Muncy Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania

History

Muncy Township, named for the Munsee tribe, was the first township in the county north of the West Branch Susquehanna River to be formed (predating even Lycoming County itself). It was originally formed as a part of Northumberland County on April 9, 1772. Muncy Township, as one of the seven original townships of Northumberland County was once an immense township. It had an indefinite northern border. The southern border of the township was the West Branch Susquehanna River. The eastern boundary may have been Muncy Creek and the western boundary was, like the northern boundary, indefinite. Loyalsock Township was the first township to be formed from Muncy Township in 1786. This division encompassed the land between Loyalsock and Lycoming Creeks. The township was divided several more times. Muncy Creek Township was formed in 1797, Shrewsbury Township in 1804, Penn Township in 1828, Wolf Township in 1834 and lastly in 1878 when Mill Creek Township was formed.

Samuel Wallis was one of the first permanent settlers in Muncy Township. Known as the "Land King" Wallis operated Muncy Farms which was for its time a large and very successful farm. Wallis first came to the West Branch Susquehanna Valley in 1768 as a surveyor. He was born in Harford County, Maryland in 1730 to a wealthy Quaker family. Wallis received a good education and inherited a large fortune. He sought to expand his fortune in various ways. He worked for a while as a shipping merchant in Philadelphia and became a surveyor. While working as a surveyor Wallis was introduced to what would become his home in 1768. He gave up his job as a surveyor and began acquiring land up and down the West Branch Valley. His holdings are said to have extended as far west as Pine Creek from his base of operations in Muncy Township. Wallis held title to the land that has since become, Muncy, Muncy Creek Township, Muncy Township, Montoursville, Loyalsock Township, Williamsport, Woodward Township, Piatt Township, Porter Township and Jersey Shore. Wallis' home was one of, if not the, first houses to be built in what is now Lycoming County. Samuel Wallis was such an important figure in the early history of Muncy Township that Fort Muncy was built on his land. This fort served as an outpost for the colonial army of Pennsylvania providing a safe haven for settlers from various Indian attacks.

Samuel Wallis married Lydia Hollingsworth in Philadelphia on March 1, 1770. They settled at Muncy Farms soon after the marriage and continued to farm while Wallis continued to expand his land holdings. Wallis was forced to flee Muncy Farms during the "Big Runaway". During the American Revolutionary War, settlements throughout the Susquehanna valley were attacked by Loyalists and Native Americans allied with the British. After the Wyoming Valley battle and massacre in the summer of 1778 (near what is now Wilkes-Barre) and smaller local attacks, the Big Runaway occurred throughout the West Branch Susquehanna valley. Settlers fled feared and actual attacks by the British and their allies. Homes and fields were abandoned, with livestock driven along and a few possessions floated on rafts on the river east to Muncy, then further south to Sunbury. The abandoned property was burnt by the attackers. Some settlers soon returned, only to flee again in the summer of 1779 in the "Little Runaway". Sullivan's Expedition helped stabilize the area and encouraged resettlement, which continued after the war. Wallis returned as soon as it was safe and continued to farm. He also built a gristmill along Carpenter's Run. The construction of this mill was entrusted to Colonel Henry Antes of Nippenose Township. Antes was the operator of the most successful mill in the area along Antes Creek.

Samuel Wallis and James Wilson a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Supreme Court appointee of George Washington became involved with Theophilus Cazenove and the Holland Land Company. This company bought up much of the land that his now northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York near the Great Lakes. Wallis worked as a surveyor and assessor for the land company and Wilson was heavily invested in the operation. Wilson owed a tremendous debt to Wallis and others. He fled to Edenton, North Carolina to escape his debts. Wallis followed him there in an effort to reach a settlement. They reached a preliminary agreement and agreed to meet again. Both men died before the debts could be settled. Wallis contracted yellow fever on his return from North Carolina and died in Philadelphia on October 14, 1798. Wilson died in Edenton, North Carolina on August 21, 1798. Wallis' heir were unable to collect Wilson's debt. Wallis himself left a large debt behind. The heirs were forced to sell Samuel Wallis' land for a fraction of his value to Henry Drinker. Drinker gave the land to his daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Charles Hall. Muncy Farms became known as Hall's Farms.

Pennsdale is a village in Muncy Township. It was founded by a group of Quakers in 1799. They built a meetinghouse there. The first meetings were held in Samuel Wallis's home as early as 1791. The Quakers continue to hold meetings in Pennsdale.

The Reading-Halls Station Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Geography

Muncy Township is bordered by Mill Creek Township to the north, Wolf Township to the east, Muncy Creek Township and the West Branch Susquehanna River to the south, Fairfield Township to the west, and by Upper Fairfield Township to the northwest. As the crow flies, Lycoming County is about 130 miles (209 km) northwest of Philadelphia and 165 miles (266 km) east-northeast of Pittsburgh.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.8 km²).15.6 square miles (40.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.89%) is water. Interstate 180 comes up the river and meets U.S. Highway 220 in Halls just east of the Lycoming Mall and the two routes continue west as an expressway to Williamsport. The township's villages include Chippewa, Halls, and Pennsdale.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,059 people, 418 households, and 323 families residing in the township. The population density was 67.8 people per square mile (26.2/km²). There were 437 housing units at an average density of 28.0/sq mi (10.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.54% White, 0.09% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.66% of the population.

There were 418 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.1% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 19.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $36,111, and the median income for a family was $40,595. Males had a median income of $29,762 versus $22,135 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,621. About 6.8% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Schools

Residents of Muncy Township may attend the local, public schools operated by Muncy School District which provides full day kindergarten through 12th grade. In 2013, the Muncy School District's enrollment was 1,025 students. In 2012, the Muncy School District administration reported spending $13,976 per pupil. The Muncy School District operates 2 schools: Ward L. Myers Elementary School (grades K-6) and Muncy Junior-Senior High School (grades 7-12). In 2016, Muncy School District’s graduation rate was 93.3%.

Muncy School District was ranked 186th out of 494 Pennsylvania school districts in 2016, by the Pittsburgh Business Times. The ranking is based on the last 3 years of student academic achievement as demonstrated by PSSAs results in: reading, writing, math and science and the three Keystone Exams (literature, Algebra 1, Biology I) in high school.

The Muncy School Board is elected for four year terms. The Board has raised property taxes to fund the school district every year for five years 2012-2016. In 2016 the rate is 14.7500 mills.

High school students can attend the Lycoming Career and Technology Center for training in the building trades, drafting & design careers, criminal justice careers, allied health careers, culinary arts and other careers.

Muncy Township residents may also apply to attend any of the Commonwealth's 14 public cyber charter schools (in 2013) at no additional cost to the parents. This includes SusQ Cyber Charter School which is locally operated. The resident’s public school district is required to pay the charter school and cyber charter school tuition for residents who attend these public schools. In 2015, Muncy School District's tuition rate was elementary school - $9,283.18 and high school - $11,940.51. By Commonwealth law, if the District provides transportation for its own students, then the District must provide transportation to any school that lies within 10 miles of its borders. Residents may also seek admission for their school aged child to any other public school district. When accepted for admission, the student's parents are responsible for paying an annual tuition fee set by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

BLaST Intermediate Unit #17 provides a wide variety of services to children living in its region which includes the Muncy Township. Early screening, special education services, speech and hearing therapy, autistic support, preschool classes and many other services like driver education are available. Services for children during the preschool years are provided without cost to their families when the child is determined to meet eligibility requirements. Intermediate units receive taxpayer funding: through subsidies paid by member school districts; through direct charges to users for some services; through the successful application for state and federal competitive grants and through private grants.