[p. 50] Indian Proprietors — First White Settlers — Wild Game — Early Merchants and Millers — First Death — Early Justices — First Postoffices — Early Churches — Gillespie's Addition — New Castle in 1813 — Early Bridges — Amusements — Pioneer Costume — New Castle Made a Borough — The Town Re-surveyed — Some Notable Improvements — First Fire Company — New Castle in 1840 — First Steps Toward Banking — The New County — First Courts — Court-House — New Military Companies — Exports in 1853 — Hard Times in 1855 — Description of New Castle in 1858 — Burgesses of West New Castle.
Before the advent of the white settlers in this region the ground where New Castle now stands was occupied by a tribe of the Delaware (or Lenape) Indians, ruled over by a powerful chief or "king." He was called in the native tongue Pack-an-ka, who is thought to be identical with the "King Beaver" mentioned by some of the white adventurers. We thus find him alluded to by Christian Frederick Post, in the journal which he kept of his adventures among the natives in this vicinity in 1758, when he was sent on a mission of peace in advance of General Forbes' army.
But though inhabited by the Delawares, this region was practically under the domination of the Iroquois (Mengwe), or "Six Nations," long the formidable rivals of the Delawares, and whom De Witt Clinton called the "Romans of America."
The Iroquois possessed an intelligence superior to that of most of the Indian tribes. This was exemplified in the famous league, or confederation, between the five tribes of New York—the Onondagas, Senecas, Cayugas, Mohawks, and Oneidas (long known as the Five Nations), which was effected about the middle of the Fifteenth Century by Hiawatha, a sagacious chief of the Onondagas, and the subject of Longfellow's poem of that name. Says Horatio Hale, in his book entitled "The Iroquois Book of Rites": "The system he devised was not to be a loose or transitory league, but a permanent government. While each nation was to retain its own council and management of local affairs, the general control was to be lodged in a federal Senate, composed of representatives to be elected by each nation, holding office during good behavior, and acknowledged as ruling chiefs throughout the whole confederacy. Still further and more remarkable, the federation was not to be a limited one; it was to be indefinitely expansible. The avowed design of its purposer was to abolish war altogether. That this far-sighted and beneficent plan failed of its ultimate object was due less to any inherent defects than to the fact that the said object was too far advanced for the comprehension of those for whose benefit it was designed. Though retaining its governmental value in the regulation of tribal affairs, the league was soon perverted [p. 51] into a means of conquest and aggression, until the name of Iroquois became a terror to all the surrounding nations. It included, besides the five New York tribes above mentioned, some portions of the Neutral Nation, and, at a later date, the Tuscaroras, who, about 1712, were driven from North Carolina by the British, the confederations after this time being known as the "Six Nations." It was to these tribes that the name Iroquois was applied by the early French and English settlers. The particular tribe who were nominal masters of the immediate region comprising north-western Pennsylvania, and having their council-seat at or near the present city of Buffalo, was the Seneca. But various tribes and fragments of other nations were dwelling in the same locality: Senecas, Delawares, Munseys, Shawnese, etc., etc., living quietly and peaceably together and occupying the same hunting and fishing grounds in common. Two villages of the Lenape or Delawares were in this locality: one at the mouth of the Mahoning River, called Kas-kas-kunk; the other upon the site of New Castle, and called New Kas- kas-kunk, the latter town being the capital of Pack-an-ka.
Early in the season of 1798 John Carlysle Stewart, with two brothers-in-law, John and Hugh Wood, and John McWhorter—all from the neighborhood of New Castle, Delaware—together located on the ground where New Castle now stands. This portion of the country was mostly surveyed into what were known as "donation lands" (described in the third chapter of this work), the line between the original counties of Beaver and Mercer being the boundary between the first and second "donation" districts. South of this line was the first, and north of it was the second district.
A previous description of this territory reads as follows: "Commencing at the northwest corner of lot No. 88 of these lands, the line of survey made an obtuse angle to the northeastward across lot 89, thence across lot 90 it ran almost exactly northeast, and from thence, at the southwest corner of lot No. 1953, it ran straight east beyond the Neshannock Creek. This deviation in the south line of the second district (due to imperfect surveying) left a strip commencing at a point two miles west of New Castle, and widening until it reached the Shenango River at a spot a little below the bridge on Grant Street. At this place the gore was about ninety rods in width, and continued the same eastward to the present city limits. This gore was called a 'vacancy.' There is considerable diversity of opinion regarding the amount and location of lands purchased by Stewart, but there is no doubt he owned all of the 'vacancy' lying between the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek, and his purchase most probably extended eastward for some distance beyond the creek, perhaps far enough to cover altogether about 400 acres. That portion lying west of the Shenango River, amounting to 117 acres and 38 poles, was taken by Cornelius Hendrickson. Lot No. 89, lying a little northwest of Sankey's addition to New Castle, was taken by Joseph and Samuel Cox; No. 90, lying immediately east of Cox, and running across the river, was taken by Samuel McCleary; lot No. 1953, lying next east of McCleary, Crawford White settled on; lot No. 1951, next east of Crawford White, was taken by Henry Falls. The 'vacancy' occupied by Stewart was south of White's and Falls' land. The original town-plot, comprising about fifty acres, was laid out by John Carlysle Stewart, in April, 1798, as appears by the records of Mercer County. At that date the territory was within the limits of Allegheny County, which extended northwards to the lake.
"The plan of the new town was a very good one, lying with the cardinal points of the compass (or nearly so), and having wide, straight streets and an open market-place, [p. 52] 440 by 190 feet in the center, since curiously called 'the Diamond.' Mercer County was erected March 12, 1800, and the south line of this county was also the southern boundary of the town.
"Stewart and McWhorter were both practical surveyors, but the latter, on account of having the best instruments, made the survey and laid out the new city. When the plot was completed it was unanimously named New Castle, in honor of the chief town of the State from whence they came.
"The town was bounded on the north by a line running east and west through the center of the blocks lying next north of North Street, from the left bank of the Shenango River eastward to Apple Alley, thence south to the Neshannock Creek; thence west along the line afterwards dividing Beaver and Mercer Counties to the Shenango River; thence northerly along the river to the place of beginning.
"The site of the town was a sort of glade or open bottom, destitute of large timbers, but covered with a dense growth of grass and hazel bushes. Along the Neshannock was a thicket of wild plum and crabapple trees, and here and there scattered over the plot were clumps and clusters of black and jack oaks. According to the best authority we have been able to obtain, a large share of the lots in the new town were disposed of by lottery, most probably at several different times, for when first laid out there were not people enough to have made it profitable. Lotteries were quite common and popular in those days, and even religious societies did not scruple to raise funds by means of them."
John Carlysle Stewart owned the land upon which the town was laid out and it is probable that he erected the first cabin in New Castle. This cabin, built of round logs, stood near what is now known as the Falls spring; and Mr. Stewart was residing there as late as 1810, after which he seems to have changed his place of abode, and, according to some accounts, removed to land owned by him on the east side of the Neshannock.
He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and was a large, raw-boned man, quite well educated, somewhat aristocratic in his manners, and averse to hard labor. He was said to have been born near Philadelphia, and to have lived in his younger days near New Castle, Delaware. The date of his birth is supposed to have been about 1765, as a daughter of his, who in the late seventies was residing in the State of Indiana, thought he was about ten years old at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War. His father, Robert Stewart, was a major in the American Army during the war and possibly the son, John C., may have located land upon a warrant drawn by the elder Stewart for military service. Old citizens of New Castle, who were living some years ago, claimed that John C. Stewart was the first Justice of the Peace which is not at all improbable. At all events there is documentary evidence to prove that he was holding the office in 1807.
Stewart was engaged in various enterprises during his stay in New Castle. He was connected with other parties, as early as 1803-04, in the erection of a grist and saw mill, on the Neshannock, at the Devil's Elbow, and about 1810-11, in company with one Wilkins, changed his grist mill into a forge for the manufacture of iron in Western Pennsylvania. It would appear that he eventually became badly involved financially, and gradually lost all his property in and around New Castle, and was even reduced so much as to be forced to teach school for a livelihood. It is conceded that his personal appearance, which, as before remarked, was slovenly, and his lazy habits, had much to do with his misfortunes. It is said that he abandoned his unsold lots in New Castle and they were afterwards sold for taxes. When he sold John Elliott the water-power on the Neshannock, about 1800, he probably sold with it quite a tract of land. Elliott sold [p. 53] to Vaneman, and he, in turn, perhaps, sold to Gillespie, or to Gillespie and Chenowith. Gillespie's addition to New Castle was laid out in 1811, on lands which were a part of the "vacancy" at first purchased by Stewart.
Stewart had one son, named John, and four or five daughters, one of whom married while they lived in New Castle. John died in Ohio, unmarried, and the girls married and scattered in various directions after the removal of the family to Ohio. Stewart's wife was a Wood, a sister of John and Hugh Wood, before mentioned.
Joseph Townsend, Jr., came to this vicinity very soon after Stewart, and built a log cabin near where the old Dickson tannery was afterwards located.
Another early comer, William Munnel, a blacksmith, put up his cabin on the ground now occupied by Shaw & Waddington's iron foundry. It was a long building, built of logs, and divided into three compartments—a dwelling at one end, a horse stable in the middle, and a blacksmith's shop in the other end. His wife's name was Lena Hendrickson, she being a daughter of Cornelius Hendrickson, Sr. Munnel was a curious character. He claimed to be a Christian and always had family worship. But he had a habit of profanity, which he apparently could not overcome, and it is said that, if excited, he would stop suddenly in the midst of a prayer and curse roundly, and then finish his prayer as calmly as if nothing serious had happened.
John Watson, from Penn's Valley, Pa., also came some time during 1798, and built a cabin across the street, east from Munnell's.
Cornelius Hendrickson and Daniel Hendrickson, father and son, built two cabins on the west bank of the Shenango, in the present township of Union. They also established a ferry over the Shenango at what is now the west end of North street. Thomas, an other son of Cornelius Hendrickson, settled in what is now Taylor Township, and his son, Cornelius, Jr., settled east of New Castle on land purchased of Stewart.
Jesse Du Shane came to Beaver from the State of Delaware in 1802. In the fall of the same year he settled in New Castle and built a cabin. His wife was Lydia Zanes, daughter of Joseph Townsend, Sr. The family took up their residence in their new home in February, 1803, making the journey from Beaver to New Castle in a large canoe belonging to David Hendrickson, and being accompanied by Joseph Townsend, Sr., and a well known Indian, Har-the-gig, who helped to navigate the canoe. About the year 1806 Mr. Du Shane built a new house of hewed logs, which stood on the lot just north of the two-story brick building on the northwest corner of Washington Street and "the Diamond." His lot extended north to the alley. The building was about equal to three ordinary houses in those days. The same year he rented one of the rooms to Joseph T. Boyd, who opened a general store, and afterwards admitted John Wilson as a partner. Jesse Du Shane died in New Castle, Jannary 1, 1866, at the ripe old age of ninety-five years and one month. His wife died in 1855, aged eighty-four years.
In 1803, came Joseph Townsend, Sr., a saddler, with his sons, John and Isaac. The two sons learned the hatter's trade of Thomas Evans, their brother-in-law, at Sharon, Beaver County. When they became of age they started the business in New Castle, and were the next to open a shop after Isaac Jones, who was the first hatter, having commenced business about 1805. The Townsends probably commenced about 1806-08. The old gentleman lived in a house which his son, Joseph, built for him, for some years. In his old age he lived with his other sons until his death, which took place about 1825. The second daughter of Joseph Townsend, Sally, married Thomas Evans, of Sharon, [p. 54] Beaver County, and the third daughter, Elizabeth, married William Van Zant Smith, who died in Ohio.
Jared and Robert Irwin, James Reynolds, Nicholas Vaneman and Benjamin and John Elliott, all settled in New Castle previous to, or about, 1800.
Among other very early settlers were John Wilson, and two brothers by the name of Sampson. There was also Andrew Noble, who came to New Castle about 1800, and who was famed far and wide as a great hunter. He built a cabin on what was later the Falls estate, near the brow of the hill. He was the owner of a monstrous long and heavy rifle, carrying thirty-two balls to the pound. This rifle he was afterwards obliged to forfeit on a debt to Mr. Crawford White, who called the gun "Andy." It was a fine weapon, but carried so heavy a charge that it was a rather expensive one to use. As the boys said, you couldn't afford to miss your aim with it.
Mr. White, who came from Cumberland County, Pa., settled on lot No. 1953 of the "Donation Lands," immediately north of Stewart's purchase, in 1804. After staying in New Castle for about two years, he went back to Cumberland County and married, in 1806. Returning to New Castle he at once entered into the active pursuits of life. During the War of 1812-15, he went to Erie—probably in 1813—as a member of Captain Fisher's company, raised in and around New Castle. In 1818 he erected a grist mill and a saw mill (both frame buildings) on or near the ground where Raney's grist and flour mill now stands. John Tidball was the first miller, and operated the mill for Mr. White. The old gentleman died about the year 1834. His wife died in January, 1875, at the great age of ninety-seven years.
John Elliott had the honor of erecting the first grist mill in New Castle, which he did about the year 1800. It was situated on the west bank of the Neshannock Creek, near where the Episcopal Church now stands. It was built, no doubt, of logs, and probably contained one run of "Laural Hill" stones. The mill was in constant use until October, 1803, when it was partially destroyed, but whether by fire or flood, tradition saith not—most likely by flood. Previous to its erection people were obliged to take their grain down the Beaver River, in canoes, to Beaver Falls, and bring it back by the same conveyance, or take it on horseback to Allen's mill on Slippery Rock Creek, in Wayne Township. After the partial destruction of his mill, Elliott sold out to Nicholas Vaneman, who repaired it and put it in operation.
John and Hugh Wood, previously mentioned as the brothers-in-law and companions of John C. Stewart, remained in New Castle until about 1821 to 1823, when they left with Stewart and settled in Holmes County, Ohio, at Millersburg, where he died. It is said by some authorities that Stewart was elected to the Legislature of Ohio and was nominated for a second term but was defeated by his shabby appearance, as he was a man of slovenly habits. Others say he was beaten the first time, for the same reason, and did not run again.
John McWhorter, who laid out the town for Stewart, soon after returned East. He was of a speculative turn, and bought and sold lands, and frequently visited Western Pennsylvania, but eventually died near where he came from, in Delaware.
Rattlesnakes were very plentiful when New Castle was first settled, but these pests rapidly disappeared, and for many years a rattlesnake has been as great a curiosity in New Castle as an African lion.
Large gray wolves were also numerous in those days, and howled nightly on the hills surrounding the town. They came careering over the hills and through the [p. 55] valleys in ravenous packs, and the unlucky sheep or pig that got in their way was devoured in a moment.
Deer and black bears were also very common. The last bear seen in the place was killed by Daniel Hendrickson, Joseph Townsend and Jesse Du Shane, in 1804. It is said that it weighed 400 pounds.
The first store in New Castle was opened by Joseph Townsend, Jr., one of the energetic and progressive settlers of the place, who built a double log cabin on the northwest corner of North and Shenango Streets, about the year 1800. In this building he commenced the mercantile business, and also opened a tavern. After a few years Townsend sold out his store to one Patrick Wilson, who enlarged and improved the business and conducted it on something like true mercantile principles. About the time that Townsend sold his store he put a small tannery in operation, which he soon after sold to William Dickson. In 1803, in company with James Reynolds (and some accounts say also with John Carlysle Stewart), as a partner, he built a grist and saw mill at the head of the narrows on the Neshannock, which was run for a time, and sold to Stewart, or to Stewart and Wilkins, who, about 1811, changed it to a forge for the manufacture of iron.
Joseph Townsend, Jr., died, it is thought, about 1811, much regretted by the citizens, as he had greatly helped in the development of the place and was an upright business man. At some period during his business operations, he erected on the southwest corner of North and Mercer Streets, a log cabin which Arthur Chenowith facetiously named "Pokeberry Exchange," on account of its peculiar color. Patrick Wilson continued the mercantile business for some time at Townsend's old stand, but later removed to the "Diamond." Townsend's double log cabin soon after caught fire and was consumed. The spot was long afterwards known as "The burnt cabins."
North Street was for a number of years, the main business thoroughfare of the town, until gradually business shifted to the vicinity of the "Diamond," and from thence, in course of time, eastward to that portion of Washington Street lying between the "Diamond" and the Neshannock bridge.
Another of the early settlers who deserves mention was John Wilson, who came previous to 1803. He was accidentally killed on the day that Reynolds and Townsends' mill was raised, under the following circumstances: He had been to Thomas Hendrickson's distillery and was returning with a cart and yoke of oxen, having, among other things, a barrel of whisky in the cart. On the way back, for some reason, his oxen became frightened and ran away, upsetting the cart and throwing Mr. Wilson out, and the barrel of whisky falling upon him killed him instantly. He was the father of Captain James Wilson, well and favorably known as an influential citizen of Lawrence County.
Cornelius Hendrickson, as before stated, settled on the west side of the Shenango River, near the present site of the glass works. His son, Daniel, lived farther down the river. Cornelius Hendrickson made claim, in 1798, of all the gore known as the "vacancy," lying west of the Shenango River, which contained over 117 acres of land. He had merely squatted on it. He appears to have had a sort of certificate of pre-emption to something over fifty acres of it, issued in 1800. It is probable that his son, Oakey Hendrickson, obtained possession of one-half of the whole claim, for we find that in 1818 George McDowell, said to have been a son-in-law of Oakey, and Ebenezer Byers, came into possession of it and made an equitable division, afterwards obtaining a patent for the whole. Cornelius Hendrickson was something of a practitioner of medicine, and was given, by courtesy, the title of "Doctor." His [p. 56] remedies were derived largely from among the roots and herbs of the country, and he is said to have been an excellent nurse. He is also credited with some slight knowledge of surgery. He had a good deal of the character of Daniel Boone in his composition, not liking the restraints of civilization and when New Castle began to assume the appearance of a town he quietly departed for a newer country in the West. He had four sons, Oakey, Daniel, Thomas and Cornelius, Jr. Oakey removed about 1820 to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Daniel was associated with his father in the ferry, which they established on the Shenango when they first arrived in New Castle. He seems to have had charge of it and operated it for some years. He used a "dug-out," or large canoe, for ferrying passengers and freight, and sometimes made trips down the river. Daniel accumulated some property and undertook to enlarge his sphere of usefulness. At one time he entered into a contract to construct a dam on the Neshannock, on the site of the old Elliott-Vaneman dam, but before it was completed a sudden flood carried it all away and with it a large share of Hendrickson's hard earnings. "He was the father of a numerous family, principally daughters, and many of the most respectable families of the community are connected with the famous squatter family of 1798."
Thomas Hendrickson settled near the present site of Mahoningtown, where he operated a primitive distillery, which business was then as legitimate and respectable as any other vocation. It is said that he was something of a hunter, and could bring in as many wolf-scalps for the bounty as "any other man." He died in Plaingrove Township about 1830. Cornelius Hendrickson, of whom we have little knowledge, emigrated with his father to Ohio, where they both died at an advanced age.
The second hotel, or, rather, tavern, in New Castle was opened in the hewed-log building erected by Jesse Du Shane in 1806, a little north from Washington Street, in the northwest angle of the "Diamond," and was called the "New Tavern." Joseph T. Boyd kept a store in one room of this building. This hostelry had the first regular tavern sign ever seen in New Castle. It was decorated with seven stars, and surmounted with three wooden figures, dexterously turned in imitation of a pint and a half-pint bottle, and a gill measure which stood beside the bottle. It is said that on the day on which this sign was raised there was a grand horse-race, free to all comers, and the rider who came in last treated the crowd.
Mr. Boyd's business increasing rapidly, Mr. Du Shane built for his use another log building, west of the corner of Washington Street. Here Boyd continued his business until it again outgrew the building in which it was located, when he and John Wilson formed a partnership and the new firm erected a building of logs on the northeast corner of the lot now occupied by the Disciples' Church, where they opened the largest general stock of goods that, up to that time, had ever been seen in New Castle. No doubt there was great excitement among the good wives of New Castle on the opening day.
When Nicholas Vaneman purchased the grist mill of John Elliott in the fall of 1803 he also purchased in connection therewith 100 acres of land lying between New Castle and Croton. After he had operated the mill for some time, it was partially destroyed by a flood, the dam being almost totally destroyed. A few remains of it were visible more than fifty years after its destruction.
Previous histories narrate an interesting and tragic incident in connection with Vaneman's misfortune, which is worth preserving. The miller whom Vaneman employed to run his mill was a man named Crane, who was naturally a little anxious about the property. Being on the ground on the day when the great ice-flood came [p. 57] tumbling and rolling down the creek, he was standing near the old-fashioned tub-wheel, and peering into the mill to see what damage had been done, when a sudden rush of ice made everything crack around him. Eagerly bending forward and pointing with his finger toward the impending wreck, he exclaimed: "The old mill is all gone to h--l!" In his excitement he lost his balance and fell into the wheel, which was in rapid motion, and was killed. His body was soon after recovered and laid out in one corner of the mill, which, after all the apparent danger, was only injured to a small extent. After his remains were laid out, a watch-dog was placed inside as a guard, the mill was locked, and the corpse left until the next morning. It is said that Vaneman would on no account consent to have the dead body in his dwelling. Crane, it appears, had no relatives, at least not in this portion of the country, and so all that he possessed was buried with him. This consisted of the clothes he wore, a pocket knife, a pipe and tobacco and a few pieces of silver, amounting to between $1 and $2. His remains were placed in a rough box of oaken boards, and buried on the summit of Shaw's hill. There was no burial ground at the spot chosen, but as the only burial place was on the west side of the Shenango, and unapproachable by reason of the flood (there being then no bridges over the stream), his remains were interred in the most suitable place they could find, under the circumstances. The place has no stone to mark it, and the locality is known to very few people. This incident occurred, probably, in 1807.
About the year 1808 Vaneman sold his mill, water-power and land to James Gillespie, and removed to what is now Wayne Township, then in Beaver County, and located about a mile east of Chewton, where he built a frame grist and saw mill, and put a set of carding machines in his grist mill, in addition. The mills were situated on a small run that discharges into Beaver River. The amount of water was quite insignificant, but there was a fall of some eighteen feet, and, with an overshot wheel, equal in diameter to the height of the fall, the power was sufficient for his purposes. Mr. Vaneman died on the 24th of April, 1832. He was of German descent, and was born in Washinton County, Pennsylvania. He was twice married, and was the father of sixteen children."
The first death in New Castle was that of the little daughter of William McComb, about 1802-03. Her remains were placed in a coffin made of oak boards, which were fastened together with wooden pins, it being before the days of nails. The coffin was conveyed in John Wilson's ox-cart to the first burying ground in the place, adjoining what is now Greenwood Cemetery. The first coffin was made by Jesse Du Shane.
The first adult who died in the place was probably the same John Wilson whose cart transported the remains of Mr. McComb's little girl to their last resting-place. As before stated, Mr. Wilson was accidentally killed by being thrown from his cart on the day Reynolds and Townsend's mill was raised, in 1803-04.
One of the early settlers in New Castle, coming about 1805, was John Gormly, a shoemaker by profession, described by Mr. Penn as a "low, thick-set, middle-aged man," who had a very large and muscular woman for his wife. He built a cabin of round logs on the southeast corner of Washington Street and the "Diamond." It is related of him that on the day in which his cabin was raised, having gone where his children were piling and burning brush and rubbish, and while engaged in giving orders about the work, his wife came up behind and lifting him in her brawny arms threw him on a brush pile and told one of the children to bring some fire and they would burn all the trash together.
[p. 58] Another anecdote illustrates the love of practical joking which prevailed among the people of those times. On a certain day, in the year 1806, Gormly went into Crawford White's store on North Street to make some purchases; among other things, he procured some eggs, and, for lack of a better place, put them in his hat. Stepping out upon the street with the hat upon his head he was approached by John Carlysle Stewart, who mashed his hat over his eyes, and then suddenly, before Gormly could wipe the streaming contents of the eggs from his face, disappeared around the corner. Stewart afterwards paid Gormly all damages.
Prominent men in those days did not scruple to borrow wood from a neighbor (coal was then unknown), and especially if he had it all nicely prepared for the fire. It was also customary to watch whenever a neighbor killed a pig, and, if he left it out after dark, to go and quietly "borrow" it. Sometimes the stolen property was returned, but often the loser never saw anything more of it. He took good care, however, to revenge himself at the first opportunity upon the luckless neighbor who accidentally left anything exposed.
In addition to those already mentioned, another prominent citizen of New Castle in early days was John Wilson, a partner in the mercantile business with Joseph T. Boyd. He must not be confounded with the man of the same name who was killed accidentally, as before mentioned. It is thought that he was in business with Boyd for some thirty years; at all events, he was long identified with the business of New Castle. He was a man of cool and imperturbable temper, very prompt and energetic in his business. He expected others to be equally prompt with himself and, when necessary, he would sue a dozen of his debtors at once, as may be seen by reference to the old justice "dockets" of Arthur Hurry and William Dickson. Notwithstanding this, he was kind and charitable to the poor, and accommodated many a worthy debtor when in trouble. He was successful in his business transactions, and accumulated a handsome property. He built the brick building known as the "Wilder," on the south side of the "Diamond," and also the large brick dwelling situated on the northwest corner of Washington Street and the "Diamond."
As we have before stated, the first justice of the peace in New Castle was probably John C. Stewart. The second justice was Arthur Hurry, an Irishman. He was a man of very fair education, but, beyond the fact that he served for several years as a justice of the peace, we have little knowledge of him.
William Dickson the father of Isaac and John Dickson, was the third justice of the peace. He carried on the business of tanner for many years in New Castle.
For several years after the first settlement of New Castle, the nearest post-office was at Fort McIntosh, on the site of the present town of Beaver. The mails were, most likely, carried on horseback, as is customary in all new countries. The first post-office in the little town was established in the year 1812, under Mr. Madison's ad- ministration, and the first postmaster was Joseph T. Boyd. The office was located in the new log store built by him and John Wilson, on the corner of the lot now occupied by the Disciples' Church. Mr. Boyd must have been a very popular postmaster, for he held the office from that date until about 1838, and afterwards for about eighteen months.
"The Presbyterians were the pioneer religious body in New Castle, erecting the first church building here about 1804. Previous to that date the congregation had worshipped in what was called a 'tent,' [p. 59] which consisted of a board shelter for the preachers, and logs in front for the people to sit upon. Their first church building was of round logs, and stood near the present residence of Mr. John T. Phillips, and not very far from a spring which still bubbles from the hillside. Rev. Alexander Cook was the first pastor ordained and installed, in 1801. The second church building, belonging to the Seceders, was built about 1814, and stood at what was then the head of Beaver Street, though the street has since been extended northward, passing directly over the ground occupied by the church and burial ground.
"The Methodists were the third congregation to erect a church building in New Castle, which they did about 1815 or 1816, on the ground now occupied by St. Joseph's German Catholic Church, on South Jefferson Street. There is some difference of opinion regarding the time this church was erected. Seth Rigby, a former resident of Shenango Township, said he hewed the logs for it before he entered the army, which he did in 1814. Joseph Justice said there was no church erected when he left the town in 1815. It is probable that both of these gentlemen were right. Mr. Rigby might have hewed the logs and they may have lain a year or two on the ground before the church was erected."
The town grew very slowly and, consequently, the price of real estate kept a corresponding pace. In 1806, eight years after the place was laid out, it is said the best lot in New Castle could have been bought for TEN DOLLARS.
Alexander Boyles, a blacksmith, did actually purchase the whole square, bounded on the west by Beaver Street and on the north by North Street, for $10. As late as 1825, John Reed sold a lot on Mercer Street to Thomas Rigby for $30.
In November, 1811, James Gillespie laid out an addition to New Castle, consisting of thirty lots, and bounded by Washington Street on the south by East Street on the east, by Apple Alley on the west, and extending to the foot of the hill on the north. This addition was probably on land bought of Nicholas Vaneman, and formerly a part of John Carlysle Stewart's original purchase.
The following is a list of the more prominent citizens of New Castle in 1813: John C. Stewart, Joseph T. Boyd, John Wilson, Arthur Chenowith, Jesse Du Shane, Robert Wallace, John Frazier, Burton Rust, Alexander Hawthorne, Michael Carman, James Gillespie, William Dickson, Arthur Hurry, Samuel McCleary, James Dunlap, Dr. Alexander Gillfillan, Crawford White, David White, Philip Painter, Alexander Boyles, Isaac Jones, James M. Cunningham, Daniel Hendrickson, Joseph Thornton, Samuel Pershall, Arthur G. Long, John B. Pearson, John Hull, John Downey, Elijah Farr, Jacob Quest, John Gormly and William Cox. In the same year Hon. James McClane and Joseph Justice also settled in New Castle. At that date there were four mercantile houses in the place, to-wit: One owned by Joseph T. Boyd and John Wilson, situated on the northeast corner of the lots now occupied by the Disciples' Church; one belonging to Samuel Parshall, situated on the north side of the same lots; one by Arthur G. Long, on the south side of the "Diamond," and one by John B. Pearson, situated on the east side of Jefferson Street, not far from the present site of the United Presbyterian Church.
There were three hotels, or "taverns," as they were then called, in New Castle, two of them being log buildings. One known as the "Pokeberry Exchange," and stood on the corner of North and Mercer Streets; another, kept by Arthur Chenowith, was in the "Old Stone Corner," on the "Diamond"; the third, situated in a log building, on the subsequent site of Clendenin's Block, was kept by Robert Wallace.
[p. 60] Arthur Chenowith came from Virginia to New Castle about the year 1810, he bringing with him the first colored man ever seen in the place. Mr. Chenowith lived, for a short time after he came to New Castle, in a log house on the hillside, a little distance west of what is now called Shaw's Hill. In 1812 he built the "old stone corner" on Jefferson Street and the "Diamond," in which he subsequently conducted a hotel until his death, about 1826.
The trades and occupations of the principal citizens were as follows: William Dickson was a tanner; John C. Stewart a speculator and manufacturer; Samuel McCleary a stonemason; Philip Painter a cabinet-maker; James D. Cunningham a shingle-maker; Alexander Boyles and Elijah Farr, blacksmiths; John Hull a wheelwright; John Gormly and John Downey, shoemakers; Burton Rust a carpenter; Isaac Jones a hatter; Joseph Thornton a teacher; Arthur Hurry a justice of the peace; Crawford White a farmer; J. T. Boyd and John Wilson, merchants; Jesse Du Shane a coachmaker, and Chenowith, Wallace and Hawthorne, "tavern" keepers.
Up to 1813 there were only a few log cabins in the portion of New Castle lying east of Mercer Street. Of these, three or four were in the neighborhood of Shaw's Hill, and a few more near Vaneman's grist mill. East and south of the Neshannock there were no buildings except those of David White and James Squier, who lived about half a mile from the "town."
"In 1813, the steep river bank on the west side of the Shenango, along which there is now a good public road, sometimes called 'the Narrows,' was so rocky and precipitous that it was hardly passable for pedestrians. A few years later a path was made along which horses could pass, but it was several years before a wagon-road was constructed.
"It is said that in the same year there was only a cow-path running from the 'Diamond' eastward to the Neshannock, winding among wild crab-apple trees and hazel brush.
"The number of buildings in New Castle at that date did not exceed thirty. These were mostly of logs. The first frame building in the town was erected about 1808, on Mercer Street, a short distance north of Washington Street. It was boarded on the outside with shaved clapboards. The second frame building was situated near the site of R. M. Allen's present residence. The buildings were mostly log structures as late as 1817. The population in 1813 was probably less than 200.
The first bridge over the Neshannock was constructed about 1814, and was on the site of the present iron structure at the head of Washington Street. It was a wooden rustic bridge.
The first bridge over the Shenango was erected in 1815, subscription papers being circulated among the citizens of New Castle in December, 1814, for the purpose of raising funds to build the same, the sum of $705 being raised. What the total cost of the bridge was, we have no means of knowing. It was also a wooden trestle bridge, and perhaps cost about the amount of subscriptions. It was built by a man named Kirk.
In 1812 the town of New Castle had grown to such importance that the government established a post-office, and the Hon. Gideon Granger appointed Robert Boyd postmaster, which office he held until some time during the administration of President Van Buren, or about twenty-eight years. He also held the office at a subsequent period for about eighteen months. Colonel Boyd, who came from the Colony of Delaware, was a man possessing many rare and excellent qualities. He was particularly noted for his gentlemanly manners and great goodness of heart, never speaking ill of any one. His wife, Martha, was the daughter of Joseph Thornton. They had a son, Joseph Thornton, [p. 61] who was born in Chambersburg, Pa., in April, 1781. In his later days Colonel Boyd united with the First Presbyterian Church, under the care of Dr. D. X. Junkin. He died in the beginning of March, 1868, aged nearly eighty-seven years. Between the years 1832 and 1838, Colonel Boyd was one of the directors of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal Company.
"About the year 1807 David White, a brother of Crawford White, from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, came to New Castle and settled on tract No. 55, lying south of the line between districts one and two of 'Donation Lands.' The tract contained about 200 acres and included the point of land lying between the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek, and adjoining John C. Stewart's land. Crawford White purchased all the land lying in the point between the streams, amounting to about thirty acres, of his brothers, about 1815. He also purchased a strip along the east side of the Neshannock, sufficient to cover the overflow.
"On the 17th of July, 1817, a tract, lying east of the original town plot, and including a strip on the east side of the Neshannock, was sold at sheriff's sale for debt. It contained twenty-six acres and twenty-nine perches, and was probably a portion of J. C. Stewart's property. Crawford White and Arthur Chenowith purchased this property in company, and, about 1818, built a brush-dam, a few rods above where the canal-dam now is. In the same year White alone, or in company with Chenowith, erected mills on the present site of Raney's mill. In 1820 Chenowith quit-claimed his interest in all the above described lands to White. The consideration which White and Chenowith paid for the twenty-six acres was $650. Crawford White, before his death, sold this property to his son, James D., who rebuilt the mills, and laid out an addition to the town, south of the original plot between the rivers, in 1837. All of James D. White's property remaining at his death was sold to the Etna Iron Company. The canal-dam when built, flooded the old brush- dam."
At this date one of the oldest living citizens of New Castle was Joseph Justice, who first came to the town in 1813. His father Jacob Justice, was a Revolutionary soldier who had emigrated from Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in 1797, intending to settle in what afterwards became Lawrence County, but through fear of trouble with Indians and from other considerations, located in Washington County for two years, when he again started with his family, and finally located in what is now North Beaver Township, Lawrence County, on land which he drew for his services in the Revolution, remaining there until his death, which occurred in 1829. In 1813, Joseph, then eighteen years of age, came to New Castle to learn the hatter's trade, with Isaac Jones, who had been here for some eight or ten years. He worked at the trade about two years, when he left New Castle, and worked in various places as a journeyman, and, finally, located in Hookston, Washington County, where he carried on the business for about two years. In 1819 he again came to New Castle, and took up his permanent residence here. He carried on the business of a hatter for many years, until it became unprofitable, when he gave it up.
He held various offices, and was the third burgess after the town became a borough, about 1827. At the time of his death he had attained an advanced age.
James Cunningham, familiarly known as "Uncle Jimmy," was quite an early settler. It is said that he was the first owner of a frow, a broad-axe and an auger in New Castle. He was a shingle-maker by trade. Mr. Cunningham served during the War of 1812. He married, in 1813, Miss Mary A. Cruise, an orphan girl, a native of Delaware, who lived in the family of Cornelius Hendrickson. She often assisted at the ferry kept by Mr. Hendrickson, crossing in a "dug-out," which was propelled [p. 62] by an oar, or setting-pole, as occasion required. She was remarkably skillful, and often crossed when ice was running in the stream to a dangerous extent. The newly married couple first lived in a log house, which is still standing (weather-boarded) on the northwest corner of the "Diamond." He afterwards built a log cabin of his own on the lot now owned by the heirs of Webster Justice.
Robert Wallace, the grandfather of R. W. Clendenin, owned, at a very early period in the history of New Castle, nearly all of the square between Mercer Street and the "Diamond," on the north side of Washington Street, where for many years he kept a hotel in a structure built of logs. It is said that in the rear of this "tavern" there was a large yard, to which those who had any personal difficulties to settle repaired and stripped to the buff, and then and there took satisfaction by knocking each other down till one of the combatants cried "enough!" when they shook hands, took a drink, and parted good friends." This practice was quite common in the early days of Western Pennsylvania, as indeed it has been in many other sections of the country.
Though living under pioneer conditions during the early days of the existence of the place, the people of New Castle were not devoid of healthful and rational amusements. These consisted of log-rollings, raisings, wrestling, leaping, running foot-races and throwing stones of various weights. The log-rollings consisted of all the men and boys within a radius of five or ten miles getting together and assisting a settler in hauling and rolling the logs together on a newly-cleared piece of ground, for the purpose of burning them. Every man carried his own dinner, consisting, generally, of corn bread, bear meat, venison, or wild turkey. After the work was accomplished the whole party betook themselves to some familiar game, which they pursued, until "chore time" admonished them to start each for his cabin, scattered here and there at long intervals in the forest. Many a thrilling adventure with the wild denizens of the forest occurred to them on their homeward paths, when they encountered the prowling bear, the fierce and dangerous panther, or a pack of more dangerous wolves. At log-rollings and raisings, the proprietor furnished nothing but whiskey, which was then considered an indispensable article, without which no outdoor work could be properly done. For the female portion of the community there were apple-parings, or "bees," quiltings, dances in the rude log cabins, and corn huskings.
Frequently a quilting was improvised on the same day and at the same place when the men were, having a log-rolling; and, in the evening, after the outdoor work was finished, a jolly time was enjoyed around the big old chimney, where an immense fire furnished both heat and light at the same time. In those early days furniture was not as plentiful or as costly as at the present day, and frequently it happened that there were more young men and maidens than there were chairs and seats to accommodate them. On occasions like these, the young men, in the intervals of the dance, gallantly sat themselves down on the chairs and stools and took each a young lady on his lap, and held her until the next dance was called.
Besides the above mentioned amusements, there were rail-splittings and wood-choppings, in which the quantity of sturdy timber reduced to rails and cord-wood in a day would astonish the men of the present generation. The sports and employments of those days were calculated to develop a hardy, enduring type of men and women, and, doubtless, some part of the vigor and health enjoyed by the present generation is due to the hardy and healthful sports and labor of our pioneer ancestors. [p. 63] As quoted a previous historian of this county:
"They were a sturdy, rude race and strong--
Our grandsires and granddames of old--
And they conquered the forest with song,
Though the battle was fierce and long,
And hardships were many and manifold.
"For they worked with the vigor of men
Who came to this forest-clad land
To win from each valley and glen--
Though beaten again and again--
A home for each heart in the band.
"And they conquered: The forest is gone long ago;
The wild beast departed in fear;
The factories smoke in the valley below,
And the thunder of traffic goes to and fro,
Where the savage once hunted the deer."
Previous to the War of 1812, the settlers generally wore hunting-shirts made of deer-skin, or some durable kind of cloth. It had a large cape covering the shoulders, and was usually trimmed with fringe. A belt was generally worn around the waist, in which were inserted the hunting-knife and tomahawk, for these articles were quite as commonly carried by the whites as by the Indians. The powder-horn was slung around the shoulder.
New Castle was made a borough on the 25th of March, 1825, some twenty-four years before the erection of the county. "The petition forwarded to the Legislature for the erection of the borough, it is claimed, contained not only the names of all the legal voters in the place, but also those of nearly all the boys. The people no doubt acted upon the maxim that 'all is fair in war,' and: left no stone unturned which would assist them in the accomplishment of their object. The population of the new borough is not known with any degree of certainty, but it did not exceed 300. The first burgess elected was Robert McConahy. John Frazier was second, and Joseph Justice third.
"The merchants at that date, as they are remembered by the oldest citizens, were Joseph T. Boyd, John Wilson, Samuel McCleary, Alexander McConahy and John B. Pearson. The hatters were Isaac Jones, James Dunlap, William Cox and Joseph Justice. The blacksmiths were George Myers, John Reed and David Seibert. Joseph Emery and Matthew Justice were carpenters; Thomas Falls and William Dixon, tanners. Michael Carman was a tailor; Nathaniel McElevy a shoemaker; James Lutton a saddler; Eli Rigby a wagon-maker. Mr. McElevy was one of the earliest shoemakers in New Castle, having commenced the business as early as 1810."
It having been discovered that the town, as originally laid out by J. C. Stewart, was very imperfectly plotted, a re-survey was ordered by the burgess and council, about 1826-7. Three leading citizens—Joseph Justice, Joseph Emery and Nathaniel McElevy—were appointed a committee to superintend the survey, which ran all the lines over, and established permanent corners, as far as practicable.
David Crawford, a printer, came to New Castle, from Mercer, in 1825. His widow in after years described the appearance of the little borough, at that time, as seen from a distance, as that of a large meadow dotted here and there with sheep-pens. "Mercer looked bad enough," she said, "but New Castle looked worse!" In December, 1826, Mr. Crawford commenced the publication of the first paper in New Castle. It was a five-column folio, called the New Castle Register. Subscription price, $2 per year. It was published in a room on the first floor of a log house, then standing on or near the present site of R. M. Allen's residence. He published the paper about two years, when he returned to Mercer, and remained there until about the year 1831, when he came back to New Castle. (See chapter on The Press.)
About 1828 John Wilson, the merchant, [p. 64] erected the two-story brick building on the "Diamond," later known as the "Wilder House," and which is said to have been the second brick house erected in the place. Its erection was considered at the time as a striking mark of progress.
In 1828-9 Joseph T. Du Shane, Esq., built the American House, on the corner of Washington Street and Apple Alley. He then traded the property to his father for part money and part land in Beaver County. He removed to the land, but returned in 1829. The old gentleman kept the hotel for about two years, when he rented it to his son-in-law, Andrew Robison, who kept it a year or more, when Jesse Du Shane sold the property to Andrew Lewis, who continued the business very profitably for a number of years, when he sold it to David Harlan. It is now known as the St. Cloud Hotel.
In 1831 Joseph Kissick, from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, came to New Castle and in December of that year, opened a general store in a small two-story frame building, situated on the present site of Wood's block. He afterwards, in 1833, removed his stock of goods and household furniture to the "Old Fort" (see military record), which stood near the present site of the First National Bank.
Dr. Charles T. Whipp, a native of the State of New York, and a civil engineer by profession, though having previously practiced medicine, also made his first visit to New Castle about 1833, coming as principal engineer of the Beaver division of the Erie Extension Canal. In 1834 he made this city his permanent residence, being then about fifty years old. He purchased a large tract of land near the village of Croton, of Moses Crow, and lived on it until the time of his death, which occurred about 1855-6. His residence was outside the borough, and, hence, he never figured in local politics, but he was always a prominent man in the community, and was connected with various enterprises. A short time before his death he was one of the original incorporators of the Bank of New Castle, organized in 1855. He was also president of the board of trustees of the New Castle Female Seminary, in 1838. The doctor left quite a large amount of property at the time of his death. He never practiced medicine after coming to Western Pennsylvania.
In 1831 Joseph T. Boyd and John Wilson, his old partner, were trading—Boyd in the store, built by Boyd and Wilson, on the lot now enclosed around the Disciples' Church, and Wilson in the building later known as the "Wilder House."
Other storekeepers were: Robert McConahy, John B. Pearson and Samuel McCleary.
There were four hotels, or "taverns," in New Castle at that date; one kept by John Shearer in a two-story frame building, afterwards the site of the Leslie House; one by Jesse Du Shane, in what is now called the St. Cloud Hotel; one by Alexander Hawthorne, called the "Pokeberry Exchange," on the southwest corner of Mercer and North Streets, and one by Andrew Lewis, in a log cabin building on the north side of Washington Street, between the "Diamond" and Mercer Street. Hotel prices were not extravagant in those days—supper, breakfast and lodging was "three shillings," or thirty-seven and a half cents, and horse feed, "sixpence," or six and a quarter cents.
The physicians at that time were Dr. A. M. Cowden and Dr. William Shaw. The former lived in a frame dwelling on the east side of Mercer Street, and the latter lived in a story-and-a-half stone house on East Street.
Prominent among New Castle citizens in those days was Thomas Falls, who came here with his parents, Henry and Susan Falls, in 1804. His father located on the tract of "Donation Lands," No. 1951, next east and adjoining Crawford White's tract, the only other residences at that time being the cabins of John Carlysle Stewart, the original proprietor of the town; Joseph [p. 65] Townsend, William Munnel, and probably John Watson. Mr. Falls remained with his parents until he was of age, when he went to Mercer to learn the tanning trade. After serving an apprenticeship of three years he went to Pittsburg, and worked at his trade there one summer. In the autumn of 1815, he returned to New Castle on foot, with his savings of $76 in his pocket. With this limited capital he founded the tannery which many years afterwards was the property of his son, Thomas Falls. After making the vats himself and getting his tannery ready for business, he went to Mercer on horseback and bought a small quantity of leather, which he carried to Hillsville and placed in a store to be exchanged for hides. These hides he tanned, and thus started a business which grew and prospered in his hands. His manufactured leather was disposed of in his own shop. His lampblack and oil were purchased in Pittsburg, to which city he made frequent visits on foot. Three years after commencing business for himself, during a portion of which time he kept "bachelor's hall" he married Miss Sarah Wilson daughter of Adam Wilson, who resided near the Neshannock Church, and began housekeeping in the old John Carlysle Stewart house.
Mr. Falls carried on the tanning business until 1851, when he resigned it to his son, Wilson. In 1831 he built the third brick dwelling in New Castle. Thomas Falls died October 8, 1865, aged nearly seventy-five years.
In 1831 there were three churches in New Castle—the Presbyterian, the Seceder and the Methodist. The first was what is now known as the "old brewery." It stood out of town, surrounded by forest trees. The Old Stone Church, on Pittsburg Street, was built by the Seceders in 1831. It was then quite a long distance from the town and stood in the woods. The Methodist Church was on the ground now occupied by St. Joseph's German Catholic Church, and was built about 1816.
In 1832 New Castle was visited by the cholera, but there were only two deaths.
James D. White laid out a small addition to the town in November, of this year.
The year 1833 was a memorable one in the history of New Castle, several important improvements being then inaugurated. Among them was a new bridge over the Shenango River on Washington Street. The river at this point was originally much narrower than at present, and the bridge was only about one-half the length of the present beautiful and substantial iron structure. The widening of the river was occasioned by the great flood in November, 1835, when in order to save the town from impending destruction, the embankment was cut on the right bank above the state dam, and the accumulated waters were sent out with terrific force, tearing away a great quantity of land and changing the whole appearance of the river at this point.
The Erie Extension Canal was completed from Beaver to New Castle November, 1833.
In the same month was launched the "Rob Roy," built by Dr. William Shaw—a sort of flat boat, decked over, which was the first boat launched in New Castle. A few hours after the "Rob Roy" was in the canal, a second boat, called the "Alpha," was launched by James D. White. The boats were similar in construction, being each about forty feet long and eight feet wide. There was quite a strife as to who should get his boat first into the water, but the Doctor won by a few hours. It was late in the season when these boats were put into the canal, and nothing was done until the spring of 1834, when the canal business may be said to have fairly started. Major E. Sankey purchased the "Alpha," and ran it regularly between Beaver and New Castle for about one year. The round trip was frequently accomplished "between sun and sun."
The main business was transporting [p. 66] produce down the canal to Beaver and bringing back merchandise. There were some five or six dams built on the Beaver River, making slack-water navigation, and the channel of the river was largely used in this way instead of a separate canal. There was one dam on the Neshannock and one on the Shenango, within the borough limits of New Castle, and the canal passed through the southern part of the original town plot, along what is now South Street, from one river to the other, a distance of something over one-fourth of a mile.
The real prosperity of New Castle dates from the year 1834. There was at this date only a weekly mail between New Castle and Beaver. The route extended from Beaver to the old town of Mercer. Major E. Sankey was the contractor and during the four years succeeding the mails became semiweekly, then triweekly, and, finally, daily, so that, since 1838, New Castle has always had at least one daily mail.
There appear to have been two hotels in the town in 1834. These were the Mansion House, kept by John Shearer, and the old log "tavern," belonging to Robert Wallace, and kept by Andrew Lewis. In 1834 the old log Methodist Church was replaced by a brick one, but the new church, even as late as 1836, was furnished with slab seats.
The physicians were Dr. William Shaw and Dr. Andrews, the latter a native of Massachusetts. Soon after, Dr. G. Barlow came to New Castle, purchased Dr. Andrew's property, married his sister, and opened a drug store on the north side of the "Diamond," near Jefferson Street. Dr. Andrews returned with his family to Massachusetts. The "Diamond," in those days, was rough and uneven, and overgrown with hazel bushes, intersected with-paths and road-ways. On the south side of Washington Street, between Mercer Street and the Neshannock, there were then only two buildings, one a frame, the other of logs. The same year Robert Reynolds purchased some property on the north side of Pittsburg Street (as it is now called), above where Pearson Street intersects it, and established a tannery, which he operated from about 1836 to 1871.
In 1834 James D. White rebuilt his father's grist mill and also erected a sawmill. These stood where Raney & Gordon's mill now stands, or very near it.
On the 19th of May, 1835, there was a grand military parade and field drill, Major Joseph Emery being commander-in-chief of all the forces. The New Castle Guards, commanded by Captain William Cox, took a prominent part.
On the 10th day of August, 1835, the contracts for the construction of the "Cross-cut Canal," from Mahoningtown to Youngstown, Ohio, were let in New Castle, and the town was full of contractors and speculators. Major E. Sankey then kept the Mansion House, and Anthony Squiers was proprietor of what is now the St. Cloud Hotel. There were no meat markets then in the place, and it was almost impossible to get fresh beef, for nobody dreamed of killing in the warm weather. In order to supply his guests with something of a rarity, Major Sankey killed a beef the evening before, John C. Tidball assisting him. After setting aside sufficient for his own use, the major endeavored to sell the remainder, and, failing in this, he found it next to impossible to even give it away.
In November, of this year, there occurred the great flood, as it is generally called. The west end of the canal dam was swept away, and the land below, owned and occupied at one time by Cornelius and Daniel Hendrickson, was also carried away to a great extent, including the site of D. Hendrickson's dwelling. An island was formed where the west end of the old bridge stood, necessitating the erection of an additional bridge over the enlarged [p. 69] channel, which was built in the year 1837. The dam was rebuilt in 1836. In this latter year, also, the Erie Extension Canal was located and put under contract, from New Castle to Erie.
West New Castle, sometimes called by the euphonious name of "Mulleintown, was laid out in May, 1836, by Ezekiel Sankey, who had settled in New Castle in 1832, when sixteen years of age. It was situated on the tract of land known as the "vacancy," lying between the first and second districts of "Donation Lands." Mr. Sankey bought the land upon which he laid out the town (some fifty acres or more) of Ebenezer Byers. The bargain was made for it in 1836, but the deed was not executed until January 13, 1837. It was a portion of the old Cornelius Hendrickson claim of 117 acres.
The New Castle Intelligencer, the second newspaper published in New Castle, was issued August 18, 1836.
In 1836 Captain D. S. Stone had a warehouse on the canal. Dr. G. Barlow had a drug store on the north side of the "Diamond," west of Jefferson Street. S. W. Mitchell was running a cabinet shop, as were also J. Emery and J. Mitchell, who had a shop on the north side of the "Diamond," east of the "old stone corner." William Dickson had a saddlery and harness shop on the south-east corner of Washington Street and the "Diamond." R. W. Cunningham & Co. kept a store on the northeast corner of the "Diamond," and paid cash for wheat. Peter Duff had a general store on the south side of the "Diamond," and Robert Cochran also had a store on the south side, near the present site of the Fountain Inn. John B. Pearson was trading at the "Old Stone Corner." Jacob Quest served as a clerk in this store from 1833 to 1840. Mr. Pearson, besides doing a mercantile business, also dealt in horses, cattle and hogs. Joshua Logan, who was then president of the Borough Council, had a shop on the northwest corner of Jefferson Street and the "Diamond." J. N. Euwer was then clerk of the Borough Council. W. B. Osmon, who had been a sea captain, was keeping a store near the present site of the Leslie House. T. R. George had a store near the east end of Washington Street. William B. Miller had a shoe store on the northeast corner of Washington Street and Apple Alley near Anthony Squiers' hotel. White McMillen was in the hatting business on Jefferson Street, south of the "Diamond." George King had a wagon shop on Jefferson Street, south of the canal. Dr. W. D. Grier, a new name among the physicians, had an office one door east of the "stone corner." He also kept a drug store, or apothecary's shop. In 1836 there were no buildings of any consequence in what is now called West New Castle, and none south of the Presbyterian Church in the town proper. Joseph T. Boyd was postmaster this year.
On the 29th of September, this year, at a meeting held at the tavern of Andrew Lewis, the first fire company was organized in New Castle. Joseph T. Boyd was elected president, William Dickson, captain, and R. W. Cunningham, first lieutenant.
In August, 1837, another newspaper made its appearance—the Western Sentinel, a Whig paper. It was a small folio with six columns to the page, professed Whig principles, and was edited by O. C. Lockhart. It suspended publication in December of the following year. During this year James D. White laid out an addition to New Castle, lying between the two rivers, and south of the old county line.
The history of the iron manufactures of New Castle commences in 1838, the original of the Aetna Iron Works being erected in that year, by James D. White. Shubael Wilder superintended the construction of the nail factory, and James H. [p. 70] Brown, late of Youngstown, Ohio, that of the rolling-mill. Mr. Wilder was a native of Plymouth County, Massachusetts. He had emigrated from his native state to Harrisburg, Pa., in 1836, where he was engaged in the erection, or contemplated erection, of iron works. At Harrisburg, he met James D. White, who induced him to accompany him to New Castle, where he took charge of the erection of the nail factory above mentioned. The iron works went into operation in April, 1839. Mr. White, owing to ill health, went to the West Indies, thinking the climate would benefit him. He died, however, at St. Croix, in February, 1840.
From December, 1838, to August, 1839, there was no paper published in New Castle, but since the 14th of August, 1839, the place has never been without a newspaper. At the date last mentioned, the Mercer and Beaver Democrat was first issued. It was a four-page five-column sheet, and supported the principles of the Whig party. It was at first owned by John Speer, and afterwards by John B. Early.
In 1839, Major E. Sankey commenced the erection of the first building of any importance in West New Castle. It was a large one-story frame building, with wooden pillars in front, and is still standing on the west side of Front Street. On the occasion of the great Whig mass meeting, held in New Castle during the presidential campaign of 1840, the speakers adressed the people from the portico of this building, which was then not quite completed. When it was finished, Mr. Sankey occupied it as a family dwelling for eighteen years.
In 1840 New Castle contained, according to the United States census of that year, 611 inhabitants. During this year the Erie Extension Canal was completed as far north as Greenville, in Mercer County. Among the merchants in New Castle in 1840 were William Watson, Thos. McCleary, William Moore, Joseph T. Boyd and Joseph Kissick.
The Mercer and Beaver Democrat was suspended soon after the presidential election. The first number of the New Castle Gazette, a Whig paper, was issued on Friday, October 8, 1841, by Colonel William H. Shaw, who continued its publication until 1864, a period of twenty-three years.
The amount of surplus produce shipped from New Castle, Pa., from September, 1840, up to the 15th of June, 1841, as follows: Wheat, 71,900 bushels; flour, 9,231 barrels; bacon, 143,000 pounds; wool, 23,600 pounds; whiskey, 360 barrels. There was also shipped, in small quantities by the farmers, about 2,000 barrels of flour. A directory of New Castle, published in 1841, shows the following names:
Alexander, Samuel, carpenter. Baker, J., cooper.
Bell, E., cooper.
Barlow, G., physician and druggist.
Barber, W. L., baker.
Bennett, S., copper, tin and sheet-iron worker.
Bushnell, Rev. W., Presbyterian clergyman.
Boyd, J. T., merchant.
Brown, Joseph, iron roller.
Bottle, W. H., nail cutter.
Carpenter, William, justice of the peace.
Carpenter, Mrs. R. J., milliner.
Christy S., Indian King Hotel.
Clark, William, tanner.
Clancy, Lewis, blacksmith.
Crawford & Ritter, saw and flouring mill and woolen factory.
Crawford, J. M. & Co., manufacturers of iron and nails.
Cunningham, R. W., merchant and foundry owner.
Craven, R., bricklayer.
Crips, L. V., boot and shoe maker.
Cochran, R., merchant.
Cowden, A. M., physician.
Cypher, Phillip, stone mason.
Cost, John, wagoner.
Dinsmore, J., wagon maker.
Dinsmore, William, carpenter.
Dickson, William, saddler.
Dickson J., tanner.
Dickson, Samuel, fireman.
Edwards, John, refiner.
Emery, John B., smith.
Emery, J., canal contractor.
Emery, E., canal contractor.
Evans, William, boot and shoe maker.
Euwer, S. C. & Co., merchants.
Farley & White, steam foundry.
Falls, Thomas, tanner and farmer.
Fulkerson, J. C., cabinet maker.
Flinn, Walter, machine smith.
[p. 71]
Falls, Henry, constable.
Frazier, John, carpenter.
Gibson, Joseph, stone cutter.
Graham, John, nail cutter.
Galbreth, E., gentleman.
Hadson, G. E., tailor.
Higgs, Joseph R., puddler.
Heffner, S., clerk.
Hadson, W. G., tailor.
Hewitt, Rev. J. J., Episcopal clergyman.
Higgs, Joseph, bloom heater.
Hogg, William, puddler.
Higgs, Thomas, puddler.
Justice, Joseph, hatter.
Keck, A., clerk.
Keefer, John, painter.
Kelly, Silas, blacksmith.
Kissick, J., merchant.
Kerr, Samuel, canal supervisor.
Latimer, James, miller.
Lewis, A., gentleman.
Lint, J., carpenter.
Love, J. B., hatter.
McConnell, J. E., blacksmith.
McCleary, Thomas, cooper.
McCleary, S., painter.
McGuffin, R., cabinet maker.
McMillan, William, canalboat captain.
Miller, William B., boot and shoe maker.
McMillen, White, merchant and hatter.
McConnell, D., blacksmith.
McGuffin, L. L., attorney-at-law.
McConahy, J., blacksmith.
Morehead, John, hatter.
Mitchell, S. W., cabinet maker.
Morgan, G. C., tailor.
Moore, William, merchant.
Moore, H. S., carpenter.
Morehead, H. H., plasterer.
Mitchell, James, chair maker.
Maxim, Marcus, nail cutter.
McLaughlin, J., carpenter.
McMillen, James, hatter.
McKee, James, carpenter.
Newton, Chester, sawyer.
O'Brien, Edward, molder.
Pearson, J. B., merchant.
Perry, Elias, drum maker.
Pollock, J., physician.
Pollock, S., gunsmith.
Pearson, Samuel, cooper.
Poak, Samuel, wagoner.
Painter, Thomas, cabinet maker.
Pollock, John, Captain of the canalboat "Citizen."
Quest, J. S., clerk.
Reynolds, J., justice of the peace.
Read, J., blacksmith.
Rhodes, J. H., carpenter.
Rigby, E., wagon maker.
Robison, A., Union Hotel.
Rubicon, J., cooper.
Rigby, Thomas, silversmith.
Reynolds, William, clerk.
Ridel, S., canal contractor.
Riter, George R., smith.
Reynolds, Robert, tanner.
Reynolds, W. H., tinner.
Sankey, E., gentleman.
Seck, R. A. saddler.
Shaw, W. H., clerk.
Swift, Hiram, clerk.
Steen, John, brick molder.
Swift, Samuel, chair maker.
Shaw, W., physician.
Shoaff, J., carpenter.
Shaffer, D., butcher.
Semple, A. C., carpenter.
Speise, Messimer & Co., merchants.
Speise, S., carpenter.
Stewart, R. W., farmer.
Stone, D. S., Eagle House.
Swift, S. W., grocer and confectioner.
Swift, N. P., carpenter.
Stambaugh, J., cabinet maker.
Scroggs, cabinet maker.
Sempel, John, carpenter.
Tidball, D., Jr., postmaster and tailor.
Tidball, J., Sr., street commissioner.
Tidball, J., Jr., carpenter.
Vogan, John, blacksmith.
Varce, Rev. D. W., Methodist Episcopal clergyman.
Wallace, Robert, Red Lion Hotel.
Watson, William, grocer and druggist.
Whippo, C. T., physician.
Wilson, J., merchant.
Wilson, John, gentleman.
Williams, Henry, shovel maker.
Wilder, Shubael, master mailer.
Watson, James, mason and bricklayer.
White, Crawford, farmer.
Wilson, J., chair maker.
White, Josiah C., merchant.
Wallace, James, carpenter.
Young, O., school teacher. Young, Robert, saddler.
There were in New Castle three meeting-houses—one Seceder, one Episcopal Methodist, one Presbyterian; also an organized Protestant Methodist Church and three Sabbath schools.
There were in New Castle one rolling-mill; one nail factory, capable of turning out ten tons of iron and three tons of nails per day; one flour mill, with four pairs of burrs; one lumber mill, with two saws; also one steam lumber mill in process of construction; one woolen manufactory; one air foundry; one cupola foundry, driven by steam power; eight dry goods stores; two groceries; one hardware store; two drug shops; four taverns; three tanneries; five cooper shops; five cabinet shops; six Smith shops; one gun shop; one tin and copper shop; two wagon shops; four tailor shops; four forwarding warehouses; three hatter shops; four shoemaker shops; two saddler shops; one female seminary; three [p. 72] day schools; one writing school; one shovel factory; one refinery; six coal banks; an abundance of iron ore; one water-power, on Neshannock, in New Castle, with twenty-four feet head and fall.
There were also four hotels. The "Globe Hotel" was kept by Daniel S. Stone, and at a later date was called the "Eagle Hotel." Still later it was occuped by a Mrs. Shannon, who came from Mercer, and who changed its name to the "Washington House." The "Red Lion Hotel" occupied the site of the "Central Hotel," of later days, and was substantially the same building. The "Union Hotel," kept by Andrew Robinson, is still standing on the east side north of Mercer Street, the first frame building north from Washington Street. In 1843 Robinson was succeeded by Samuel Christy, who put up in front of the house the sign of the "Indian Chief," and called the house the "Indian Chief Hotel." For some time prior to 1843 the hotel which stood on the site of the later "Leslie House" was kept by Samuel Christy, and was also called the "Indian Chief Hotel." When Mr. Christy moved into the "Union Hotel" he took his Indian sign and the name of his hotel with him. In the spring of 1843 Mr. Leslie took charge of the original "Indian Chief Hotel" and changed its name to the "Mansion House."
In 1843 Wilson Mitchell was burgess, and Thomas Falls president of the Town Council. The attorneys in New Castle, at that date, appear to have been L. L. McGuffin, J. K. Boyd and A. M. Burns.
The New Castle Democrat, the first Democratic newspaper published here, was issued by George F. Humes and J. N. Hallowell, July 13, 1844. It was a four-page paper, with five wide columns to the page. It was published for about one year. On July 4, 1844, there was a grand temperance convention and soldiers' parade, which was largely attended by people from all parts of the surrounding country.
The Erie Extension Canal was completed from New Castle to Erie, in February, 1845, and boats commenced running through its entire length the following spring.
The first account of a musical organization in New Castle appeared in March, 1845. On the 20th of that month a concert was given at the M. E. Church by the Amateur Musical Society.
About this date the Baltimore & Ohio Railway Company were endeavoring to get the right of way for their road through Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, as a matter of course, opposed it, and the people of the southern and western portions of the State were more or less interested for or against it. A great mass meeting was held in New Castle on the 28th of March, 1846, attended by people from Mercer and Beaver Counties, and the feeling was very strongly in favor of giving the company the right of way.
The attorneys in New Castle, in 1846, were L. L. McGuffin, J. K. Boyd, A. M. Burns, G. A. Scroggs and David C. Cossitt. James Dickson was justice of the peace and had his office in the southeast corner of the "Diamond," in William Dickson's saddle shop.
John and Joseph Douthett, brothers, were teaching a select school in the "new brick school-house." They called it the "New Castle Institute." The New Castle Seminary was taught by Mr. and Mrs. Mason Bartlett.
The first market in New Castle was held in May, 1846. The first market-house was built in the summer of 1846. It was of brick, 70x30 feet in dimensions, and stood near the center of the "Diamond," with its west end on a line with the east side of Jefferson Street. The market days were Wednesdays and Saturdays.
On the 25th of July, 1846, a public meeting was held to consider the subject of building a new bridge over the Neshannock, at the east end of Washington Street. The first bridge was erected at that point in 1814, but whether the structure [p. 73] was standing in 1846 we have not learned. A new bridge was finally built and completed in August, 1847. The architect was Joseph Emery.
During the season of 1846, R. W. Cunningham erected a large cupola foundry, with steam engine attached, which was put in operation about the 20th of July. Crawford & Co. built a new nail factory, which also went into operation in July. Brown & Higgs erected a rolling-mill, which went into operation about the same date, and the Orizaba Iron Works were erected by Joseph H. Brown, Joseph Higgs and Edward Thomas.
Early in September, of this year, the annual encampment of the Mercer County soldiers was held in New Castle. Among the organizations present were the New Castle Battalion, the Mt. Jackson and Marion Blues, both of Mt. Jackson, the Mahoning Rangers, and the Tamarack Invincibles, or Donation Guards, commanded by Captain James Leslie, formerly by Captain Henry Hazen. Music was, in part, furnished by the New Castle Brass Band.
During the boating season of 1846 the New Castle and Beaver packet, "General Mercer," McMillen, master, ran regularly between the points named, arriving at New Castle every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday morning, at six o'clock, and departing at 8 P.M. on the same days. R. W. Cunningham was the agent at New Castle.
In 1847 the linseed oil business was very promising and Grisnold's mill was so successful that others entered into the business.
During the year 1847 there was a famine in Ireland, and in April the ladies of New Castle assembled at the M. E. Church and manufactured between 700 and 800 two-bushel sacks. These were filled with corn by the people of New Castle and vicinity, and, altogether, about 1,500 sacks, containing 3,000 bushels of corn, were forwarded to the starving people of Ireland.
The first notice of an application for a charter for a bank in New Castle was published in the Democrat, in September, 1839, but nothing further was done about the matter until July 1847, when a similar notice was published. The proposed bank was to have a capital of $200,000, but the first actual banking business was transacted about 1855.
In August, 1847, the firm of Richmond & Pomeroy were taking daguerreotype pictures, having probably started a gallery about this time.
The New Castle Light Artillery made its first appearance on Saturday, August 21st, Captain G. A. Scroggs, commander.
On December 6, 1847, Captain Jonathan Smith, a native of Virginia and a Revolutionary soldier, who had served in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, and Yorktown, died at the residence of his son-in-law, Joseph T. DuShane. He was ninety-two years old and was buried with military honors by the New Castle Light Artillery.
The movement for the organization of a new county began to assume something like tangible shape at this time, and a meeting was held on the 5th of February for the purpose of discussing the question and taking the necessary steps to accomplish the desired object. The project had been advocated for some thirty years and never abandoned.
During the winter of 1847-8 there was a society called the "New Castle Liberty Association," of which A. M. Burns, Esq., and John McConahy were active members.
About the 1st of May, 1848, the New Castle Light Artillery paraded the streets, headed by a martial band composed of "fourteen boys richly dressed." The boys had been thoroughly drilled by Major William W. Taylor and made a fine appearance. The company was commanded by Captain W. C. Richards.
[p. 74] On the afternoon of May 6th a violent hail storm passed over New Castle, doing a large amount of damage. Hail fell measuring from eleven to twelve inches in circumference and weighing from eight to sixteen ounces or more.
On Sunday morning, July 24, 1848, the main building of McCormick, Peebles, Brown & Co.'s iron works was destroyed by fire, involving a loss of some $30,000, and throwing a large number of men out of employment. The buildings destroyed included the rolling-mill and nail factory, and a large amount of iron, nails, etc. The works were immediately rebuilt.
In August of this year we find the New Castle Female Seminary under the direction of Prof. Warren H. Marsh.
The Croton Glass Works were put in operation in September of this year by Messrs. Morris and Henderson.
March 20, 1849, was a joyful day to the people of New Castle, for on that day the new county of Lawrence, for which they had so long been working, was erected, and New Castle became the county seat of one of the most compact and thriving counties in the commonwealth. New Castle was then a town of less than one thousand people, and had but a moiety of its present manufactures and commercial business. No railroads were then in this part of the country. Its only means of communication, besides the common country roads of those days, was the slow, plodding canal. Now all the newspapers of the county are here, all the banking houses, and the great bulk of the manufactures, and the city is the nucleus of a system of railways, which give it connection with all parts of the country.
On the 22nd of August, 1849, President Zachary Taylor and Governor Johnston, of Pennsylvania, visited the town on their way from Beaver to Mercer, coming up in an Erie express packet. They were received with distinguished honors. A procession, of which Colonel William Book was chief marshal, formed at the lock in the following order:
Committee of Reception, on Horseback.
Brass Band.
Martial Band.
President and Governor, in Open Carriage,
With Military Escort.
President's and Governor's Suite,
in Carriages.
New Castle and Beaver Committee,
in Carriages.
Citizens.
The procession moved by the following route: From Lock No. 1 to the Neshannock bridge, thence up East Street, by North to Jefferson Street, by Jefferson to Washington, and east along Washington to the Washington House, situated where Knox's grocery store now stands, then kept by A. T. McKee. On arriving here a reception speech was made and the President welcomed to New Castle by David Craig, Esq., to which the President replied in a brief and appropriate manner. During the movement of the procession the artillery fired the regular salute from Shaw's Hill. The next morning the President and Governor visited the rolling mills, blast furnaces, etc. The Sophia furnace was the first the President had ever seen. At 9 o'clock A.M. the President gave a reception to the ladies of New Castle, at the Presbyterian Church. At 12 o'clock, noon, the party departed for Mercer, accompanied by a committee of escort from New Castle.
On May 26, 1849, a new paper, the Lawrence Journal, made its appearance in New Castle. James M. Kuester was editor and proprietor. In this same year also the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church was built, on Jefferson Street. It is now known as the United Presbyterian Church.
The first party convention for the nomination of county officers ever held in New Castle was the convention held by the [p. 75] Whigs, on the 14th of August, 1849, of which Thomas Pomeroy was president.
Saturday, the 1st of September, 1849, the day on which the act erecting the county of Lawrence went into effect, was celebrated in New Castle by the military and various bands, who made a grand parade.
The first telegraph office in New Castle was opened in the summer of 1849. Among those most instrumental in procuring it were the Crawfords and Shubael Wilder.
This season was remarkable for being cold and excessively dry. No less than eighty-eight new buildings were erected in New Castle this year, mostly of brick. The first snow of the season fell on the 30th of October.
A lyceum was in existence in December of this year, with Rev. R. A. Browne, D.D., R. B. McComb, D. M. Courtney and John Reynolds, Esqs.
In 1850 the census gave New Castle borough a population of 1,563 inhabitants, fifty-one of whom were colored.
The first Court of Common Pleas held in New Castle convened in the M. E. Church on Monday, the 7th of January, 1850, Hon. John Bredin being president judge and Jacob Bear, associate. The resident attorneys of New Castle who were sworn in on that day were: Jonathan Ayres, L. L. McGuffin, J. K. Boyd, D. Craig, D. B. Kurtz, J. Hoffman, D. C. Cossitt, John M. Crawford, George W. Watson, J. N. McGuffin and James Pollock. The attendance at this first court was unusually large and the hotels were crowded.
A new telegraph line from Fredonia, N.Y., was put in operation to New Castle in January, 1850.
A meeting of the veterans of the War of 1812 was held on Saturday, March 16, at the Associate Reformed Church.
The first daily mail was established on the 1st of April of this year, between New Castle and Poland, Ohio, by way of Edenburg, Hillsville and Lowellville. The contractor was James Bannon.
The first county Bible Society mentioned was organized on the 9th of April at the M. E. Church. Among the members were Rev. R. A. Browne, John N. Euwer, Cyrus Clarke, David Sankey, Samuel Van Horn, Joseph Kissick and Joseph Justice.
On Wednesday, August 11, 1850, according to a pre-arranged program, about 5,000 people assembled in Pebble's Grove to hear an address from John Allison, Esq., who pronounced a eulogy on President Zachary Taylor, then recently deceased. The encampment was participated in by all the military for many miles around, and lasted several days.
The first Democratic convention in Lawrence County was held in New Castle, on the 20th of July of this year. The Whig convention was held on the 5th of August.
In 1850 New Castle contained two foundries two rolling-mills, three flouring and grist-mills, three saw-mills, one window- glass factory, one steam edge-tool factory, one brewery, three tanneries (one run by steam), four hotels, and another large one in course of erection. There were six churches, one lodge, and one encampment of I.O.O.F.; one Masonic Lodge, two divisions of the Sons of Temperance, and one Mechanics' Mutual Protection Society. There were also two newspapers; the Gazette, by Shaw & Craig, and the Journal, by Kuester & Telford. One hundred new buildings were erected during this year.
In January, 1851, a new line of daily coaches was established between Beaver and New Castle, by Frederick Haly. They were advertised to make the trip in five hours.
The title to the lot now occupied by the Court House, 300xl40 feet in dimensions, was made over to the County Commissioners on the 18th of June, 1850. The contract [p. 76] for building a court house and jail was let to Craig & Hamilton. The work was commenced in the fall of 1850, and completed in 1852. The stone were quarried near by, and when the entire job was finished the total cost, including improvements upon the grounds, amounted to the surprisingly low sum of $32,000. (See preceding chapter.)
An academy seems to have been in operation at this time, for we find notices of it in 1849, under the charge of William Pearson, and in 1850, of Rev. R. A. Browne.
The 22nd of June appears to have been the day set apart for military drill. In July of this year the Lawrence Guards were organized, and W. W. Taylor was elected captain; S. M. Wise, first lieutenant; S. Briggs, second lieutenant; T. Wait, third lieutenant; H. Squiers, ensign; C. T. Williams, A. Wait, J. A. Ray and Jacob Moore, sergeants; R. Andrews and John Ray, corporals; James McKean, armorer, and S. Briggs, treasurer.
In 1851 the subject of paving the streets began to be agitated and at a meeting of the Council, on the 28th of February, it was resolved that during the coming summer Washington, Jefferson and Mercer Streets should be planked.
About this time also the subject of a public cemetery, controlled by a corporation, began to be agitated, and a meeting was held at the office of the county commissioners, at which Colonel William Book was made president and James D. Clarke, secretary. Among those who took an active interest in the matter were Hon. L. L. McGuffin, James Henderson, Jonathan Ayres, Joseph Emery, John Reynolds, Frederick Seifert, R. W. Clendenin, Joseph Kissick, Joseph T. Du Shane, George Robinson, D. B. Kurtz and R. B. McComb.
In addition to the two existing companies, three juvenile military companies were organized about this time, one in New Castle proper, another in East New Castle, and a third in West New Castle. A fierce rivalry sprang up among them, which sometimes led to miniature battles, and it was found easier to arouse the military spirit than to allay the hot passions engendered by the rivalry.
A public meeting was held some time in March, 1851, to consider the question of enlarging the limits of the borough. Warren Carpenter was president, and William Watson, secretary, while the committee on resolutions consisted of Joseph Justice, Joseph Emery, S. W. Mitchell, Samuel Spiese, Joseph Kissick and William Moore. After ample discussion a series of resolutions was adopted opposed to any extension of the limits beyond the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek.
The first railway meeting held in New Castle was on the 1st of April, 1851. It was called for the purpose of testing the public sentiment upon the then proposed Erie and Pittsburg Railway. The officers of the meeting were: President, Henry Pearson; vice-presidents, R. W. Cunningham, William Dickson, Joseph Emery and Thomas Falls; secretaries, Alexander Newell and D. C. Cossitt. The speakers were R. B. McComb, Esq., R. W. Cunningham and Joseph Emery.
On the night of April 1st the flouring-mill owned by Joseph Kissick was destroyed by fire. It was a three-story brick building and stood on the present site of Raney & Gordon's mill. The total loss was about $13,000. The fire was occasioned by some boys fishing with torches under the mill. The mill was rebuilt by Mr. Kissick the same season.
The summer of 1851 was one of many improvements in New Castle. A new bridge was built over the canal, on Mercer Street. R. W. Cunningham erected a new foundry building. The Union schoolhouse, now the Martin Gantz school building, was erected at a cost of $7,000.
A private bank—the first banking institution in New Castle - was started this year, in May, by Dickson & McClymonds. [p. 77] A railway convention was held on the 25th of June at which 150 delegates were present.
During the summer of this year an attempt was made to erect a new borough on the east side of the Neshannock, to be called East New Castle, but the project failed.
The first "Free Soil" convention was held on the 23rd of August, of this year.
A new bridge, known as the "Black Bridge," was constructed over the Shenango, a few rods above the mouth of the Neshannock, during this season. It has since been replaced by a fine and substantial covered bridge.
An Agricultural Society was organized on the 29th of October, with the following officers: President, Thomas Sample; vice- presidents, Thomas Wilson, Isaac P. Cowden; secretary, R. B. McComb; treasurer, William Blanchard; directors, John K. Swisher, William Porter, Thomas Carnes, Thomas Pearson, Webster Justice and John Simpson.
The winter of 1851-2 was a severe one; labor was scarce, and little money was in circulation. To aid the poor and destitute a society called "The New Castle Relief Society," consisting of the prominent ladies of the place, was organized on the 5th of January, 1852, at the Associate Reformed Church. The officers were: President, Mrs. Mary Browne; secretaries, Mrs. McElevy and Mrs. Ten Broeck; treasurer, Mrs. Joseph Kissick.
On January 16th a meeting of the Protestant pastors of New Castle was held at the Presbyterian Church, for the purpose of taking steps toward petitioning Con- gress to prohibit carrying the mails on Sunday.
On the 4th of February a meetin was held at the Cochran House in the interests of the Erie and Pittsburg Railroad. William Dickson was president, and John Reynolds, secretary.
What is thought to have been the first strike in the history of New Castle occurred among the nail-cutters in the employ of the Orizaba Iron Works, on the 16th of February, on account of a reduction of wages.
On April 29th New Castle was visited, it is said, by an earthquake shock which was quite severe, and continued for about ten seconds.
The new Court House was completed on the 28th of June, 1852, at which date the first term of court ever held therein commenced.
The 4th of July, 1852, fell on Sunday, and was celebrated on the day following with appropriate ceremonies. A Whig convention was held in Clow's Hall, and a Sunday-school picnic was held in a grove near town, while a large party including the New Castle band, made an excursion on board a canal-packet, several miles up the Shenango, where they spent the day in picnicing and dancing.
The New Castle Female Seminary seems to have finished its course about this time, as the property was sold at public sale, on the 7th of September. The completion of the Union School building, now in the First Ward, may have had something to do with the retirement of the seminary from the field. The new school building was completed and occupied on the 4th of October, at which time the fall term commenced. The teachers were Messrs. Travis & Gantz, and the Misses Townsend and Porter. The Lawrence County Teachers' Institute was held for two weeks, commencing on the 11th of October. This was probably the first county institute ever held in New Castle.
The first County Fair was also opened on Tuesday, the 19th of October, and continued two days.
The "Mechanics' Institute" was organized on the 23d of December. Among the prominent gentlemen interested in its organization may be mentioned John Dickson, Dr. Leasure, Colonel William Book, S. Briggs, David Tidball, J. R. Richardson, R. Craven and John Edwards. A [p. 78] meeting of the Institute was held on the 4th of January, following which the following officers were elected: President, Stillman Briggs; vice-president, Joseph S. White; secretary, J. Webster Reynolds; treasurer, Colonel William Book.
In January, 1853, the Lawrence County Agricultural Society leased from Joseph S. White, for a term of years, four and a half acres of land lying on the plateau north of the borough, for the purposes of a Fair Ground. It was inclosed, and provided with suitable and necessary buildings, and fairs were held there for several years.
The borough election, held on the 18th of March, resulted in the choice of the following officers: Burgess, Joseph Kissick; councilmen James S. Tidball, James McGown, Benjamin Emery, E. S. Clow, G. P. Robinson; constable, J. B. McKee; school directors, D. Leasure, R. W. Clendenin, J. N. Fuwer [sic, Euwer?]; judge of election, John McElevy; assessor, A. Riddle; auditors, Captain A. Tyler, D. B. Kurtz, Warren Carpenter; overseers of poor, J. W. Cunningham and Wilson Falls.
The contract for planking Washington Street from the Neshannock to the Shenango, with two tracks, each nine feet wide, was awarded to Joseph and David Emery, at $1,600. The contract for planking a portion of Jefferson Street with a single track was also awarded to the same parties. Greenwood Cemetery was also much improved this year.
A Musical Institute was held in March, under the direction of Professor Blakely, and on the evening of the 29th of the same month a concert was given at the Presbyterian Church by 400 pupils of Mr. Durston.
D. Tidball, Jr., was appointed postmaster some time in April. A plank road was constructed during this season between New Castle and New Wilmington. Another earthquake shock is recorded for the 2nd of May, lasting for some 30 seconds.
In 1853 the annual exports comprised the following articles shipped from New Castle: From the Orizaba Iron Works, 7,500 tons iron and nails; from the Cosalo Iron Works, 5,000 tons iron and nails; of glass, 700 tons; oil and oil-cake, 500 tons; 32,000 barrels of flour; 100,000 bushels of grain; 6,000 tons of fire-brick; 1,000,000 feet of timber.
In July of this year the "Ladies' Lawrence County Association" was organized.
At the borough election, March 17, 1854, the following officers were elected: Burgess, William Moore; councilmen, David Emery, Wilson Falls, John S. Pomeroy, Webster Justice, William Book; school directors, Joseph Justice, Cyrus Clarke; constable, J. B. McKee; judge of election, James R. Wallace; inspectors, Thomas D. Horner, Alva H. Leslie; assessor, Daniel McConnell; auditors, Robert Gilliland, Robert Crawford, John Hoffman; overseers of poor, Cyrus Clarke, J. W. Johnston.
The Leslie House, containing ninety rooms, was finished and furnished ready for occupation on the 1st of April.
On Sunday, the 16th of April, there was a heavy snow-storm, which lasted for about twenty-four hours. When the storm was over there were seven and one-half inches of snow on the ground.
The First Methodist Episcopal Society erected a new church edifice during the summer and fall of 1854. It was finished some time in the winter of 1854-55.
A grand fair was held in New Castle, commencing on October 5, and continuing three days.
On the 5th an election for officers of the Lawrence County Agricultural and Horticultural Society was held, and the following gentlemen were chosen for the ensuing year: President, Thomas Pearson; vice-presidents, William Hamilton and Thomas Cunningham; treasurer, William McClymonds; [p. 79] secretary, J. Webster Reynolds; managers, William Williams and Phillip Crowl.
The summer of 1854 was remarkable for the long drouth which prevailed from the 16th of May to the latter part of August, in consequence of which all the crops were scanty, and farmers were obliged to fatten their hogs on acorns. The drouth affected the streams, and the fish in the Shenango River died in great numbers during the latter part of August.
On the 12th of November a party of fifty-two colored people passed through New Castle, on their way from Virginia to Mercer, where they had concluded to settle. They had formerly been slaves and had been liberated by the will of their masters. Some are still living at and near Mercer, where some of them at one time owned considerable property.
During the months of January and February of 1855 the laboring classes in New Castle suffered from scarcity of work. The destitution increased to such an extent that steps were taken for their temporary relief. Under the auspices of the Ladies' Benevolent Association, free soup dinners were furnished the destitute every day for several weeks at the house of Richard Craven.
At the borough election, held on the 16th of March, the following officers were chosen: Burgess, Thomas Pearson; justices, James Dickson, George C. Morgan; constable, Uriah Cubbison; councilmen, David Emery, Wilson Falls, E. C. Cowden, J. W. Squier, William C. Hoffman; assessor, John Horner; assistant assessors, William Shaw, B. C. Emery; auditors, B. B. Pickett and S. F. Rigby; overseers of the poor, J. B. Reynolds, D. Stewart; school directors, Shubael Wilder, Isaac Dickson; judge of elections, John R. Moore; inspectors, John Shumaker, James Moorhead.
New Castle seems to have been financially in a very healthy condition in 1855, for the bonded debt of the borough is stated at $2,500, and the total indebtedness at $4,206.82.
In June, this year, there were heavy rains. The streams were so swollen that navigation on the canal was interrupted for several weeks, and, as a consequence, flour and provisions became very scarce.
"The anniversary of the nation's independence was celebrated in grand style. At a very early hour the New Castle Light Artillery fired a national salute from Shaw's Hill, and all the bells in town responded merrily. At 10 o'clock A. M. the procession formed in the following order: The New Castle Band; the Eagle Fire Company; teachers and scholars of the Union schools; the Lawrence Guards; the Ringgold Guards, of Princeton, Captain Hall, and the Harlansburg Infantry, General McCune. The exercises were in a grove, where addresses were delivered by Dr. John W. Wallace and Rev. R. A. Browne. The school children had a picnic and dinner, and there were patriotic toasts, music, and the firing of salutes. After the exercises were over, the soldiers formed and marched to the Cochran House, where about 200 of them, including several veterans of the War of 1812, partook of a sumptuous dinner, provided by the citizens. The festivities closed with a ball at Kossuth Hall, and another at the Leslie House, the latter given by the Eagle Fire Company."
The Lawrence Guards celebrated their fifth anniversary, on the 20th of July, by a parade and drill, and a dance in the evening.
A grand military encampment was held at New Castle, commencing on the 11th of September, of this year. The following organizations took part in the exercises: Jackson Independent Blues, of Pittsburg, Captain Alexander Hays; Darlington Artillery, Major W. H. Power; Ringgold Guards, of Princeton, Captain W. G. Hall; Big Beaver Riflemen, Lieutenant Miller, [p. 80] and the New Castle Light Artillery, Captain William H. Shaw. It is very probable that the Lawrence Guards were also present, though they are not mentioned in the newspaper accounts. A serious accident occurred during the festivities. Sergeant Edward Smith, of the artillery, while assisting in firing a salute, had his right arm so badly injured by a premature discharge as to necessitate its amputation.
The winter of 1855-56 was very cold. January 12 about twenty inches of snow fell, and during this month the mercury sank as low as 25 degrees below zero. On the 3d of February it indicated 32 degrees below, according to accounts, and again, on the 10th of March, 20 degrees below.
On March 3d Robert Patterson's soap and candle factory, in West New Castle, was destroyed by fire, involving a loss of about $1,200.
At the borough election, held on the 21st of March, the following officers were elected: Burgess, Stillman Briggs; councilmen, R. W. Clendenin, H. J. Lewis, John McElevy, John R. Richardson, Robert Crawford; constable, Uriah Cubbison; school directors, Rev. G. R. McMillen, Dr. D. Leasure; overseer of the poor, L. V. Crips, Dr. A. T. Davis; auditor, I. N. Dickson; assessor, J. B. McKee; judge of election, Thomas Rigby; inspectors, Samuel Spiese and Webster Justice.
An immense Republican mass convention was held in New Castle on the 9th of October, 1857, said to have been the largest ever held in the place. It appears that there were by actual count in the procession 3,154 people, 938 horses, 68 cattle, 93 horsemen, 1,834 flags, banners, etc., 454 vehicles and seven bands.
The rolling-mills of the "Orizaba Iron Works" were destroyed by fire on the night of the 18th of October, involving a loss of from $5,000 to $7,000, partially covered by insurance. The mills were soon afterwards rebuilt.
The New Castle Gaslight Company was incorporated February 11, 1856, by Dr. Charles T. Whippo, Stephen J. Noble, Theodore F. Hay, Newell White and Ezekiel Sankey. The charter gave the right to supply the borough of New Castle with gas for illuminating purposes for the space of twenty years. The business houses on Washington Street and the "Diamond" were first lighted on the evening of December 8, 1856.
The borough election occurred on the 25th of March, when the following officers were elected: Burgess, Alexander Ross; councilmen, John W. Wallace, James R. Shaw, James McElevy, R. W. Clendenin, Shubael Wilder; constable, James J. Cook; school directors, Joseph Justice, John Reynolds; assessor, Joseph T. Boyd; overseers of the poor, L. V. Crips, J. E. McConnell; judge of elections, William C. Hoffman; inspectors, Benjamin F. Emery, William Devlin; auditor, Thomas Pearson.
On the 26th of March, 1857, J. N. Wagonseller, cashier of the Bank of New Castle, who had absconded with a large sum of money, was brought back to New Castle, having been arrested in Philadelphia. He had a hearing before George C. Morgan, Esq., and was committed for trial in default of bail. At the time of his arrest $21,500 of New Castle paper was found in his carpet-bag. In the course of a few weeks he was liberated on bail, and soon after left the country. At a meeting of the stockholders, held on the 1st of May, the Board was reorganized by the election of David Sankey, president, and Cyrus Clarke, cashier. R. W. Cunningham was elected a director in the place of Wagonseller, and R. W. Stewart in place of Dr. Whippo, who had resigned.
Many improvements were made in New Castle during the summer of 1857, among which were the building of the Free, now the Second Presbyterian Church, the People's Savings Bank, and a third story on the American House, later the Central Hotel.
The Lawrence County jail seems to have been singularly unfortunate in holding the [p. 81] prisoners confined within its walls. Every few weeks a batch would escape, sometimes by means of wooden keys, ingeniously constructed and sometimes by other means. In February, 1858, four prisoners escaped, and on the 6th of March, two more left for parts unknown.
On the 11th of February, 1858, an ordinance was passed enlarging the borough limits, by extending the lines on the north some twenty-five or thirty perches.
At the borough election, held on the 19th of March, the following officers were elected: Burgess, Alexander Ross; council, Dickson Watson and William Griffith, for three years, James R. Shaw and John Vogan, for two years, John S. Pomeroy and Shubael Wilder, one year; school directors, William H. Reynolds, Wilson Falls; constable, James J. Cook; judge of elections, James S. Tidball; inspectors, Oliver G. Hazen, James D. Shoaff; overseers of the poor, Thomas Rigby, J. Wesley Squier; assessor, Joseph T. Boyd; assitant assessors, Dr. A. M. Cowden and Joseph S. White; auditor, R. C. Leslie.
The following description of New Castle, written by Hon. John W. Forney, was published in the Philadelphia Press, in June, 1858:
"New Castle, the county seat of Lawrence County, is situated at the junction of the Shenango and Neshannock Rivers, three miles above the junction of the Shenango and the Mahoning Rivers, constituting the big Beaver, which makes its confluence with the Ohio River at Beaver, twenty-eight miles below Pittsburg. The Erie Canal, from the Ohio River at Beaver to the city of Erie, passes up the valley of the Big Beaver and Shenango Rivers through the town of New Castle, and the Cross-cut Canal, from New Castle to Akron, on the Ohio Canal, passes up the valley, of the Mahoning, giving a connection by canal with the city of Cleveland. The population of New Castle is about 7,000.* The manufacture of iron is the principal business, though there are numerous other interests, involving much capital and the employment of many operatives. There are two companies, the 'Cosalo' and the 'Orizaba,' engaged in the manufacture of iron. They have all the necessary furnaces, rolling-mills and nail factories to contain within their own operations the taking of the ore, coal and limestone from the neighboring hills, and turning the raw material into every grade of the manufactured article, from railroad iron down to three-penny nails. They give employment to over 500 operatives, upon the product of whose labor subsist directly at least 3,000 souls, and indirectly as many more in the town and surrounding neighborhood. The Orizaba Company have not entirely suspended operations at any time during the past year, and are at present in full blast. The Consalo Company is about making a lease to parties that will soon put the works into operation upon an enlarged scale, with a view to rivaling the best mills in the United States. It is here that the 'Croton' glass, an article of window glass largely supplied to the West, is manufactured. It is made from the solid rock and is said to be equal to any manufactured in the State.
"There are several large flouring-mills in full successful operation, two large foundries, machine and engine shops, besides many smaller manufactories.
"The public schools of the borough accommodate about 600 pupils in one large three-story brick building, which also contains a high school department. Another school building is in process of erection in East New Castle, lying alongside the old borough, that will accommodate about 1,000 pupils, that being still less than the number to be provided for, and rendering the erection of ward schoolhouses necessary in the more distant suburbs.
"The whole community is self-sustaining, the agricultural productions of the neighborhood being far more than sufficient to feed all the operatives who turn the minerals into the manufactured articles, as well as the whole population besides, and a large surplus of grain is shipped East. The Pittsburg & Newcastle Railroad will be completed probably by the 4th of July—positively in August—and then communication by rail will be easy in every direction. The Cleveland & Mahoning Valley Railroad, completed from Cleveland to Youngstown, within eighteen miles of New Castle, will rapidly be pushed on to intersect at New Castle, and it is here that the Northwestern Railroad, if it should ever be finished, intersects with the Cleveland road. Strong efforts, with every prospect of success, are being made to extend the Pittsburg & New Castle Railroad from New Castle north to the city of Erie; and when all these roads are finished—as they will be—four important railroads will center at New Castle.
"We were not prepared to see a thriving inland city of 7,000 inhabitants on our visit some months since to the county of Lawrence—a city of broad streets, large brick dwellings, noble schoolhouses, comfortable residences and immense manufactories. It is beautifully located, reminding one of Pittsburg in its abundance of coal and iron and in its swarthy complexion. Yet it is fresher far than its dusky neighbor. There is an air of health in all natural surroundings. In its romantic streams and the lovely valley in which it lies embosomed it possesses advantages of which Pittsburg cannot boast.
"In 1806 New Castle contained but twenty houses, and in 1840 its population was 611. Now it boasts a population of 7,000, and the extraordinary facilities shortly to be extended to its enterprising and thriving people will lead to such a development of its resources as will make it one of the most important towns in the [p. 82] State. It is eighteen miles from the town of Mercer and is closely connected in domestic commerce and in other respects with Beaver, Butler, Meadville, Franklin, Erie and other western Pennsylvania towns. Lawrence, as we have said, was cut out of Mercer and Beaver Counties, and both were taken from Allegheny; so, indeed, were Crawford, parts of Armstrong, Venango and all of Butler and Erie.
"It may therefore be readily imagined that the characteristics of the people of this great tier of counties are nearly the same. They were together in the early struggles of the Revolution; together they struggled into prominence; together they rejoiced over the great men that made western Pennsylvania at an early day the seat of intelligence and enterprise. Pittsburg was their capital, and for many years they, were controlled by its example. But the new era established a new order of things. Canals and railroads gave to each county an independent existence, though making all more dependent upon each other. Competition gave to every locality a character of its own and promoted the general prosperity; and New Castle is a proof that the change was for the better, however considered. It is now one of the most flourishing and beautiful towns in the Union, and when its rail-road connections are completed it will take a fresh start in the race for superiority."
* In this estimate, Mr. Forney undoubtedly included all the outlying suburbs; but the estimate was much too high. The U. S. Census in 1860 gave the borough 1,882, which was about one-half of the whole population of the borough.
During the summer of 1858, a double-track bridge over the Neshannock Creek, on Washington Street, was erected at a cost of $1,900, a new building was built for the Eagle engine on the northwest corner of Mill Street and Market Alley, and a new Union school building in East New Castle.
Early in August, 1858, a musical association, called the "Festival Glee Club," was organized.
Pittsburg Street, in East New Castle, was illuminated on the evening of Wednesday, the 25th of August, in celebration of the great event of laying the Atlantic cable. The band furnished music on the joyful occasion.
On the morning of the 19th of October a destructive fire occurred in New Castle, the total loss being estimated at $5,000. Among the sufferers were Andrew Reed, William G. Warnock, R. M. Allen, William H. Reynolds, William Dickson, William Moore, A. H. Leslie, Pardee & Fowler and Firard and Wickman. Immediately succeeding this fire there was a lively appreciation of the value of a fire organization, and steps were taken to prepare for future contingencies. The Eagle Engine Company was reorganized and a new one formed, called the Relief Fire Company. During this season (1858) both the rolling-mills were idle.
At the borough election, which took place on the 18th of March, 1859, the following officers were elected: Burgess, Andrew Lewis; school directors, Dr. Newell White and Jacob Wilbur; council, Isaac N. Phillips and James Moorehead; constable, James J. Cook; overseers of the poor, Thomas Rigby and S. W. Mitchell; assessor, Alexander Riddle; judge of elections, Samuel Alexander; inspectors, Joseph B. Reynolds, J. Wesley Squier; auditor, David Craig.
The Lawrence County Agricultural and Horticultural Society seems to have been in a flourishing condition about this time. Their fairs were generally well attended and profitable. At its annual meeting, in the fall of 1859, the following officers were elected: President, Dr. D. Leasure; vice presidents, Isaac N. Gibson, of Wilmington, and Joseph Cunningham, of Wayne; managers, E. M. McConnell, of Pollock, and W. C. Harbison, of Shenango; treasurer, William McClymonds, of Union; secretary, David Craig, of New Castle.
At the borough election, on the 16th of March, the following gentlemen were elected to the respective offices named: Burgess, William Moore; council, Thomas Pearson, J. R. Moore; justices, David Tidball, J. M. Craig; constable, James J. Cook; school directors, David Craig, Edward Thomas; overseer of the poor, A. H. Leslie; assessor, John L. Warnock; auditor, Robert Boyd; judge of elections, B. C. Emery; inspectors, James R. Shaw, John Dickson.
On May 10th a span of the tow-path bridge over the Neshannock Creek, about seventy feet long, and forming about one-half the total length, fell with a crash into the stream, carrying with it three persons and three horses. No lives were lost, however, even the animals being saved.
"Wide Awake" clubs were formed in [p. 83] New Castle early in the Presidential campaign of this year, and the streets were frequently enlivened with torchlight processions and music.
It was during the season of 1860 that the people of the State of Kansas suffered terribly from famine caused by excessive drouth, and, in common with other portions of the country, New Castle and vicinity responded nobly to the wants of the suffering people.
"The year 1861 opened gloomily to the people of the United States. The dark and threatening clouds of civil war hung heavily in the horizon, the hurried tramp of armed hosts was heard in the Southern portion of the Union, while anxious solicitude shadowed all the hearts of the Northern people. New Castle partook of the general feeling, and patriotic meetings were held and expression given to the Union sentiments of the people. On the 22d of February a meeting of citizens who were 'friendly to the Union as it is' was called at the Court House. Hon. Thomas Pomeroy was called to the chair, and G. C. Morgan, Joseph Kissick, Jacob Van Gorder and William Stunkard were chosen as vice-presidents, and E. S. Durban, Jacob Haus and J. M. Kuester secretaries. A series of resolutions expressive of great devotion to the Union, was passed unanimously, and the meeting was addressed by R. B. McComb, Rev. R. A. Browne, Hon. D. Agnew, D. Craig and Hon. L. L. McGuffin.
At the borough election, held on the 15th of March, the following were the names of the officers elected: Burgess, William Moore; constable, Thomas F. Sankey; council, Thomas Campbell, Burkhardt Raub; school directors, Manassa Henlein, William H. Reynolds; judge of election, James R. Wallace; inspectors, Joseph B. Reynolds, John W. Cunningham; auditor, D. H. Wallace; assessor, James Henderson; assistant assessors, Thomas Falls, Joseph Kissick; overseer of the poor, Alexander Ross.
On the morning of the 22d of April the ladies of East New Castle unfurled the national flag over the Court House, with their own hands. The occasion was enlivened by vocal and instrumental music, and speeches were made by Lewis Taylor and Hon. L. L. McGuffin. On the same day the national colors were thrown to the breeze from St. Mary's Catholic Church, in West New Castle, amid the cheers and hurrahs of 2,000 people. Addresses were made by Lewis Taylor, D. B. Kurtz, R. B. McComb, L. L McGuffin, D. Craig and Rev. J. B. Williams.
On the 24th of April an immense Union meeting was held on the 'Diamond.' Hon. Thomas Pomeroy was president, and twenty-eight old soldiers of the War of 18l2 were elected vice-presidents. The secretaries were E. S. Durban and James M. Kuester. A series of strong resolutions were adopted, and a patriotic song, composed by J. W. Fulkerson, was sung to the famous war-hymn of France, the Marseillaise. Addresses were made by Revs. D. C. Osborne, R. A. Browne, Samuel Bentley, Hon. L. L. McGuffin, a Mr. Weyman, of Pittsburg, E. S. Durbank, William M. Francis, and Rev. J. B. Williams.
About this time the Lawrence Guards volunteered for three months. They numbered 167 men, and were officered as follows: Captain, Dr. Daniel Leasure; first lieutenant, Edward O'Brien; second lieutenant, J. J. Cook; third lieutenant, John S. King. They were subsequently divided into two companies.
A number of additional companies were soon after raised in and around New Castle. Among these were the German Guards, composed of Germans; St. Mary's, composed of Catholic citizens; the Rifle Guards, commanded by Captain R. B. McComb, and the Silver Grays, consisting of elderly veterans of the Mexican War.
The principal feature of the Fourth of July, 1861, was a grand military parade, [p. 84] in which the following organizations participated: Washington Guards, Captain James McCune; Slippery Rock Guards, Captain J. H. Cline; Washington Grays, Captain J. H. Rhodes; Union Riflemen, Captain P. S. Morton; Wayman Grays, Captain John Young; Eastbrook Guards, Captain A. Buchanan; Mahoning Guards, Captain William Burns; Pulaski Rifles, Captain W. C. Oliver; Lawrence Grays, Captain J. Davidson; Fayette Union Grays, Captain James Blair; Liberty Guards, Captain O. L. Jackson; Union Cadets, Captain D. M. Cubbison; Zouaves, Captain D. H. Wallace. These organizations were formed into a regiment, under the command of Colonel Samuel Bentley, with William H. Shaw as lieutenant-colonel, and W. P. Randolph as adjutant. A neat flag was presented to the Union Cadets by the ladies of New Castle, Dr. R. A. Browne making the presentation speech, which was gallantly responded to by Captain Cubbison.
The Weyman Grays were also presented with a stand of colors by Miss Harriet K. Weyman, daughter of Mr. George Weyman, of Pittsburg, for whom the company was named. On the 8th of August the Lawrence Guards, who had been out in the three months' service, returned to New Castle. They had been divided into two companies—Company H, commanded by Captain Leasure, and Company D, by Captain O'Brien. Several companies of "Home Guards" met them at the canal landing and escorted them to the "Diamond," where they were addressed by Rev. D. C. Osborne, after which they were dismissed, and departed for their several homes.
On the 12th of August a great storm passed over New Castle, doing considerable damage, particularly along the valley of Big Run.
On the 14th of October, Frederick Seiffert, of New Castle, was accidentally shot and killed in camp, at the city of Washington, D. C., being the first man killed from this section.
New Castle furnished her full share of men for the army during the Rebellion, and her citizens were ever prompt at their country's call for men and means. Among those who took a prominent part in the ranks of her military men were Colonel Daniel Leasure, Colonel Edward O'Brien, a hero of the Mexican War, Colonel D. H. Wallace, Colonel R. B. McComb, and many others. Soldiers' aid societies were organized by the ladies, concerts were given for the benefit of soldiers' wives and orphans, and in many ways those who remained at home contributed generously to the comfort of those "upon the tented field" and in the crowded hospitals at the rear.
At the borough election, which took place on the 21st of March, 1862, the following officers were elected: Burgess, William Moore; council, John W. Cunningham, Ben C. Emery; constable, Thomas F. Sankey; assessor, John Watson; auditor, S. W. Dana; overseer of the poor, S. W. Mitchell; school directors, Dr. J. H. M. Peebles, for three years; David Tidball, three years; James R. Shaw, one year: Cyrus Clarke, one year; judge of elections, J. S. Agnew; inspectors, Thomas Marshall, Thomas F. Jackson.
A draft was ordered for this section during this year, and Dr. J. H. M. Peebles was appointed examining surgeon, and Jacob Haus, Esq., draft commissioner.
On February 5, 1863, an interesting party of old people met at the house of Joseph T. Boyd, one of the pioneer merchants of New Castle, who came here and opened a store in a log building, belonging to Jesse Du Shane, in 1806. Mr. Boyd was eighty-two years old at the time of the party, and among his gray-headed compeers were Jesse Du Shane, aged eighty-nine years; George Pearson, eighty-six; Robert McGuffin, eighty-five and Robert Wallace, eighty-four. Among other guests were E. S. Durban, Esq., Major Shaw and Colonel Leasure.
On Saturday evening, the 28th of March, a Union League was formally organized [p. 85] with the following officers: President, Martin Gantz; vice-presidents, William Book, George B. Woodworth, Samuel Hamilton, O. G. Hazen, James Ray, John Moorhead; recording secretary, William McClymonds; corresponding secretary, E. S. Durban; treasurer, Joseph Kissick; executive committee, D. Craig, John McCartney, R. B. McComb, G. W. Miller, Hon. David Sankey and Hon. John Ferguson.
"The year 1863 marks an epoch in the history of New Castle. On the 15th of June the last tie was laid on the Beaver Valley Railway, and a connection formed with the Erie and Pittsburg Road, giving New Castle the advantage of the greatest of modern inventions—the railway. The Erie and Pittsburg road was in full running order about the 15th of July following. The Ashtabula, Youngstown and Pittsburg Railway, extending from Youngstown, Ohio, to Mahoningtown in Lawrence County, was put in operation in 1864-65, and the New Castle and Franklin Road about 1874. These roads give New Castle direct connections with the Western Reserve in the great State of Ohio, and with the famous oil-regions of Pennsylvania.
"The increase of the borough of New Castle from 1850 to 1860, as indicated by the United States census reports, was comparatively slight, being only 262, but the census does not probably show the actual increase, it being largely outside the borough limits, which comprised only a small part of the actual population, to which the old borough is only the nucleus."
New Castle was erected into a borough on the 25th of March, 1825. The first burgess was Robert McConahy; the second John Frazier, and the third, Joseph Justice. The old records, from 1825 down to 1852, have been lost or destroyed, and it is impossible, therefore, to give the names of most of the burgesses during those years. The following names, however, appear on the records:
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1836. Joshua Logan. |
1859. A. Lewis. |
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1888 - William P. Miller. 1889 - I. B. Griffiths. 1890 - James G. Fulkerson. 1892 - James G. Fulkerson. 1894 - Robert W. Douds. 1897 - William Moncrief. |
Mr. Moncrief was the last burgess before the borough was annexed to the city of New Castle.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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Explanation/Caution | Lawrence Co. Maps | Lawrence Co. Histories
Updated: 25 Feb 2002