Townville VFD

Department 24

Townville News

Townville Borough was incorporated September 19. 1867. The village was founded
by Noah Town, who in 1824 emigrated from Granville N.Y. to the wilderness in
what is now Randolph township. Three years later he moved to Meadville and, in
1831, came to what is now Townville. He cleared a farm and erected the first sawmill
in this locality on Muddy Creek about 1833. Mr. Town also kept the first store
in the village. He later moved to Erie, where he died.

One or two years prior to the arrival of Noah Town, Zephaniah Kingsley came, with
his three sons, Zephaniah, Calvin and Ranson, from Fort Ann, Washing County, N. Y.
and settled in what is now the western part of Townville. One son, Ranson Kingsley,
built a sawmill on Muddy Creek about the same time Noah Town constructed his mill.
Together they commenced the task of clearing the land of its dense growth of heavy
timber. John Baker erected the third sawmill on Muddy Creek.
The place settled slowly and in 1849 contained only eight dwellings. Its settlers then
included Noah Town, engaged in mercantile business, his sons, Joseph and
Lyman Town, engaged in farming; Ranson Kingsley; Harvey Hull , a farmer; Amby igby,
who had a cabinet shop; James Boyles, a carpenter; William Boyles, a shoe maker;
Thomas Boyles, painter; and F. W. Post, a blacksmith. Dr, Adams, the first resident
physician, came in soon after and remained several years.
Later various factories and mills for the manufacture of wooden ware were established,
utilizing the timber with which the surrounding country was covered.

The first school was built at Kingsley’s Corners. It stood where Ransom Kingsley later
built the house, which he sold in 1867 to John Hathorne. It was built about 1828 and
was used there until 1859, when it was removed to a site near Burdick’s Corners, on
land now owned by Charles Gillette. The first one in the borough was built on the site
of the present elementary school building. This was later moved to the land directly back
and a new school house erected. In 1861, at a regular meeting of the school board, it
was voted to appropriate $500 to a school house in Townville, providing the citizens
of the village would raise $300, the second floor to be used as a town hall.
This building was burned in 1895, and a new school house erected on the same site.
For a number of years the course of study extended through the 8th grade.
This was followed by several years of 9th grade work. In 1867 the first graduates were
granted diplomas. In 1898 the vocational school for Troy Township, Steuben Township,
and Townville was in force. The schoolhouse was destroyed by fire in February 1930.

In the early days of this section it was customary for the school directors to meet and
ask prospective teachers questions thought necessary and decide, if in their judgment,
the applicants were qualified. If so, they were granted certificates to teach. The Steuben
Township records of such a meeting held on May 8, 1951 show that Emily Hull,
Elizabeth Smith, Helen Leonard and Mary Tryon received certificates, and on
April 20, 1853, certificates were received by Mary Tryon, Cornelia Tryon
and Caroline Durfee. Certificates were granted on November 3, 1843 to
Miss E. M. Clark, C.M. Hiller, A. B. Edson and W. H. Jones. In 1861 the
teachers were paid the magnificent sum of $2 per week and “board around”; a
week to consist of five and on-half days. In 1862 the wages were raised to
$10 a month. At one meeting of the school board, an order was drawn in favor
of Rodney Hoyt for 62 cents in payment for one-half cord of wood, a broom
and some wire.

The textbooks adopted in 1863 were Stoddard’s Mental Arithmetic, Robinson’s
practical Arithmetic, Cornell’s Geography, Green’s Grammar, Bryant and Stratton’s
Bookkeeping, Robinson’s Geometry and Robinson’s Algebra.

Some of the teachers who have taught in the public schools of Townville were:
Prof. Ira Peavy, F. J. Lowe, Victor Free, Prof. Cron, D. C. Kingsley, Maud Hawthorne,
Dr. Bernice Fleek, T. E. Kingsley, F. D. Kingsley and many other. Prof. R. Winton became
head of the school in 1906.

For a number of years a school was kept by Miss Mary Rose, known as “Rosedale Academy”,
continuing until ill health compelled “Miss Mary” as she was called, to relinquish her work.

The course of study and instructions were of a high grade and many successful men and
women received their inspiration from the days spent in that school. Among these we find two
missionaries, Dr. R. R. Benn and Miss Amy Brown, both of whom labored in China for many years.
The Academy, which was located just north of the Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church,
was recently purchased by James Gillette, and dismantled.

The Troy Center Baptist Church was organized in the Kingsley schoolhouse on
October 28, 1836. The Townville members organized Bef. 13, 1851, the Steuben
Baptist Church. Ransom Kingsley gave them ground for a church at the
Kingsley Cemetery and a building was erected shortly afterwards. The name
of the organization was changed in 1881 to Townville First Baptist Church.

The Methodist Chruch was organized in 1845. Services were held in the schoolhouse
until 1849, when a frame building was erected. This was occupied until 1877,
when the present edifice was built. The first building was later occupied by
C. H. Corliss as a carriage shop. It is now the modern home of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bossard.

Townville’s Congregational Church was organized about 1845 with Noah Town,
Ebenezer Harris, Harvey Coburn, Eseck Coburn, L. L. Lamb, and Hezekiah Wadsworth
among the constituent members. They organized a Congregational Society and had
a church building but there was not enough local support to maintain it.
Calvard Episcopal Church. In 1857 Mr. Peter Rose and family moved from
Philadelphia and settled about two miles north of Townville. In 1862 Mr. Rose
made arrangements with Rev. Lord of Meadville to offer monthly services in Townville
and, with the Congregational Church for the use of their edifice. The first of such
services was held on January 29th of that year.

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