
Association, was instrumental in having it changed to Perry Valley. This
organization was formed for mutual improvement and to protect its members from
the impositions of traveling agents who then infested this country. The
valley is ten miles long and four miles in width.
Located in Perry Valley there is a small village known as Reward--formerly
Liberty Hall--which was laid out in 1847 by John Reifsnyder, on lands of Samuel
Grubb. The first store there was kept by Keck & Goodyear. In
1882 Mrs. C. A. Long opened a store. Reward was made a post office in
1883, and so remained until 1905, when rural delivery superceded it. The
mail was first carried twice a week, later three times, and still later,
daily. H. F. Long was in business there for over thirty years.
The assessment of 1768 contained the following names:
