[p. 30] Its Original Geography — Land Warrants and Land Companies — Early Settlements — Early Customs — Organizations of the County — Location Wrangle — Population — First Election — County Officials — First Courts — Original Townships — Agriculural.
The pedigree (so to speak) of the counties covering the territory from which Lawrence County was formed, is as follows: First, Chester, one of the original counties of the province; second, Lancaster, formed from part of Chester, May 10, 1729; third, Cumberland, formed from part of Lancaster, January 27, 1750; fourth, Bedford, formed from part of Cumberland, March 9, 1771; fifth, Westmoreland, formed from part of Bedford, February 26, 1773, and, in 1785, a part of the purchase of 1784 was added; sixth, Allegheny, formed from parts of Westmoreland and Washington, September 24, 1788; seventh, Beaver and Mercer, formed from part of Allegheny, March 12, 1800; eighth, Lawrence, from parts of Beaver and Mercer, April 5, 1849.
The region covering about twenty counties in the northwestern part of Pennsylvania was purchased from the Six Nations by the Commonwealth, at the treaty of Fort Stanwix (now Rome, N.Y.), in October, 1784.
"The lands north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers were surveyed into what were known as 'warrant' and 'donation' tracts. The former, supposed to contain an average of 400 acres to each tract, and the latter (which were surveyed to accommodate the soldiers of the Pennsylvania line, who served during the Revolution) into tracts of 200, 250, 300 and 500 acres. Soldiers' certificates and warrants were purchased and speculated in by immense corporations, 'Population' and 'Land Companies,' and by individuals. The most prominent of these were the 'Pennsylvania Population Company' and the 'Holland Land Company.' Considerable tracts known as 'academy lands,' etc., were reserved for the benefit of schools and churches."
On April 3, 1792, the State Legislature passed an act providing that all the lands north and west of the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers and Conewango Creek, not previously reserved for public or charitable purposes should be offered for sale to persons who would cultivate, improve and settle them, at the rate of 7 pounds and 10 shillings (about $50) per hundred acres, with an allowance of 6 per cent for highways. For such as had made actual settlements, it was provided that warrants should be issued for tracts of not more than 400 acres to each settler. The ninth section, however, read: "No warrant or survey to be issued or made in pursuance of this act, for lands lying north and west of [p. 31] the rivers Ohio and Allegheny and Conewango Creek, shall vest any title in or to the lands therein mentioned, unless the grantee has, prior to the date of such warrant, made or caused to be made, or shall within the space of two years next after the date of the sale make or cause to be made, an actual settlement thereon, by clearing, fencing and cultivating at least two acres for every hundred acres contained in one survey, erecting thereon a messuage for the habitation of man, and residing or causing to reside thereon, for the space of five years next following his first settling of the same, if he or she shall so long live; and that in default of such actual settlement and residence, it shall and may be lawful for this commonwealth to issue new warrants to other actual settlers for the said lands or any part thereof, reciting the original warrants, and that actual settlements and residence have not been made in pursuance thereof, and so often as defaults shall be made for the time and in the manner aforesaid, which new grants shall be made under and subject to all and every one of the regulations contained in this act. PROVIDED, always, nevertheless, that if any such actual settler or grantee, in any such original or succeeding warrants shall, by force of arms of the enemies of the United States, be prevented from such actual settlement, or be driven therefrom, and shall persist in his endeavor to make such actual settlement as aforesaid, then, either case, he and his heirs shall be entitled to hold the said lands in the same manner as if the actual settlement had been made and continued."
The first, or one of the first, applicants for land under this act was John Nicholson, who applied at the land office for 390 warrants, to be located in the "Triangle," and for 250 warrants, to be located on the waters of Beaver Creek, representing in all about 200,000 acres. Shortly after, however, before completing his purchase, he became president of the Pennsylvania Population Company, then just formed, of which he was made president, and Messrs. Cazenove, Irvine, Mead, Leet, Hoge and Stewart, being managers. This company, whose capital stock was divided into 2,500 shares, purchased 500,000 acres of land. Taking over to this company Nicholson's claims they completed the purchase, and, in addition, bought 500 more warrants for lands in the "Donation" District. "In order to induce emigrants to settle on their lands, the company proposed to grant in fee simple to every settler 150 acres of land, if he should comply with the requisitions of the law imposed upon THEM; and in that way it was designed that the occupant should secure his land, together with his implements, and the company should secure 250 acres through him. But the fact that each actual settler could secure for himself, by the payment of the stipulated purchase money, a tract of 400 acres under the law, prevented, in a great measure, the success of the company's scheme of monopoly. Settlers, generally, indeed, located themselves on lands covered by their own warrants, though in some cases these infringed upon lands of the company. In consequence, suits of ejectment were instituted against those who had encroached upon the lands to which the company had an incomplete title, and this state of things became a fruitful source of litigation for many years." (Surveyor General's Report—1865.)
The Academy Lands were mostly situated in the southeastern portion of the county. Benjamin Chew, of Philadelphia, the owner of the celebrated "Stone House," which lost Washington the battle of Germantown, secured a large tract of land—some four miles in width, and eight or ten miles in length—in the southern portion of what is now Lawrence County, it being included in the present townships of Big Beaver, Wayne, Slippery Rock and Perry. This land was known as the "Chew Tract," and was mostly surveyed into smaller tracts of 400 acres each, each settler being allowed one-half for settling.
[p. 32] In the vicinity of New Castle, the lands, which were mostly "donation" tracts, were entered upon soldiers' warrants—a portion of them by the original holders of the warrants, but probably a majority by parties to whom the patents had been sold and transferred. There were eight tracts, located principally in what is now Perry Township, that were designated on the surveys as "depreciated lands," or lands unfit for settlement, but it being discovered that they included some of the finest lands in the county, they were speedily taken by settlers. It has been thought that these lands were so designated by the early surveyors with the view of preventing or postponing settlement thereon, in order that they might have an opportunity of subsequently acquiring them on easy terms.
In 1793, soon after the departure of the Moravians, the first white settlers appeared in Mahoning Township. They numbered about forty-five persons, who had come from Allegheny City with the intention of settling on the north side of the Mahoning River. They had one Arthur Gardner, a surveyor, with them, upon whom they depended to locate the lands they were in search of, but he seems not to have been competent, as they passed by the lands, and went as far west as the present site of Youngstown, Ohio. Here many of the party, being discouraged, returned to Allegheny. About seventeen of them, however, returned to Pennsylvania and settled on both sides of the Mahoning. Not long after other settlements were made in different parts of the county and continued to be made for a number of years. New Castle was first settled and a town laid out, by John Carlisle Stewart and others, in April, 1798.
In early days everybody was practiced in the art of horsemanship, and many were the exciting races and adventures participated in by the settlers. On wedding occasions it was customary for them to gather from every direction, sometimes from a distance of over twenty miles. Occasionally as many as sixty couples were present, and the entire number divided into two parties, called respectively the "bride's company" and the "groom's company." Then everybody mounted. The "Groom's company" took possession of the "bottle," which was a necessary article at all such gatherings, and both parties had a race for it. Altogether they had sport enough, and enjoyed it as none but people with their limited means of amusement could.
The following description of a "house-warming," as it used to be celebrated in the days before Lawrence County was settled, particularly in the times from 1763 to 1783, is taken from a book published in 1824, by Rev. Joseph Doddridge.
"I will proceed to state the usual manner of settling a young couple in the world. A spot was selected on a piece of land of one of the parents, for their habitation. A day was appointed, shortly after the marriage, for commencing the work of building their cabin. The fatigue party consisted of choppers, whose business it was to fell the trees and cut them off at proper lengths; a man with a team for hauling them to the place and arranging them properly assorted, at the sides and ends of the building; and a carpenter, if such he might be called, whose business it was to search the woods for a proper tree for making clapboards for the roof. The tree for this purpose must be straight-grained, and from three to four feet in diameter. The boards were split four feet long, with a large frow, and as wide as the timbers would allow. They were used without shaving. Another division was employed in getting puncheons for the floor of the cabin. This was done by splitting trees about eighteen inches in diameter, and hewing the faces of them with a broad-axe. They were half [p. 33] the length of the floor they were intended to make.
"The materials for the cabin were mostly prepared on the first day, and sometimes the foundation laid in the evening. The second day was allotted for the raising.
"In the morning of the next day the neighbors collected for the raising. The first thing to be done was the election of four corner-men, whose business it was to notch and place the logs. The rest of the company furnished them with the timbers. In the meantime the boards and puncheons were collecting for the floor and roof, so that by the time the cabin was a few rounds high, the sleepers and floor began to be laid. The door was made by sawing or cutting the logs in one side so as to make an opening about three feet wide. This opening was secured by upright pieces of timber about three inches thick, through which holes were bored into the ends of the logs, for the purpose of pinning them fast. A similar opening, but wider, was made at the end for the chimney. This was built of logs, and made large, to admit of a back and jambs of stone. At the square, two end-logs projected a foot or eighteen inches beyond the wall, to receive the butting poles, as they were called, against which the first row of clapboards was supported. The roof was formed by making the end-logs shorter, until a single log formed the comb of the roof. On these logs the clapboards were placed, the ranges of them lapping some distance over those next below them, and kept in their places by logs placed at proper distances upon them.
"The roof, and sometimes the floor, were finished on the same day of the raising. A third day was commonly spent by a few carpenters in leveling off the floor, making a clapboard door and a table. This last was made of a split-slag, and supported bv four round logs set in auger-holes. Some three legged stools were made in the same manner. Some pins stuck in the logs at the back of the house supported some clapboards, which served for shelves for the table furniture. A single fork, placed with its lower end in a hole in the floor, and the upper end fastened to a joist, served for a bed-stead, by placing a hole in the fork, with one end through a crack between the logs of the wall. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one within the fork, with its outer end through another crack. From the front pole, through a crack between the logs of the end of the house, the boards were put on which formed the bottom of the bed.
"Sometimes other poles were pinned to the fork a little distance above these, for the purpose of supporting the front and foot of the bed, while the walls were the supports of its back and head. A few pegs around the walls, for a display of the coats of the women and hunting-shirts of the men, and two small forks or buck's horns fastened to a joist for the rifle and shot-pouch, completed the carpenter work.
"In the meantime the masons were at work. With the heart-pieces of timber of which the clapboards were made, they made billets for chunking up the cracks between the logs of the cabin and chimney. A large bed of mortar was made for daubing up these cracks. A few stones formed the back and jambs of the chimney.
"The cabin being furnished, the ceremony of the house-warming took place before the young couple were permitted to move into it. The housewarming was a dance of a whole night's continuance, made up of the relations of the bride and groom, and their neighbors. On the day following the young couple took possession of their new mansion."
Before fulling mills were extensively established, it was common to have "bees" for the fulling of flannel, as for log-rollings and raisings. At these gatherings the bare-footed young men and women would seat themselves in two rows upon the, puncheon floor, facing each other, so that the feet of each of the former would just [p. 34] reach those of a fair damsel, the ladies being, of course, gallantly accorded seats with their backs against the wall. The flannel was then well soaked and laid between them, and by successive kicks in concert from each side, the same object was accomplished that was afterward gained by the more modern inventions.
Besides these pastimes there were "log rollings," "husking bees," etc., and life among the pioneers was by no means unenjoyable.
The erection of a new county from portions of Mercer, Beaver and Butler Counties began to be agitated as early as 1820, and in spite of many failures and discouragements, the agitation was continued until the spring of 1849, when the supporters of the movement saw their efforts crowned with success. The people residing within the limits of the proposed new county could advance many valid reasons for its creation. New Castle was a town of rapidly growing business importance, and the converging point of numerous roads from all parts of the surrounding country. The line between Beaver and Mercer Counties passed through the borough, cutting it in twain, and thus a part of its inhabitants were compelled to attend the capital of Beaver County, and the rest that of Mercer County, for the transaction of all their legal business. A process issued in either county against parties living in New Castle could be readily avoided by their stepping across the county line. New Castle was centrally and conveniently located for the business of the region proposed to be formed into a new county, and, in the nature of things, must sooner or later become a large and flourishing town. Among the prominent advocates of the division were Hon. L. L. McGuffin, William Dickson, William Moore, John L. Warnock, Joseph T. Boyd, James Dickson, Isaac Dickson, William Watson, Diskron Watson, Thomas Falls, Joseph Kissick, John N. Euwer, Dr. Charles T. Whippo and James Cubbison, besides many others, inhabitants both of the borough and of the surrounding country. These interested citizens formed an organization, and year after year petitions were presented to the Legislature, but for a long time without effect.
This was chiefly due to the determined opposition, based on political reasons, with which the scheme was met by many adherents of the Whig party in this section. They urged against it: FIRST, that the counties out of which it was proposed to erect the new one were small enough already; SECONDLY, that the two counties of Mercer and Beaver were strong Whig counties, and the townships to be included in the new county were the strongest Whig townships. By taking them out both the before-mentioned counties would become Democratic. In other words, the Whigs would gain one county and lose two by the operation. Consequently, they were opposed to the project for political reasons, while the Democrats were naturally as much in favor of it. This situation continued until about 1840, when the supporters of the measure adopted a new line of policy, and began making friends of their erstwhile enemies. Party lines were ignored, and other political issues forgotten in discussing the all-absorbing topic. After strenuous exertions, the advocates of the division at length succeeded in electing their candidates to the Legislature, but had the mortification of finding them recreant to the great interest committed to their charge. But the people would not surrender; they adopted as their motto the last words of the gallant Lawrence in his fight with the British frigate "Shannon," "Don't give up the ship!" and resolved to fight on until their object was obtained and to name their county in honor of the heroic commodore—Lawrence.
The outlook began to be more promising in the fall of 1847, when they succeeded in electing David Sankey to the State Senate. At the next election for members of the [p. 35] House they elected three out of the four representatives which Mercer and Beaver Counties were then entitled to. For Mercer County, David M. Courtney and Joseph Emery were elected, while Beaver County elected John Sharp, of Slippery Rock, and Dr. William Smith, who lived on the south side of the Ohio River, the doctor, of course, belonging to the opposition. The friends of the movement now put forth their utmost strength. Petitions bearing numerous signatures were forwarded and able men selected to bring them to a successful hearing at Harrisburg. Among others, Major E. Sankey attended the session of the Legislature, and remained at his post until a bill granting the petition was passed.
Though the bill for the division was introduced in the House of Representatives early in the session, no action was taken upon it until March, 1849, when it passed by a two-thirds vote. A few days later it passed the Senate by a vote of twenty-two to eight, and on the 20th day of March, 1849, it was signed by Governor William F. Johnston. By the act the new county was to be called LAWRENCE, and the county seat was to be located in the borough of New Castle. The influence and exertions of Senator David Sankey and his co-workers in the House, David M. Courtney, Joseph Emery and John Sharp, was largely responsible for procuring its passage.
The following named gentlemen were appointed to superintend the running of the lines of the new county, and to fix the locality for the county buildings: Colonel James Potter, Sr., of Mifflin County; Hon. William F. Packer, of Lycoming County, and Hon. William Evans, of Indiana County. Mr. Packer failing to meet the others on their arrival at New Castle, May 16, 1849, they appointed Colonel John Potter, of Mifflin County, in his place.
Henry Pearson was selected by the State Commissioners as surveyor to run the boundary lines, with Lot Watson and Harvey Tidball as chainbearers, and Henry C. Falls as axeman. About four weeks were occupied in the survey, the party being accompanied by the commissioners of Beaver and Mercer Counties, as well as by sundry individuals. Contrary to a somewhat generally received opinion, no part of Butler County was included in Lawrence.
The minutes of the survey, as taken from the report of the State Commissioners, read as follows: "Commencing at a post at the corner of Wolfe Creek and Slippery Rock Townships, Mercer County; thence north forty-two degrees west, with the line dividing said townships, three miles and 312 perches, to a post, the southeast corner of Springfield Township; thence north eighty-eight and one-fourth degrees west, between the townships of Springfield and Slippery Rock, five miles 244 perches, to a white-oak stump, the southwest corner of Springfield Township; thence north along the line dividing Springfield and Lackawannock (now Wilmington) Townships, three-fourths of a mile to a chestnut tree; thence south eighty-nine degrees west, parallel with the south line of Mercer County, thirteen miles 210 perches to a post on the Ohio State line; thence south with the said line eighteen and three-fourths miles to a post; thence north eighty-nine degrees east parallel with the north line of Beaver County, eighteen miles 252 perches to an iron-wood tree, on the line between Beaver and Butler Counties; thence north two degrees west along the line of Butler County, nine miles 244 perches to a post, the corner of Beaver, Butler and Mercer Counties; thence north thirty-five and three-fourths degrees east along the line between Butler and Mercer Counties, five miles 310 perches, to the place of beginning."
The area within these lines is about equivalent to a square of nineteen miles, and would, therefore, contain 361 square miles, or 231,040 acres.
The ground selected by the State Commissioners upon which to locate the county buildings was situated on the northeast [p. 36] corner of Jefferson and Lawrence (now Falls) Streets, and was owned by Thomas Falls. According to the report of the commissioners, it was 100x160 feet in dimensions, with the longest diameter east and West. The following extract from the report shows that Mr. Falls agreed to donate the land to the county:
"The said Thomas Falls has agreed to convey and assure, FREE OF CHARGE, to the Commissioners of Lawrence County and to their successors forever; the said lot of ground; and he further agrees that the streets and alleys forming the boundaries of said lot may be kept open for public use forever—all upon consideration that the public buildings of said county be placed upon said lot.
"(Signed.) WLLLIAM EVANS,
"JAMES POTTER., SR.,
"JOHN POTTER."
There had been numerous competing sites, and that chosen by the commissioners was not satisfactory to everybody. During the fall and winter of 1849 there was much excitement upon this subject. Absurd statements, regarding the ground selected, were put in circulation, public meetings were held, and the matter was warmly discussed also in the hotels and business places, in the street, and even in the family circle.
The county commissioners elected in the autumn of 1849 were John K. Swisher, John Randolph and James Oliver, all of whom were in favor of choosing a new location. The movement, headed by R. B. McComb, Esq., and the commissioners, was prosecuted vigorously. Petitions were forwarded to Harrisburg, and subscription papers were circulated in favor of several different localities. Finally, an Act, supplementary to the one in March, 1849, erecting the new county of Lawrence, was passed by the Legislature, and approved by the Governor, March 25, 1850, the tenth section of which reads as follows:
"That the commissioners of the county of Lawrence shall, as soon after the passage of this act as shall be practicable, designate by numbers, and in such other manner as they shall think proper, four several sites for the location of the county buildings for said county, in or within one-fourth of a mile from the borough of New Castle, including the site already fixed by the commissioners appointed for that purpose; they shall also procure a book in which to receive subscriptions of money, land, labor and materials to aid in defraying the expenses of erecting said buildings for each of said sites, and shall permit all and every person or persons, body politic or corporate, by themselves or their agent, to subscribe in either of said books such sum or amount of money, land, labor or materials as he, she, or they, may think proper for the purpose aforesaid; and it is hereby made the duty of said county commissioners to give every person or persons, body politic or corporate, within said county, every facility within their power to make subscriptions as aforesaid, for the space of two months from the time of opening said books; and at the expiration of said term they shall forthwith determine upon which of said sites as aforesaid the said buildings shall be erected, and proceed to erect the same in the manner directed by law, having due regard to the healthfulness of the site, convenience and interest of the citizens of said county, and the amount of subscriptions to each of said sites; Provided, That before proceeding to erect said buildings they shall take such security as in their judgment shall be ample to insure the payment of the whole amount subscribed to the successful site."
Section 12:
"So much of the act to which this is a supplement, or any other law, as is hereby altered or supplied, or is inconsistent herewith, be and the same is hereby repealed. Approved the 25th day of March, 1850.
"WILLIAM F. JOHNSTON."
The site was selected in accordance with the provisions of the above described act, the amount of subscriptions being some $1,600, and the lots were donated to the county by David Crawford, the commissioners advertised for sealed proposals for the erection of the necessary buildings, and the contract was let in August, 1850, to Messrs. James M. Craig and William Hamilton, for the sum of $12,004, they being the lowest responsible bidders. The work was commenced in the fall of that year, and the buildings were completed in 1852. During the progress of the work the plans, both of the court house and jail, were very materially changed from the original specifications of the commissioners. The elaborate portico of fluted Ionic columns, constructed of gray sandstone, was not contemplated in the original design. Material alterations were made also inside the buildings, and much extra work was also done in grading the grounds, erecting walls, etc., which brought the total cost up to about [p. 39] $32,000. All this extra work was arranged for by the commissioners. Labor and material were very cheap in those days, and the expenses were much less than would be called for by similar improvements at the present time. The court house occupies a fine and commanding position fronting the west, and is elevated some sixty feet above low water mark in the rivers.
The population of Lawrence County at the time of its organization was, by the United States census, 21,079, including 132 colored. The population of New Castle, at that time, was 1,614, including 51 colored. In 1860 the population of the county was 22,999 and of New Castle 1,882. In 1870 the county contained 27,298, and the city of New Castle 6,164 inhabitants. In 1900 the county had a population of about 57,000. The present estimated population of the city is about 40,000.
The last government census of the county, outside of New Castle, showed the following population:
Big Beaver Township, 1,488
Ellwood City, 2,243
Enon Valley, 395
Hickory Township, 855
Little Beaver Township, 735
Mahoning Township, 2,617
Neshannock Township, 1,080
New Wilmington, 891
North Beaver Township, 2,215
Perry Township, 847
Plain Grove Township, 655
Pulaski Township, 1,607
Scott Township, 845
Shenango Township, 2,806
Slippery Rock Township, 1,428
Taylor Township, 571
Union Township, 2,055
Volant, 120
Wampum, 816
Washington Township, 480
Wayne Township, 3,108
Wilmington Township, 951
28,808
At the first election, held in the fall of 1849, the following were the names of the county officers chosen: Sheriff, David Emery; prothonotary and clerk of the courts, James D. Clarke; treasurer, Joseph Justice; register and recorder, James McClane; county commissioners, John K. Swisher, James Oliver, John Randolph; county auditors, Isaac P. Rose, William Work, A. Galloway; coroner, John L. Warnock.
At the time of the organization of the county, Hon. John Bredin was president judge of the courts, with Hons. Jacob Bear and Charles T. Whippo, associates. The first election for judges was held October 14, 1851, when Hon. Daniel Agnew, afterwards chief justice of the Supreme Court of the State, was elected president judge, and John Reynolds and James Henry, associates. Mr. Henry died, and Jacob Bear was elected in 1852.
In 1856, Hon. Thomas Pomeroy was elected associate judge, and in 1857, Samuel Van Horn.
In 1861, Hon. Daniel Agnew was re-elected president judge, and Joseph Cunningham, associate.
In 1863, Judge Agnew was elected to the Supreme Court of the State, and Hon. L. L. McGuffin was appointed, and in October, 1864, elected president judge in his place.
In 1862, James McClane was elected associate.
In 1866, Samuel Taylor, and in 1867, Thomas Pomeroy were elected associates.
In 1871, Samuel Taylor, and in 1872, Thomas Pomeroy, were re-elected associates.
In 1874, Hon. Ebenezer McJunkin was [p. 40] elected president judge, and Hon. James Bredin, additional law judge.
In 1876, James P. Aiken was elected associate judge.
ln 1878, A. T. McCready was elected associate.
In 1880, James P. Aiken was re-elected associate.
In 1882, Robert Cochran was elected associate.
In 1884, Aaron L. Hazen was elected president law judge, and John McMichael, additional law judge.
In 1886, Robert Fulkerson was elected associate judge.
In 1888, O. H. P. Green was elected associate judge.
The president judges are elected for ten years, and the associates for five years.
The office of additional law judge was created by act of Assembly in 1873.
The following is a list of county officers from 1850 to 1908:
Sheriffs.—1849, David Emery; 1852, Andrew B. Allen; 1855, Robert Gailey; 1858, Silas Stevenson; 1861, Andrew B. Allen; 1864, Thomas McConnell; 1867, David C. Rhodes; 1870, James Davis; 1873, James H. Cooper; 1876, William B. Miller; 1879, Alexander Richardson; 1882, William L. Davis; 1885, William G. Warnock; 1888, Samuel W. Bell; 1891, William Douthitt; 1894, William Becker; 1897, Charles Matthews; 1900, James H. Brown; 1903, Edwin L. Ayers; 1906, J. W. Waddington.
Prothonotaries.—1849, James D. Clark; 1852, James D. Clark (died December 2, 1854), David M. Kissinger appointed to fill term; 1855, Cyrus Clarke (resigned); 1857, John S. Pomeroy; 1860, John Elder; 1863, John Elder, re-elected; 1866, Jacob Haus; 1869, Samuel K. McGinness; 1872, S. C. McCreary, re-elected in 1875; 1878, Andrew Hutton; 1881, David I. Campbell. 1884, David I. Campbell; 1887, Joseph H. Gilliland; 1890, Joseph H. Gilliland; 1893, A. S. Love; 1896, A. S. Love; 1899, R. M. Campbell; 1902, R. M. Campbell; 1905, Charles H. Andrews.
County Commissioners.—1849, John K. Swisher, James Oliver, John Randolph; 1850, John Randolph; 1851, Robert Bentley; 1852, William R. Wallace; 1853, Marmaduke Wilson; 1854, Robert Reynolds; 1855, William Carlon; 1856, William Gaston; 1857, Isaac P. Cowden; 1858, Robert Fullerton; 1859, Thomas Cairns; 1860, James Forrest; 1861, John Wilson; 1862, William B. Lutton; 1863, Jacob Rowland; 1864, Henry H. Emery; 1865, William Y. Greer; 1866, Asa Eckles; 1867, John H. Gormley; 1868, Alex. Carpenter; 1869, Joseph Douthett; 1870, James M. Lawrence; 1871, David M. Courtney; 1872, William McClelland; 1873, Robert Mehard; 1874, James D. Bryson. In 1875, under the new constitution, three were elected; James Patterson, for three years; James D. Bryson, for two years, and Robert Mehard, for one year; 1877, Robert Mehard; 1878, James D. Bryson; 1881, Robert Mehard, Robert P. Pomeroy and A. G. Kelso; 1884, James M. Long, George B. Gibson and Robert Mehard; 1887, James M. Long, Alexander Wright and Samuel Clark; 1890, James Crawford, Robert M. Eckles and Edward Yoho; 1893, Robert M. Eckles, Stewart Thompson and William W. Monison; 1896, W. L. McConnell, W. Y. Gibson and J. H. Weekly; 1899, W. L. McConnell, W. Y. Gibson and Joseph M. Wilkison; 1902, James A. McMillan, R. L. McNabb and James Flynn; 1905, James A. McMillan, John F. Pitts and Robert H. McConahy.
County Auditors.—1850, John Elder; 1851, John S. Foy; 1852, James C. Brackey (Mr. Brackey died, and David Sankey was appointed in his place); 1853, Pearson McCreary (died in office); 1854, A. Tyler and Thomas Pearson; 1855, William Drake and William Nesbit; 1856, Joseph M. Burns; 1857, James R. Miller; 1858, Isaac P. Cowden; 1859, Philo S. Morton; 1860, John H. Gormley; 1861, D. S. Robinson [p. 41] and Joseph R. Sherrard; 1862, William C. Harbison; 1863, E. M. McConnell; 1864, David Warnock; 1865, Zebina N. Allen; 1866, Peter R. Sedgwick; 1867, William M. Gibson; 1868, Matthew Stewart; 1869, John Jellison; 1870, Peter K. Sedgwick and Robert Elder; 1871, John M. Power; 1872, George Y. Leslie; 1873, Lafayette Baldwin; 1874, John M. Power; 1875, Lafayette Baldwin, William Weller and George B. Gibson; 1878, John M. McKee, Lafayette Baldwin, Geo. B. Gibson; 188l, John M. McKee, R. M. Eckles, David G. Ramsey; 1884, R. M. Eckles, Jesse B. Lock, Isaac D. Kirk; 1887, John W. Fulkman, James M. Sterling, W. H. Chambers; 1890, Thomas F. Shingledecker, Connelly McConahy; 1893, J. C. Riblet, Edward Forrest, Walter Hopper; 1896, Edward Forrest, J. C. Riblet, Edward Sergent; 1899, J. C. Riblet, E. N. Houk, J. C. Johnston; 1902, E. N. Houk, James Elder, W. W. Eckles; 1905, E. J. Klein, James Elder, William McCune.
County Treasurers.—1849, Joseph Justine; 1851, Archibald Cubbison; 1853, James S. Tidball; 1855, James Mitchell; 1857, Isaac N. Phillips; 1859, Alexander Carpenter; 1861, E. I. Agnew; 1863, Matthew D. Tait; 1865, William H. Shaw; 1867, Cochran Leslie; 1869, John A. Porter; 1871, Isaac Murdock, Jr.; 1873, Forbes Holton; 1875, John Blevins; 1878, W. H. H. Shaffer; 1881, James Reynolds; 1884, Martin Hartman; 1887, J. W. Clark; 1890, R. C. G. White; 1893, J. W. Cunningham; 1896, J. A. Hainer; 1899, L. C. Cochran; 1902, J. A. DeNormandy; 1905, Lafayette Baldwin.
Registers And Recorders.—1849, James McClane; 1852, Hugh Moore; 1855, John Hoffman; 1858 John W. Fulkerson; 1861, Robert Boyd; 1864, Sylvester Gaston, re-elected in 1867; 1870, James Crowl; 1873, re-elected (resigned); 1873, Isaac Murdock, Jr., appointed (died); 1874, William W. Officer appointed; 1874, James C. Stevenson; 1876, B. C. Rhodes; 1879, B. C. Rhodes; 1883, W. F. Leathers; 1886, W. F. Leathers; 1889, J. T. Gleason; 1892, J. T. Gleason; 1895, H. P. Shaner; 1898, H. P. Shaner; 1901, A. C. Hyde; 1904, A. C. Hyde; 1907, W. A. Eakin.
District Attorneys.—1849, W. P. Buchanan, appointed by Governor Johnston; 1850, James Pollock; 1853, David Craig; 1856, B. B. Pickett; 1859, John P. Blair; 1862, Robert Gilliland; 1865, J. Smith DuShane; 1868, O. L. Jackson; 1871, Aaron L. Hazen; Aaron L. Hazen re-elected in 1874; 1877, John G. McConahy; 1880, J. Scott Irwin; 1882, Malcolm McConnell; 1885, S. L. McCracken; 1888, A. L. Porter; 1891, S. P. Emery; 1894, R. K. Aiken; 1897, W. J. Moffat; 1900, Charles E. Mehard; 1903, J. V. Cunningham; 1906, Charles H. Young.
Coroners.—1852, J. H. M. Peebles; 1855, Phillip Miller; 1858, Daniel Leasure; 1861, Dr. G. W. Coulter (removed from county); 1862, Malachi P. Barker; 1865, Dr. A. M. Cowden; 1867, Malachi P. Barker; 1869, Malachi P. Barker; 1870, J. B. Reinholdt; 1873, James Pollock; 1875, David P. Jackson.
County Surveyor.—Henry Pearson was appointed by the State Commissioners to survey and mark the original boundaries of the county, in 1849. He was elected Deputy Surveyor, in 1850, by a vote of the people, and there seems to have been no election for surveyor afterwards, until 1865, when Mr. Pearson was again elected. He held the office until his death, about 1872. There is no record of any surveyor for the county since 1865.
School Superintendent.—This officer is elected by the School Directors of the county. The following gentlemen have filled the position since the first election, under an Act of Assembly of May 18, 1854: 1854, Thomas Berry; 1857, Thomas Berry; 1860, Stephen Morrison; 1863, Stephen Morrison; 1866, George W. McCracken; [p. 42] 1869, George W. McCracken; 1872, W. N. Aiken; 1875, W. N. Aiken; 1878, W. N. Aiken; 1881, D. F. Balph; 1884, D. F. Balph; 1887, J. R. Sherrard; 1890, J. R. Sherrard; 1893, James M. Watson; 1896, James M. Watson; 1899, Thomas M. Stewart; 1902, Thomas M. Stewart; 1905, R. G. Allen; 1908, W. Lee Gilmore.
Senators.—The State Senators who have been elected from Lawrence County are: 1854, Hon. William M. Francis; 1858, Hon. John Ferguson; 1872, Hon. Samuel McKinley; 1876, George W. Wright (res. Mercer County); 1880, George W. McCracken; 1884, Samuel B. McClure (res. Mercer County); 1888, Thomas M. Mehard; 1892, James S. Fruit (res. Mercer County); 1896, William M. Brown; 1900, J. D. Emery (res. Mercer County); 1904, E. I. Phillips.
Representatives.—Thomas Dungan, 1851 and 1852; John D. Raney, 1853; R. B. McComb, 1854, 1855 and 1856; G. P. Shaw, 1857 and 1858; J. D. Bryson, 1859 and 1860; John W. Blanchard, 1861 and 1862; Isaiah White, 1863 and 1864; Samuel McKinley, 1865 and 1866; William C. Harbison, 1867; John Edwards, 1868 and 1869; David Craig and George W. McCracken, in 1870; A. P. Moore and Samuel D. Clarke, in 1871; A. P. Moore, in 1872; George W. McCracken, in 1873; E. S. N. Morgan, in 1874 and 1875; J. Q. Stewart in 1875 and 1876; and E. S. N. Morgan and J. Q. Stewart in 1877 and 1878; 1879, William M. McCandless and Walter Fullerton; 1880, Ellis Morrison and John N. Emery; 1882, John N. Emery and Ellis Morrison; 1884, Henry C. Falls and Silas Stevenson; 1885, William P. Morrison; 1886, Henry Edwards and Silas Stevenson; 1888, John B. Brown and William P. Morrison; 1890, William P. Morrison and Alexander M. Phillips; 1892, H. W. Grigsby and A. L. Martin; 1894, H. W. Grigsby, A. L. Martin; 1896, A. L. Martin and R. A. Todd; 1898, James McAnlis and R. A. Todd; 1900, Malcolm McConnell and James McAnlis; 1902, R. P. Pomeroy and Malcolm McConnell; 1904, George F. Weingartner and Walter S. Reynolds; 1906, George P. Weingartner and Walter S. Reynolds.
Congressmen.—The Representatives in Congress who have been elected from Lawrence County: 1860, Hon. John W. Wallace; 1872, William McClelland; 1874, John W. Wallace; 1876, William S. Shallenberger (res. Beaver County); 1878, William S. Shallenberger; 1880, William S. Shallenberger; 1882, George V. Lawrence (Washington Co.); 1884, Oscar L. Jackson; 1886, Oscar L. Jackson; 1888, Charles C. Townsend; 1890, E. P. Gillespie (res. Mercer County); 1892, Thomas W. Phillips; 1894, Thomas W. Phillips; 1896, James J. Davidson; 1897, Joseph B. Showalter; 1900, Joseph B. Showalter; 1902, Ernest F. Acheson; 1894, Ernest F. Acheson; 1906, Ernest F. Acheson.
Lawrence became a separate Representative district in 1871. Under the new constitution adopted in 1873, it became entitled to two Representatives in the State Legislature.
The first court held in Lawrence County convened in the First Methodist Episcopal Church in New Castle, on Monday, January 7, 1850. It was presided over by Hon. John Bredin, assisted by Hon. Jacob Bear, associated judge. The following are the names of the attorneys admitted to practice at that term, belonging to Lawrence County: Jonathan Ayers, L. L. McGuffin, J. K. Boyd, David Craig, Lewis Taylor, W. P. Buchanan, D. B. Kurtz, J. Hoffman, D. C. Cossitt, John M. Crawford, George W. Watson, John N. McGuffin and James Pollock. Attorneys were also present and admitted to practice, from Beaver, Butler, Mercer and Indiana Counties.
In 1877 the county jail that had been in use from 1850 was torn down and a new prison erected. A residence for the sheriff was built at the same time. [p. 43]
At the time of the organization of the county it was divided into thirteen civil sub-divisions or townships, namely: Pulaski, Wilmington, Slippery Rock, North Slippery Rock, Mahoning, Neshannock, North Beaver, Big Beaver, Little Beaver, Shenango, Wayne, Perry and North Sewickley. Of these Pulaski, Wilmington, North Slippery Rock, Mahoning and Neshannock were formerly a part of Mercer County; the remainder were taken from Beaver County.
There have been material changes in the names and arrangements of the townships since 1850. Taylor Township was created from portions of Shenango and North Beaver, February 19, 1853. On April 13, 1854, North Slippery Rock was cut in two, and the two townships of Washington and Scott were formed from it, the old name being abandoned.
In 1855, February 14th, Plain Grove Township (now often written Plaingrove) was formed from parts of Washington and Scott Townships. Pollock Township was formed May 28, 1858, from parts of Neshannock and Shenango Townships. On February 25, 1869, it became a part of New Castle, which was then erected into a city and it now constitutes the third, fourth and fifth wards. On February 15, 1859, a strip of land three-fourths of a mile wide was taken from Plain Grove and added to Washington Township, which was further enlarged by another strip a half mile wide from Scott Township. Union Township was formed from portions of Mahoning, Neshannock and Taylor Townships, September 10, 1859. Hickory Township was formed in the winter of 1859-60, being taken from Neshannock Township.
The area of Lawrence County is about 361 square miles, which is equivalent to 231,040 acres. The climate and soil on the higher grounds are well adapted to fruits, such as apples and peaches, while a few plums and grapes are raised together with a considerable quantity of small fruits, according to the demand. The number of acres of cleared land is 200,263; timbered land, 7,273.
The value of taxable real estate is $27,707,699; the number of horses taxable, 6,809; the value of horses taxable, $361,799; the number of cattle taxable, 7,885; the value of cattle taxable, $142,075.
The money at interest amounts to $4,858,032; the total valuation for county purposes, $29,903,653; the number of taxables, 22,642.
A society called the Lawrence County Agricultural and Horticultural Society was organized in 1852 and offered premiums to the amount of $450. It leased for the term of ten years four and a half acres of land near the borough of New Castle. It was continued for several years, but we have no record of it after the year 1857, when its total receipts were $670.50.
Another society, also called the Lawrence County Agricultural and Horticultural Society, was chartered August 10, 1878, with a capital stock of $3,000, and privilege to increase the same to $6,000. The first board of directors and officers were as follows: Henry C. Falls, president; Samuel McCleary, vice-president; George W. Veach, secretary; Scott D. Long, treasurer; Hiram Watson, N. B. Carter, Alexander Duff, Robert J. Fulkerson; Benjamin Graham, John Davidson, John M. Allen, Alexander M. Phillips, and Philo Cunningham, directors. The society bought Property on North Hill, which is still known as the Fair Ground property. It was then in the country and was bounded by Moody Avenue, Wilmington Road, Highland Avenue and on the north by the Berger farm. It held four annual fairs—in 1888, 1889, 1890 and 1891—after which the society was dissolved. They offered about $4,000 in premiums for races, and about $5,500 for other exhibits annually. [p. 44] The society was not a financial success and its property was finally disposed of at sheriff's sale.
The Pulaski Fair Association was chartered March 13, 1903, with a capital stock of $10,000, divided into 200 shares of the face value of $50 each. The first board of directors was George Watson, M. I. Buchanan, David Tod, I. F. Gearhart, A. G. King, James S. Wood. This association gives fairs every year in Pulaski.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
Chapter II | Table of Contents | Chapter IV
Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 5 Apr 2002