who at the time of its formation, 1842, was one of the
associated judges of Luzerne county. It was taken from Union
and Lehman townships. While mostly upland it has one-fourth
that was, many years ago, under cultivation, and to the
present farms are slowly being added, some of the hill farms
proving moderately productive. It has a superficial area of
forty-six square miles, and would be called hilly, with some
narrow valleys. As early as 1865 there were five sawmills in
it, busy cutting the valuable lumber of its great forests of
oak, hemlock and pine. In 1850 its population was 709; in
1870,990; 1880, 1,053; in 1800,1,102. The north part is
mountainous and rugged, so much so that when the timber is
gone there is but little to tempt men to stay longer. All
the additions therefore of recent years have been to the
southern portion of the township. The first settler came in
1795-Abram Kitchen. His farm was eventually that of James
Crockett.Irish Lane post office carries in its name an item
concerning the settlement. The prominent, Irish families,
Crockets, Irwins and Holmes came as immigrants to this
county and cut their road to come on. This came at once to
be widely known as ,..Broadway. When it became known that
they had been given a post office and had to select a name
the three had such a long contention about the matter that
finally the gordian knot was severed by calling it Irish
Lane. Francis Irvin came in 1808. The notable thing about
him was that he owned and drove the first team of horses of
any of the settlers. That was a distinction then about equal
to owning a yacht now.
Paul Wo1f, who settled in the south end of the township, was
here two years before. Irvin came and a reasonable yoke of
lean calves was the best he could do in the way of a family
tally-ho coach for hie family and needs. Timothy Aaron and
Jacob Meeker settled near Grassy pond in 1796, and after a
stay of four years sold to G. M. Pringle and Hiram Berth.The
first settler, so far as now is known, in the township was
Daniel Devore, in 1793-celebrated in the history of the
county by living to be its oldest man- passing the century
and four years in active farm life. -Archibald Berth, a
Revoultionary soldier, who escaped from the British service,
came in 1800 and lived on his farm till he died in 1820.
Another Revolutionary veteran was John Wandell, who came the
same year as Berth; he was present at the surrender of
Burgoyne. His descendants are many still in the township.
Benjamin F. Wesley was a soldier in the War of 1812; taken
prisoner at Queens- town. He lived in the township till he
died of old age in 1830; leaving descendants. Another sold-
ier of the War of 1812 was Ebenezer Wilkinson. The following
is the record of the Ross township men in the late Rebel-
lion: Col.R.P.Crockett,Capt.James Davenport;George W Holmes,
killed; Wilson Long, Luther Dodson, I. R. Dodson, Abiel
Sutliff, Andrew Sutliff, A. W. Sutliff; William Thompson,
died in service; A. S. Rood, James Henry, I. M. Culver, L P.
Long, C. Rood, Almon Rood, James Rood, Henry Sutliff, D. W.
Seward, J. R. Seward, S.H. Sutliff, J. Blanchard, Elijah
Moon, I. B. Stevens, Wilbur Stearns, H. a Holmes, J. M.
Holmes, Isaac Naphus, Sidney Naphus, Thomas Shaw, John Shaw,
Cyrus Rummage, Lewis Rummage, Jordan Wolf, Edward Mott,
Lafayette Hann, William Edwards, Thomas Long, Nathaniel
Wolf; W.F.White, killed; Lorenzo Ruggles, William Nagle,
Wesley Hontz, Josiah Hontz;Henry White, died in service;
Alonzo F.White, wounded; Aaron Phillips, Richard Morris;
Charles Wesley,killed; Weston D.Millard, killed; John Rood,
Silas Nevil;James Nevil,lost an arm;Jacob Nevil,killed;
Webster Long,killed; Samuel P. Wandel, Samuel Montgomery; A.
Moore,wounded in eye; Warren Mott, killed; George Moore,
killed;Henry Kitchen, P. D. Edwards, Clark Edward, David
Ross, Miles Ross, William Lewis,Abram Agnew, J. W. Daven-
port,William Wesley, Benjamin Wesley, Edward Wilkinson,
Joseph Totten,James Congleton, Jonah Post, -Post, -Post,
Zephaniah Long; Morris Hatten, wounded; Jerome Hatten; Aaron
Freeman,wounded; John Freeman.Bloomingdale was the place
where was the first store, by Alvin Wilkinson in 1835. It
now contains a post office and store; schoolhouse and
church. Once had seventy-five inhabitants, sawmill and
blacksmith shop. Sweet Valley is the prominent village in
the township. Josiah Ruggles was the pioneer merchant and
postmaster here. The first schoolhouse was built in 1820,
and Joseph Moss and Anna Turner the pioneer teachers.