USA > Pennsylvania > Beaver County > History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and Its Centennial Celebration, Volume II > Part 22
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For a few years services were held in a schoolhouse, and in 1874, a neat frame building was erected at a cost of $1500. This was replaced ten years later by another costing $3500, and in 1880, a manse was built at a cost of $1600.
SECRET ORDERS
Glasgow Lodge, No. 485, A. Y. M., was instituted February 2, 1871; Line Island Lodge, No. 742, I. O. O. F., instituted
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December 2, 1870; Col. Richard P. Roberts Post, No. 244, G. A. R., organized May 19, 1882.
POST-OFFICE AND POPULATION
Glasgow has no post-office of its own; all mail being received at Smith's Ferry. By the United States Census for 1900 the population of the place was 172.
NEW GALILEE BOROUGH
This borough is on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, about seven miles northwest from Beaver Falls. Surrounded by a rich agricultural population, it has also all the facilities, in an abundance of coal and timber and good trans- portation, of becoming a center of manufacturing. It is also the eastern terminus of the Pittsburg, Lisbon & Western R. R.
INCORPORATION
New Galilee was incorporated into a borough by a decree of the court made January 15, 1868, the application for the rights of incorporation having been made at the previous June sessions and approved by the grand jury. The signers of the application were P. L. Grim, Robert Porter, J. B. Johnston, John Acheson, W. Thompson, W. D. Eakin, John Graebing, R. E. Hudson, Dr. R. J. Brittain, and twenty-two others. The first election was held the third Friday of March following, at which John S. Hudson was judge and W. D. Eakin and John Acheson were inspectors.' The town was surveyed and plotted June 13 and 14, 1876, by county surveyor James Harper. The streets are run at right angles to each other, Washington and Centennial avenues running north and south, and Jackson, Jefferson, Monroe, and Madison from east to west.
FOST-OFFICE AND POPULATION
The post-office here was established in 1856, and has been served by the following persons:
William Eakin, Feb. 11, 1856; James K. Weir, Oct. 20, 1860; John S. Hudson, Dec. 2, 1862; John B. Johnston, May 12, 1865; William J. Johnston, Jan. 16, 1880; James Hudson, Nov. 22, 1880; John Graebing,
1 No. 7. June Sessions, Road Docket No. 3. D. 380.
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History of Beaver County
June 8, 1886; George W. Pyle, Oct. 22, 1886; Alexander F. Reid, April 13, 1889; George W. Pyle, July 12, 1893; Joseph A. Kelso, June 14, 1897; Andrew J. Miller, June 15, 1898.
By the United States Census for 1900 the population of the borough was 327.
CHURCHES
Rocky Spring United Presbyterian Church of New Galilee .- This church was organized about 1827 by the Presbytery of Monongahela in connection with the Associate Reformed Presby- terian body.
The people first met for worship about a mile and a half west of what is now the village of Homewood, having no building but the usual "tent," or shed, for the minister. Soon a frame building was erected a mile farther west, in which services were held until the spring of 1868. In the meantime a new church had been built in New Galilee, to which the congregation removed the same year. This new structure was erected at a cost of about $8000.
The first pastor of this church was the Rev. Moses Kerr. Mr. Kerr was born, educated, and ordained to the ministry in Ireland, and he held a pastoral charge there for a short time in the Burgher Presbytery of Antrim. He came to this country in 1818 and was pastor of Union Congregation, near Pittsburg, 1819-27. He was pastor of Rocky Spring and Beaver Falls from September 5, 1828, until his death, October 11, 1830. Rev. T. L. Spear served this church in connection with that of New Brighton until 1843. There was then a vacancy until 1849, with supplies furnished by Presbytery. May, 1849, the Rev. Samuel Patterson became pastor. Mr. Patterson remained until his death, which occurred May 21, 1895. The pulpit was then vacant until 1898, and on the 24th of February that year the Rev. D. T. McCalmont was installed pastor and is still in charge.
Little Beaver congregation of the Reformed Presbyterian Church .- We have spoken of this church in the chapter on the religious history of the county. It was organized in 1814, its building being located about one mile from New Galilee. Some of its first members were the Youngs, the Cooks, the McAnlises, and the McGeorges. The name of Rev. Matthew Williams is mentioned in connection with the organization of the church and
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its first services. In September, rarg. Rev. Robert Gibson was installed as pastor and resigned on account of ill-health at the end of eleven years' service. He was succeeded by the Rev. George Scott. who was installed in April, r&gr. Mr. Scott left this branch of the Reformed Presbyterians. the Synod. and united with the other. the General Synod. which leaves the matter of voting and holding office to the individual conscience. The congregation of which he became pastor, the only one of that branch in Beaver County, worships in a church not far from Darlington. Mr. Scott left Little Beaver congregation in 1334. and was followed by Rev. J. Blackwood the same year. Mr. Blackwood remained for six years, and then there was a vacancy of five years. In November, 1845, Rev. Joseph W. Worton was installed pastor. He remained a little over a year and a half, and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Sterrett. who took charge in June, 1848, and remained until May, 1860. In April, 1364. Rev. Nathan M. Johnson became pastor and remained in charge for twenty-two years. Under his administration a new church building was erected in 1872 in the town of New Galilee. Rev. James R. Wylie, the present pastor, was installed in May. 1888. A few years ago a comfortable parsonage was erected on the church lot.
MANUFACTURING
The Beaver Clay Manufacturing Company's works are located at New Galilee. This company was incorporated in Pennsyi- vania, March 17, 1902, with a capital of $35,000. which has been since almost doubled. The officers are Frederick Davidson, president ; F. N. Beegle, vice-president ; B. B. Todd. secretary and treasurer, and J. H. Cooper, manager. On the pay-roll of this concern are about sixty men. The company has a very fine clay and are making an excellent line of face building brick. Their capacity is 40 to 50 thousand per day, and they find a ready sale in Boston, New York, Cleveland, and Pittsburg for all they make.
BADEN BOROUGH
This borough is situated on the Ohio River, and is a station on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad, about five miles above Rochester.
The village was surveyed May 17, 1838, by William McCal-
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lister, and the plot recorded April 20, 1839, by Christian Burck- hardt, the proprietor, showing a division into 104 lots.
INCORPORATION
Baden was incorporated by an Act of Assembly, approved April 1, 1868. Section 1 of this Act provided:
That the village of Baden, in the township of Economy, in the county of Beaver, and the farm lands immediately adjoining thereto, included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning on the Ohio river at the northern line of Harmony township; thence northeast by said township line to the eastern boundary line of the first or river tracts; thence along the eastern line of said tracts to line of lands of D. Ehrman; thence by said Erhman line southwest to the Ohio river, and thence up said river to the place of beginning, be and the same are hereby incorpor- ated into a borough, to be styled the borough of Baden.I
A supplement to this Act was approved, February 29, 1872, which annexed to the borough
All that certain tract of land adjoining the borough of Baden, in the county of Beaver, known as the Ehrman tract . including any portion of said lands which may have been sold since the passage of the said Act, [i. e., the Act of 1868].2
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS
The educational and religious needs of the people of Baden are well supplied by a good public school and by two churches.
The Methodist Episcopal Church .- This society was organ- ized in 1858 or 1859, the charter name being "Storer Chapel." The appointment was connected with the Freedom charge until 1892, when it was severed from Freedom. Since that date its pastors have been: 1892-95, Rev. G. W. Johnson; 1896-97, Rev. G. L. C. Westlake; 1898, Rev. H. A. Baum; 1899, Rev. S. E. Keith; 1900-03, Rev. F. D. Essenwein; and the present pastor is H. H. Westwood. The house of worship of this con- gregation, a one-story frame building, was erected at the time of the organization at a cost of about $1000.
Christ Lutheran Church of Baden was organized by Rev. W. A. Passavant, D.D., about the year 1858. In 1861 the build- ing, which is still occupied by the congregation, was erected by
1 P. L., 542.
' P. L., 187.
.
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History of Beaver County
Herring & Forsythe, at a cost of about $1500. The church has also a beautiful parsonage. Dr. Passavant was virtually the pas- tor of the Baden church for a period of twenty-seven years. Rev. R. Morris Smith, the present pastor, was installed July 7, 1887. Some of the original members of the congregation were the Deardorffs, John Kennedy and wife, William Miller, John McKee and family, and Mrs. Barbara Neely, her son and his wife and two daughters.
There are also united with the Lutheran Church at Baden, as one parish, the congregations of Rehoboth at Brown's, the House of Mercy at Park Quarries, and Trinity at Freedom-all served by Rev. R. Morris Smith.
POST-OFFICE AND POPULATION
The post-office at Baden was established in April, 1852. It has been served by the following postmasters: David Anderson, appointed April 1, 1852; John Nichols, July 29, 1861; Charles Brown, February 25, 1863; John Y. Marks, February 17, 1864; Isaac Grim, October 5, 1870; Leonard I. Berry, December 9, 1870; (in September, 1892, Mr. Berry was killed by the fall of a bank near the post-office, and until the appointment of his suc- cessor, Dr. G. Y. Boal, his first bondsman, was acting post- master); George S. Blazier, October 7, 1892; Henry A. Bryan, December 22, 1896; George S. Blazier, November 5, 1900; Matthias L. Strock, September 11, 1901.
By the United States Census of 1900 the population of Baden was 427.
COLLEGE HILL BOROUGH
This little borough is beautifully situated on the hill north of Beaver Falls, and combines in its location fine residence sites with abundant room for its growing manufacturing enterprises, while the influence of Geneva College, of the Reformed Presby- terian or Covenanter Church, which has its seat here, gives it an atmosphere of culture and refinement. There is also a good public-school building, with five or six rooms, with an excellent corps of teachers; and two churches of the Reformed Presby- terian denomination minister to the religious needs of the com- munity. The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad skirts the town on the west, and the Pittsburg & Lake Erie on the
Geneva College, College Hill Borough.
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History of Beaver County
east, with Geneva station on the former road and College station within the borough limits on the latter. In the valley below on the east is the Beaver Creek, and just on the edge of the town are the beautiful grounds of the Beaver Valley Traction Company, known as Morado Park. The new grounds of the Beaver County Agricultural Association in White township are also contiguous to the borough on the west.
INCORPORATION
At the December Sessions of the Beaver County courts in 1891, a petition of certain citizens, "freeholders in the town of College Hill in the township of White," was presented asking for the incorporation of the town, which petition being laid before the grand jury, was approved by them. There was a contest in the matter, and remonstrances were presented and exceptions were filed and argued at the April Sessions of 1892. May 2, 1892, the judgment of the grand jury was confirmed, and by a decree of the court the portion of White township described therein was incorporated under the corporate style and title of the "Borough of College Hill." I
CHURCHES
The two churches of this borough, Geneva Congregation and College Hill Congregation, are mentioned in the chapter of this work giving the religious history of the county.
GENEVA COLLEGE
Geneva College is a denominational school, under the control of the Reformed Presbyterians or Covenanters. It was founded at Northwood, Ohio, April 20, 1848, when the Rev. J. B. John- ston was placed in charge. There it did good work in its proper sphere as an educational institution, and also made its influence felt in the great reform movements of the day, especially in the anti-slavery cause. By an act of the Synod in 1880 the college was removed to Beaver Falls, Pa. (College Hill borough), where a plot of ground of ten acres was donated to it by the Harmony Society, and the main college building, of stone, was erected at a cost of about $40,000. Since that time three buildings have been added, the ladies' dormitory hall, of brick; the new science
1 Quar. Sess. Misc. Docket No. I. P. 377.
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History of Beaver County
hall, of brick; and the gymnasium, a frame building. June 18, 1883, the institution was regularly incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania. All the advantages of this institution are open to both sexes, and its courses of study in the college proper, are two-the classical and the scientific. The departments of music and oratory are thoroughly organized and diplomas granted; and in 1900 a department of art was added. Geneva has a corps of fifteen teachers, and is making great progress. The attendance numbers about two hundred. The college has a good library and museum, and an endowment of $133,000, which is being in- creased year by year.
Following is the list of the presidents from the beginning: John Black Johnston, D.D., 1848-50; William Finney George, A.M., 1850-52; James Renwick Willson Sloane, D.D., 1852-56; John Calvin Knox Milligan, D.D., 1856-58; interval when the school was closed for six years; revived by David Strang, A.M., 1864-65; Nathan Robinson Johnston, D.D., 1865-67; Samuel John Crowe, A.M., 1867-71; William Milroy, A.M., 1871-72; Henry H. George, D.D., 1872-90; William Pollock Johnston, A.M., D.D., LL.D., 1890 to date, 1904.
MANUFACTURING CONCERNS
Champion Saw & Gas Engine Company, formerly Champion Saw Works, was incorporated in 1897, with a capital of $40,000. Officers: James Scott, president; G. S. Hunter, vice-president; and W. Pearce, secretary and treasurer.
Pittsburg Seamless Tube Company .- This concern is located on College Hill, occupying since 1901 the premises on which the Atlantic Tube Company erected and for a time operated a plant.
The Enameled Iron Company was chartered, August 23, 1901, with a capital stock of $25,000. The directors were Wm. M. Gillespie, Marian N. Hurd, and Chester Comstock. This plant was in operation for about eighteen months. The premises which it occupied were originally built by F. G. Rohrkaste and used as a distillery. Subsequently they were occupied by the Steel Sign Company, and still later by the Champion Saw Works.
Ingram-Richardson Manufacturing Company was incorpo- rated in 1901, with a capital of $25,000. The officers are Louis Ingram, president; Ernest Richardson, secretary; and E. L.
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History of Beaver County
Hutchinson, treasurer. This firm are manufacturers of enam- eled iron and steel signs of every description.
The Standard Scale & Supply Company removed their works from Bellefonte, Pa., to this place. This company was organized in 1892 and incorporated about the first of April, 1904. The officers are Frank B. Gill, president; W. H. Black, secre- tary and J. C. Reed, treasurer. They purchased here two large pieces of land, one a tract of ten acres, on which they have erected an immense plant which is the most perfectly equipped of its kind in this country. It is operated throughout by elec- tricity and gives employment to about 200 men, manufacturing everything in its line from counter scales to railroad scales.
The Armstrong Cork Company of Pittsburg has its insula- tion department on College Hill, a large plant for the manufac- ture of cork board for lining breweries, ice plants, and cold storage houses. They have 115 employees and are running day and night.
POST-OFFICE AND POPULATION
College Hill has no post-office of its own, but is served by free delivery from Beaver Falls. By the United States Census of 1900 the population of this borough was 890.
EASTVALE BOROUGH
This place lies on the east bank of the Big Beaver Creek, opposite Beaver Falls, with which it is connected by what is popularly known as Fetterman bridge. It is practically a suburb of the latter place, although enjoying a separate borough organization.
INCORPORATION
Feeling the need of such an independent existence, a major- ity of the freeholders of the town signed a petition, which was presented at the December Sessions of the Beaver County courts, 1891, praying that "the town of Eastvale in the town- ships of Pulaski and North Sewickley" be incorporated into a borough. This petition was approved by the grand jury at the March term, 1892. July 1, 1892, the judgment of the grand jury was confirmed by the court, and a decree was issued incor- porating the portions of Pulaski and North Sewickley townships
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described in the decree into a borough, under the corporate style and title of the "Borough of Eastvale." I
The population of this borough in 1900, according to the United States Census, was 256. A post-office was established in Eastvale, October 5, 1897, with John Hill as postmaster, but it was discontinued, March 30, 1901, and the town is served by rural free delivery from Beaver Falls.
Douglas-Whisler Brick Company .- This concern, whose offices were formerly in Beaver Falls, operates a large brick works in East- vale. (See notice of this firm in Chapter on Beaver Falls borough.)
There are no other manufacturing establishments in the place, but the Beaver Valley Water Company has a large pumping sta- tion here.
ALIQUIPPA BOROUGH
The village of Aliquippa took its name from an Indian queen who at one time lived on or not far from its site. In 1753 she was living at the mouth of the Youghiogeny River, and was visited there by Washington in that year. He says in his Journal: "I went up about three miles to the mouth of the Youghiogany, to visit Queen Aliquippa, who had expressed great concern that we passed her in going to the fort. I made her a present of a watch-coat 2 and a bottle of rum, which latter was thought much the better present of the two." Chartiers Creek, which empties into the Ohio some miles above this place, was known in early days as Aliquippa's Creek.
INCORPORATION
Until a comparatively recent period there was here not much besides the railway station on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad, but by 1893 the population had increased sufficiently to justify the citizens in their ambition to become a borough corporation. Accordingly, at the September Sessions of the court in that year a petition, signed by fifty-three freeholders of the village, was presented to the court asking for the incorporation of the town. This petition was approved by the grand jury and, January 22, 1894, a decree of the court confirmed their judgment and erected
1 Quar. Sess. Misc. Docket No. 1, p. 374.
" A "watch coat" was a kind of waterproof overcoat or cloak-see the Pennsylvania Magasine (Philadelphia) for December, 1775, for curious directions for a "cheap method of making a Watch Coat for soldiers, chiefly here in America."
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History of Beaver County
the village of Aliquippa in the township of Hopewell into a bor- ough to be known under the corporate style and title of "The Borough of Aliquippa." I
POST-OFFICE, POPULATION, EDUCATION, ETC.
The post-office at this place was established, October 12, 1892, and the first postmaster, Joseph Stubert, assumed charge at that date. He was succeeded in the office by John W. Hall, June 11, 1897; Maggie Brown, December 11, 1900; and Maggie Babb, May 14, 1902.
By the United States Census for 1900 the population of Ali- quippa borough was 620. There is here a good common school, with a neat building erected about three years ago.
The leading hotel of the town is the Hotel Columbia, pro- prietor, John Wiegle. Aliquippa Park is a beautiful picnic grounds, just on the edge of the borough, with a station on the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Railroad.
MANUFACTURING
The Vulcan Crucible Steel Company .- This concern was in- corporated, August 29, 1901, with a capital of $500,000. The officers are as follows: John Caldwell, president; R. Burgher, vice-president; S. G. Stafford, secretary; and W. A. Campbell, treasurer. The size of the plant is one 10-inch open hearth furnace; one 30-pot crucible melting floor, five steam hammers, 10- and 12-inch rolling mills. Its approximate output finished product per day is 35 tons, and it employs 150 hands.
The J. C. Russell Shovel Company .- This company was in- corporated, October 15, 1891, and has a capital stock of $50,000, all paid in. Its officers are J. L. Cooper, president; W. A. Gartshore, vice-president; Eugene H. King, secretary; and J. J. McKee, treasurer.
PATTERSON HEIGHTS BOROUGH INCORPORATION
At the March Sessions of the Beaver County courts in 1899, a petition signed by twenty-seven citizens of the village of Pat- terson Heights, in the township of Patterson, was presented 1 Quar. Sessions Misc. Docket No. 2, p. 135.
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asking for the incorporation of the village into a borough. The usual proceedings required in such cases by the Act of the As- sembly were followed; and. June 19, 1899, the court decreed the incorporation of said village into a borough under the cor- porate style and title of the "Borough of Patterson Heights.":
This small borough is situated on the hill to the west of Beaver Falls, with which it is connected by the electric railway operated by the Patterson Heights Street Railway Company. It is a beautiful and healthful location, and a residence quarter of the most charming character, enjoying freedom from the fogs of the lower levels, and scenery that is delightful, remote from the noise and grime of the manufacturing sections of the valley, and yet within easy reach of all. The mail service of the place is by free delivery from Beaver Falls. The population of the borough by the United States Census of 1900 was shown to be 272. A good public school is maintained, with a neat and com- modious building erected a year or two ago.
CONWAY BOROUGH
INCORPORATION
This is the most recently incorporated borough in Beaver County. At the June Sessions of the court, 1902, a peti- tion, signed by forty citizens of the village of Conway in the township of Economy, was presented, asking for a borough incorporation. June 3, 1902, the court decreed that said vil- lage should be incorporated into a borough to be called the "Borough of Conway," "the boundaries thereof changed so as to exclude lands used exclusively for farming purposes and not properly belonging to said village." ?
At Conway are the great freight yards of the Pennsylvania Company's lines. Cars from all divisions of the various roads belonging to that company are brought together here, and then drilled into their appropriate trains to be sent out to the vari- ous points of destination. The company owns here many acres of valuable property, and the trackage is enormous.
Conway (formerly Agnew) is the post-office at this place. It was established, March 30, 1881, and the office has been in charge successively of Charles Cheney, appointed March 30, 1881 ; John Marr, July 23, 1900; and Mary E. Atkinson, November 22, 1902.
'Quar. Sess. Misc. Docket No. 3, P. 110. ' Id., p. 418.
CHAPTER XXV
HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF THE TOWNSHIPS
Sources of History-Previous County Connections of Territory of Beaver County-Townships of Parent Counties Covering that Territory- Original Townships of Beaver County-Relative Position of Various . Townships-Changes Made in Formation of New Townships- Little Beaver, Big Beaver, North Sewickley, New Sewickley- Shenango Township-Borough Township-Ohio Township-New- Modeling of South Side Territory forming new Townships of Greene, Moon, and Hopewell-Brighton and Chippewa Townships-Economy Township-Raccoon Township-Slippery Rock Township-Roch- ester Township-Patterson Township-Wayne, Perry, and Marion Townships-Darlington Township-Independence-Franklin-Har- mony-Industry-Pulaski-White-Daugherty-Changes made by erection of Lawrence County.
THE task of writing the history of the townships originally embraced within the limits of Beaver County, and of those now existing therein, presents considerable difficulty, owing chiefly to the incompleteness of the data obtainable in the county records and elsewhere. But we claim for the presentation of that his- tory, as given in this chapter, such accuracy as could be secured by a minute examination of all the original papers bearing on the subject which are preserved in the court records of Alle- gheny and Beaver counties, covering a period of one hundred years; and we have tried to refrain from making any state- ment concerning essential matters which could not be supported by documentary evidence.
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