Millville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Millville is a borough in Columbia County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. It is part of the Bloomsburg
–Berwick
Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
living in Mill Creek Hundred
, Delaware
, is thought to have been one of the first white men to visit the Greenwood Valley and Little Fishing Creek
area in 1770. (One account of this visit indicates that he purchased a sizeable portion of the land he explored in the area from the Indians who had served as his guides on this trek.) Although he returned to Delaware after this initial visit, he returned the following year with his son Thomas and built a log cabin on the property. The entire Eves family arrived the next year, in 1772, and began tilling the fields adjacent to the cabin as soon as they could be cleared.
In 1774, the Eves family received a deed for their 1203 acres (4.9 km²) property in the Valley’ the largest land holding at the time in what would later become Columbia County. Title for the land, originally obtained by William and Elizabeth McMean in 1769, was passed to Reuben Haines, and then to John Eves.
An Indian uprising, the Battle of Wyoming, in mid-summer of 1778, caused the Eves family to flee their home in the Valley and take refuge at a stockade
near Washingtonville. Upon their return in 1785, they found their cabin burned and their fields overgrown, but immediately set about to recreate their homestead.
When the Eves family returned in the mid 1780’s, they were determined to make the settlement permanent. They were accompanied or were soon followed by several other families, including Masters, Kisner, Battin, Parker, Lundy, Lemon, Oliver, and Rich. With 17 children and 104 grandchildren, John Eves looked after the building of homes for the family, a grist mill that was to stand for 100 years, and later a sawmill and several other essential structures.
Growth of the community was slow because it was not located along a main traveled route or major waterway. Until 1798, Indian trails, which crossed at Millville, were the only accessways to the Valley area. In that year, a road was surveyed across the Mount Pleasant hills to the Susquehanna River
. It was 1856 through before the road from Bloomsburg to Laporte was laid out through Millville.
Early residents were almost entirely self-sufficient. Thomas Eves succeeded his father in ownership of the grist mill and built the first house in what is now Millville Borough. And, according to an early historian, David and Andrew Eves opened the first store in the area in 1827. David Eves was also commissioned the first postmaster in 1831, followed by his brother Andrew some years later.
While the early population was scattered, provision was made for both worship and education. In the early years of the community, services and classes were held in the homes, but in 1785, a school was started in Millville and a two-room Meeting House was erected in 1795.
Local industry at the time consisted of those operations which were necessary to meet the needs of the early population. Sawmill
s and grist mills were the first, followed by a woolen mill, started in 1813 by John Watson, several brick plants, and a wagon shop, established by Charles Eves, in 1837.
One spurt of growth in Millville occurred in 1856 when the road from Bloomsburg to Laporte was constructed. The town experienced considerable growth in the years following construction of this roadway because the community now had adequate access to markets and other transportation links in Bloomsburg. A second period of growth was experienced in 1887 when the railroad was constructed through town. Numerous businesses and industries were created and buildings were erected to service the railroad. A local newspaper, the Weekly Tablet, published its first edition in April 1887.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 991 people, 380 households, and 242 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,039.7 people per square mile (402.8/km²). There were 408 housing units at an average density of 428.0 per square mile (165.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.89% White, 0.20% African American, 0.61% Asian, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population.
There were 380 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 29.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 72.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $29,191, and the median income for a family was $44,063. Males had a median income of $30,357 versus $23,269 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $18,958. About 10.4% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.
Columbia County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,151 people, 24,915 households, and 16,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 132 people per square mile . There were 27,733 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Bloomsburg is a town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 40 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre along the Susquehanna River. In 1900, the population of Bloomsburg stood at 6,170; in 1910, 7,413; in 1940, 9,799, and in 1990, 12,439. The population was 14,855 at the 2010 census...
–Berwick
Berwick, Pennsylvania
Berwick is a borough in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 22.6 miles southwest of Wilkes Barre. Berwick is one of two principal cities of the Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Columbia and Montour counties and had a combined population of 82,387...
Micropolitan Statistical Area
Bloomsburg-Berwick micropolitan area
The Bloomsburg–Berwick Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Pennsylvania, anchored by the town of Bloomsburg and the borough of Berwick...
.
History
John Eves, a native of IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
living in Mill Creek Hundred
Mill Creek Hundred
Mill Creek Hundred is the name of an unincorporated subdivision of New Castle County, Delaware. Hundreds were once used as a basis for representation in the Delaware General Assembly, and while their names still appear on all real estate transactions, they presently have no meaningful use or...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, is thought to have been one of the first white men to visit the Greenwood Valley and Little Fishing Creek
Little Fishing Creek
Little Fishing Creek is a tributary of Fishing Creek in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Little Fishing Creek joins Fishing Creek 4 miles upstream of the Susquehanna River, near the town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania....
area in 1770. (One account of this visit indicates that he purchased a sizeable portion of the land he explored in the area from the Indians who had served as his guides on this trek.) Although he returned to Delaware after this initial visit, he returned the following year with his son Thomas and built a log cabin on the property. The entire Eves family arrived the next year, in 1772, and began tilling the fields adjacent to the cabin as soon as they could be cleared.
In 1774, the Eves family received a deed for their 1203 acres (4.9 km²) property in the Valley’ the largest land holding at the time in what would later become Columbia County. Title for the land, originally obtained by William and Elizabeth McMean in 1769, was passed to Reuben Haines, and then to John Eves.
An Indian uprising, the Battle of Wyoming, in mid-summer of 1778, caused the Eves family to flee their home in the Valley and take refuge at a stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
near Washingtonville. Upon their return in 1785, they found their cabin burned and their fields overgrown, but immediately set about to recreate their homestead.
When the Eves family returned in the mid 1780’s, they were determined to make the settlement permanent. They were accompanied or were soon followed by several other families, including Masters, Kisner, Battin, Parker, Lundy, Lemon, Oliver, and Rich. With 17 children and 104 grandchildren, John Eves looked after the building of homes for the family, a grist mill that was to stand for 100 years, and later a sawmill and several other essential structures.
Growth of the community was slow because it was not located along a main traveled route or major waterway. Until 1798, Indian trails, which crossed at Millville, were the only accessways to the Valley area. In that year, a road was surveyed across the Mount Pleasant hills to the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. It was 1856 through before the road from Bloomsburg to Laporte was laid out through Millville.
Early residents were almost entirely self-sufficient. Thomas Eves succeeded his father in ownership of the grist mill and built the first house in what is now Millville Borough. And, according to an early historian, David and Andrew Eves opened the first store in the area in 1827. David Eves was also commissioned the first postmaster in 1831, followed by his brother Andrew some years later.
While the early population was scattered, provision was made for both worship and education. In the early years of the community, services and classes were held in the homes, but in 1785, a school was started in Millville and a two-room Meeting House was erected in 1795.
Local industry at the time consisted of those operations which were necessary to meet the needs of the early population. Sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s and grist mills were the first, followed by a woolen mill, started in 1813 by John Watson, several brick plants, and a wagon shop, established by Charles Eves, in 1837.
One spurt of growth in Millville occurred in 1856 when the road from Bloomsburg to Laporte was constructed. The town experienced considerable growth in the years following construction of this roadway because the community now had adequate access to markets and other transportation links in Bloomsburg. A second period of growth was experienced in 1887 when the railroad was constructed through town. Numerous businesses and industries were created and buildings were erected to service the railroad. A local newspaper, the Weekly Tablet, published its first edition in April 1887.
Geography
Millville is located at 41°7′22"N 76°31′40"W (41.122785, -76.527650).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 991 people, 380 households, and 242 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,039.7 people per square mile (402.8/km²). There were 408 housing units at an average density of 428.0 per square mile (165.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.89% White, 0.20% African American, 0.61% Asian, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population.
There were 380 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the borough the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 29.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 72.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $29,191, and the median income for a family was $44,063. Males had a median income of $30,357 versus $23,269 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $18,958. About 10.4% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 20.9% of those age 65 or over.