Crawford County, Pennsylvania
History
1876 ATLAS 1
"HISTORY OF THE VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS OF CRAWFORD COUNTY."
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP.
At the organization of Bloomfield Township it was twelve miles long by six wide, and an original division of the county. The east half was struck off in 1830 into Sparta, and Bloomfield, as now known, remained. A man named Cunningham was the first to locate in that territory, 1795. Three years passed, and James Hamilton, agent of John Fields, of Philadelphia, moved in and gave an impetus to the settlement, but in 1808 removed to Meadville. Prior to 1800 James Bryon, Joseph Kirk, John Taylor, James Winders, Richard Shreve, and the Bloomfields, Lewis, Andrew, and Stephen, moved in and made improvements. The pioneer life, devoid of romance was a period of self-denial and years of toil. Richard Shreve came to Bloomfield in 1798, from Red Stone. He had a family of thirteen children,—nine sons and four daughters. James Blakeslee was a prominent settler, from Genesee County, New York. He moved in May, 1819, and in June following his son, Elkanah, joined him. The Blakeslees located on the Cunningham tract, which they bought of some Swedes who had succeeded the old settler. The first grist-mill was erected near Oil Creek Lake, in 1800, by James Hamilton, and was repaired and rebuilt in 1821. One of the first two carding-machines brought into Crawford County was the property of the Shreves,—William and Bargillar,—who ran it for two seasons. Bloomfield has a small little village and three hamlets within its borders. Riceville is upon Oil Creek, and is a station on the Union and Titusville Railroad. It derives its name from Samuel Rice, who erected the first house upon its site. In 1830 the first saw-mill was built in Riceville. It now contains two churches, a hotel, stores, shops, factories, a school building, and over three hundred inhabitants. Chapinville is on the Rockdale line. Bloomfield is named after the family referred to. Lincolnville is near the south central part of the township. It was named after Seth Lincoln, who, in December, 1837, took up a four-hundred-acre tract on its site, and thereon cut the first tree, and erected the first saw- and grist-mills. The saw-mill, repaired, is still in use, but the grist-mill has fallen into disuse. In 1838 Salmon N. Sturdevant joined Mr. Lincoln, and has been a leading citizen for the many subsequent years. The township contains thirty-nine thousand four hundred and sixty-five acres. Oil Creek traverses its central portion, receiving several tributaries. About the centre of the township the creek expands and forms a lake. The leading occupation of residents are lumbering and dairying. The Union and Titusville Railroad extends along the valley of Oil Creek through the township.
