The successive steps by which
Sandy Creek township was reduced from one of the largest to one of the
smallest townships of the county were as follows. In 1802 the township
of Sandy Lake designated all the northeast quarter of the county, the
site of Mercer borough being at about the southwest corner of this
township. In 1802 the township was divided by an east and west line,
and the lower half was called Cool Spring, and the upper part became
Sandy Creek, the name Sandy Lake being dropped. In 1805 Sandy Creek was
diminished by the erection of French Creek from the east part. From
that year until 1851 Sandy Creek township comprised the territory which
is now divided among Sandy Creek, Perry, New Vernon and Deer Creek. The
creation of these four separate townships was made in June, 1851. A
number of homesteads in this township were settled during the
eighteenth century. Several families still live in the township whose
ancestry goes back to pioneers of that time. It is doubtful if any
permanent settlers were here before 1796, when immigration first began
to this county, but some of the families trace their residence to a
date at least as early as this. Alexander McCracken, Hugh Minnis, James
Brush, David Chess, Thomas Philips and the Findleys were here
about that time. About the beginning of the following century, Ross
Byers, John E. Larimer, William Church, John Sheakley came to this
vicinity. William Church was the father of Gaylord Church, whose career
as a jurist reflected credit on his birthplace.
Besides [Sheakleyville] the township has always been one of the finest
agricultural sections of the county, and most of its leading citizens
have been farmers.
Source: Twentieth
Century History of Mercer County, 1909, page 161 - 162
Sandy
Creek Twp. Churches
Upper Sandy/Georgetown Presbyterian
United Presbyterian Church
Georgetown Baptist Church
Methodist Episcopal Church |
|
| Transformation of Sandy
Creek Twp. |
Formed in 1802 from the
old Sandy Lake Twp.
|
| Then divided into |
French Creek Twp.
Perry Twp.
Deer Creek Twp.
New Vernon Twp. |
|
|
