Historians report that the circuit riding preacher made his appearance in the North and West Branches of the Susquehanna Valley almost as soon as the settlers had arrived. Their lives were difficult, filled with hardship and rejection, but later rewarded when the seeds (of the Gospel of Christ) they planted resulted in converts and churches.
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The Susquehanna Valley lost a valuable resource in local history, especially the Montour County Iron industry, with the passing of Larry Mordan in 2019. Larry once told a newspaper reporter his interest in local history was sparked by his late grandfather, James Bryant, who was one of the last puddlers of iron in Danville. The famous T-Rail was first manufactured at the Big Mill in Danville. Larry’s great-grandfather, Charles Morgan Bryant, was one of the last to work in the Iron mines in Danville. And Mordan's great-great-great-grandfather, Samuel Bryant came to Danville from Wales in 1841. A talented artist as well as a historian Larry may be best known for his vast knowledge of the miners and the mines during the iron industry of the 1800s.
An 1875 newspaper interview with one of the oldest settlers of the West Branch Valley provided valuable insight into the trials and hardships of pioneer life. At the time, James Caldwell had spent seventy years in that section of northern Pennsylvania.
