Barree Township was one of the five townships formed out of the large tract of land that was obtained by the Province of Pennsylvania in the Albany Purchase in 1754. The five townships of Barree, Bedford, Coleraine, Cumberland and Dublin were formed within Cumberland County in 1767. Two years after the erection of Bedford County, in 1773, the township of Hopewell was formed out of the southwest corner of Barree Township.
Hopewell Township encompassed, in 1773, the territory that would become Carbon, Cass, Hopewell, Lincoln, Penn, Todd, Union and Wood townships within Huntingdon County when it was erected out of Bedford in 1787. Remaining within Bedford County, Hopewell Township encompassed the region that would become Broad Top, Hopewell and Liberty Townships.
On 16 April 1838, the township of Broad Top was formed out of Hopewell.
The effort to divide Hopewell Township began in 1836. A group of the residents submitted a petition to the Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace and Gaol to have the township divided. From the point of the submission of a petition until the township division was effected took nearly three years. The final line dividing Broad Top from Hopewell Township would not be confirmed until 1839.
On 18 April 1836, the Court accepted the people's petition.
At a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace in and for said County of Bedford on the 18th day of April A. D. 1836 before the Judges of the same Court. Upon the petition of Sundry inhabitants of the Township of Hopewell being read setting forth that they labour under great inconvenience for want of a division in the Township of Hopewell in said County, and that the River from where Providence Township line crosses the same be the division line to Jacob Moyers old mill, thence a Straight line to intersect the Huntingdon County line, at or near Henry Putts saw mill, and praying the Court to appoint proper persons to view and lay out the same according to Law. Whereupon the Court did, on due consideration, order and appoint Martin Loy, Christian Snider, and Charles Ashcom Esq Commissioners to view and examine the lines proposed for the division of said Township prayed for and make report thereof, together with a plot or draft thereof, to the next Court of Quarter Sessions of the peace of said County according to Law: Which said Order was Continued by the Court aforesaid at April Sessions 1837 to the same Commissioners, to wit Martin Loy, Christian Snider and Charles Ashcom Esq who are to make report of their proceedings, as directed in the first Order, to the next Court of Law. By the Court John G. Martin, Clerk
A report was returned to the Court by the commissioners on 29 November 1837.
To the Honourable the Judges within named We the Commissioners Appointed by the within order for viewing and Examining the lines proposed for the Division of Hopewell Township Do Report as follows ~ Beginning at the mouth of Johns Branch at the River from where the Providence Township line crosses the same down the said River the Several courses to Jacob Myers Moyers old Mill, thence North ten Degrees east a straight line to the Huntingdon County line at Henry Putts saw mill ~ Witness our hands and seals the 17th day of November 1837.
Charles Ashcom, Christian Snider, Martin Loy
The township was confirmed into existence on 16 April 1838.
At a Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace held at Bedford in and for the County of Bedford on the 16th day of April A. D. 1838 ~ Before the Judges of the said Court ~ The within or foregoing Report read, and Township established, and Confirmed absolutely, and erected into a distinct Township to be called Broad Top Township ~ By the Court
On 29 August 1839, the commissioners, Charles Ashcom, Christian Snider and Martin Loy, returned a report regarding the boundary line between Hopewell and Broad Top Townships.
I hereby Certify that Charles Ashcom, Christian Snider & Martin Loy Esquires were appointed to view and establish the line between Hopewell and Broadtop Townships and that they viewed and made report accordingly ~ By the Court In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of Office at Bedford the 29th Aug. 1839. J. B. Noble Clerk
The new township is believed to have been named for the fact that the region is basically a plateau ~ a 'broad top' ~ between the Saxton and Terrace Mountains and Sideline Hill. The plateau, though, is not completely flat. A number of small hills dot the region with valleys cut between them by a number of streams.
