USA > Pennsylvania > Erie County > History of Erie county, Pennsylvania. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, villages schools, churches, industries, etc > Part 20
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The whole number of soldiers recruited under the various calls for troops from the State of Pennsylvania was 366,000. By authority of the common- wealth, in 1866, the commencement was made of the publication of a history of these volunteer organizations, embracing a brief historical account of the part taken by each regiment and independent body in every battle in which it was engaged, with the name, rank, date of muster, period for which he en- listed, casualties, and fate of every officer and private. This work was com- pleted in 1872, in five imperial octavo volumes of over 1,400 pages each.
In May, 1861, the Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania, an organiza- tion of the officers of the Revolutionary war and their descendants, donated $500 toward arming and equipping troops. By order of the Legislature, this sum was devoted to procuring flags for the regiments, and each organiza- tion that went forth, was provided with one emblazoned with the arms of the commonwealth. These flags, seamed and battle stained, were returned at the close of the war, and are now preserved in a room devoted to the purpose in the State capitol-precious emblems of the daring and suffering of that great army that went forth to uphold and maintain the integrity of the nation.
When the war was over, the State undertook the charge of providing for all soldiers' orphans in schools located in different parts of its territory, fur- nishing food, clothing, instruction and care, until they should be grown to manhood and womanhood. The number thus gathered and cared for has been some 7,500 annually, for a period of nineteen years, at an average annual ex- pense of some $600,000.
131
HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
At the election in 1866, John W. Geary, a veteran General of the late war, was chosen Governor. During his administration, settlements were made with the General Government, extraordinary debts incurred during the war were paid, and a large reduction of the old debt of $40,000,000 inherited from the construction of the canals, was made. A convention for a revision of the con- stitution was ordered by act of April 11, 1872. This convention assembled in Harrisburg November 13, and adjourned to meet in Philadelphia, where it convened on the 7th of January, 1873, and the instrument framed was adopted on the 18th of December, 1873. By its provisions, the number of Senators was increased from thirty-three to fifty, and Representatives from 100 to 201, subject to further increase in proportion to increase of population; biennial, in place of annual sessions; making the term of Supreme Court Judges twenty- one in place of fifteen years; remanding a large class of legislation to the ac- tion of the courts; making the term of Governor four years in place of three, and prohibiting special legislation, were some of the changes provided for.
In January, 1873, John F. Hartranft became Governor, and at the election in 1878, Henry F. Hoyt was chosen Governor, both soldiers of the late war. In the summer of 1877, by concert of action of the employes on the several lines of railway in the State, trains were stopped and travel and traffic were in- terrupted for several days together. At Pittsburgh, conflicts occurred between the railroad men and the militia, and a vast amount of property was destroyed. The opposition to the local military was too powerful to be controlled, and the National Government was appealed to for aid. A force of regulars was promptly ordered out, and the rioters finally quelled. Unfortunately, Gov. Hartranft was absent from the State at the time of the troubles.
At the election in 1882, Robert E. Pattison was chosen Governor, who is the present incumbent. The Legislature, which met at the opening of 1883, having adjourned after a session of 156 days, without passing a Congressional appor- tionment bill, as was required, was immediately reconvened in extra session by the Governor, and remained in session until near the close of the year, from June 1 to December 5, without coming to an agreement upon a bill, and finally adjourned without having passed one. This protracted sitting is in marked contrast to the session of that early Assembly in which an entire con- stitution and laws of the province were framed and adopted in the space of three days.
132
HISTORY OF PENNSYLVANIA.
TABLE SHOWING THE VOTE FOR GOVERNORS OF PENNSYLVANIA SINCE THE ORGAN- IZATION OF THE STATE.
1790.
Thomas Mifflin 27,725
Arthur St. Clair.
2,802
Joseph Ritner.
51,776
1793.
Thomas Mifflin
18,590
F. A. Muhlenberg ..
10,706
1796.
Thomas Mifflin
30,020
F. A. Muhlenberg.
1,011
1799.
Thomas Mckean
38,036
James Ross.
32,641
1802.
Thomas Mckean 47,879
James Ross, of Pittsburgh ..... 9,499
James Ross.
7,538
1808.
Simon Snyder 67,975
James Ross
39,575
John Spayd.
4,006 2
Charles Nice.
1
Jack Ross.
W. Tilghman
1
1811.
Simon Snyder. 52,319
William TighIman ... 3,609
Scattering, no record for whom 1,675
1814.
Simon Snyder 51,099
Isaac Wayne .. 29,566
G. Lattimer
910
4
J. R. Rust
1817.
William Findlay
66,331
Joseph Hiester
59,272 1
Moses Palmer.
Aaron Hanson 1
John Seffer
1
Seth Thomas.
1
Nicholas Wiseman
3
Benjamin R. Morgan 2
William Tilghman 1
Andrew Gregg
1
1820.
Joseph Hiester 67,905
William Findlay
66,300
Scattering (no record) 21
1823.
J. Andrew Shulze 81,751
Andrew Gregg. 64,151
Andrew Shulze
John Andrew Shulze 112
Andrew Gragg
Andrew Greg.
754
Nathaniel B. Boileau
Capt. Glosseader 3 John Gassender .. 1
Andrew G. Curtin Isaac Wayne .. .. 262,346 1 Henry D. Foster. .230,239 George Bryan 1
1826.
J. Andrew Shulze. 72,710 A. G. Curtin 269,506 John Sergeant. 1,175 George W. Woodward .. .254,171 John Hickman ...
1866.
John W. Geary .307,274
Hiester Clymer
.290,097
George E. Baum
6
Giles Lewis ..
7
Frank R. Williams.
3
1869.
John W. Geary
290,552
91,335
Asa Packer ..
285,956
W. D. Kelly.
1
W. J. Robinson
1
1872.
John F. Hartranft.
.353,387
Charles R. Buckalen.
.317,760
S. B. Chase.
1,197
William P. Schell.
12
1875.
John F. Hartranft .304,175 Cyrus L. Pershing .292,145
R. Audley Brown 13,244 1
James S. Negley
Phillip Wendle.
J. W. Brown
G. F. Reinhard
1
G. D. Coleman
1 James Staples. 1
Richard Vaux
1
Craig Biddle.
1
Francis W. Hughes
I
Henry C. Tyler
1
W. D. Brown
1
George V. Lawrence
1
A. L. Brown
1
1878.
H. M. Hoyt ..
319,490
Andrew H. Dill .. .297,137 Samuel R. Mason .. 81,758 Franklin H. Lane 3,753 2
John McKee.
1
D. Kirk.
1
A. G. Williams 1 Samuel H. Lane. 1
John Fertig 1 James Musgrove. 1
1
A. S. Post. 9
C. A. Cornen
3
Seth Yocum
1
Edward E. Orvis 1
1882.
Robert E. Pattison .355,791 James A. Beaver 315,589 John Stewart 43,743
Thomas A. Armstrong. 23,996
Alfred C. Pettit. 5,196 E. E. Pattison 1
1 R. E. Beaver 1
J. H. Hopkins 1
W. H. Hope
1
R. H. Patterson 2
J. A. Brown
R. Smith
James McNalis 1
T. A. Armstrong. 1
Thomas Armstrong ... 16 R. E. Pattison 1
William N. Drake. 1 John McCleery 2
1
John A. Stewart
1
Scattering (no record) 1,174 Thomas M. Howe. 1 G. A Grow
1829.
George Wolf. 78,219
George Wolf.
1832.
Joseph Ritner
88,165
1835.
Joseph Ritner.
94,023
Goorge Wolf.
65,804
Henry A. Muhlenberg
40,586
1838.
David R. Porter ..
.127,827
Joseph Ritner.
.122,321
1841.
David R. Porter .. .136,504
John Banks.
.113,473
T. J. Lemoyne. 763
George F. Horton.
18
Samuel L. Carpenter.
4
Ellis Lewis ..
1
1844.
Francis R. Shunk 160,322
Joseph Markle ...
.156,040
Julius J. Lemoyne 10
John Haney
2
James Page.
1
1847,
Francis R. Shunk. 146,081
James Irvin
.128,148
Emanuel C. Reigart. 11,247
F. J. Lemoyne 1,861
George M. Keim
L
Abijah Morrison
3
1818.
William F. Johnston. 168,522 R. L. Miller 1
Morris Longstreth .. 168,225 J. H. Hopkins .. 1
E. B. Gazzamı 48
Scattering (no record).
24
1851.
William Bigler. .186,489 Silas M. Baily
William F. Johnston 178,034
Kimber Cleaver
1,850
1854.
James Pollock .203,822 William Bigler. 166,991
B. Rush Bradford. 2,194
1857.
William F. Packer 188,846 David Wilmot
Isaac Hazlehurst. 149,139
28,168
James Pollock
George R. Barret
1
William Steel.
1
53 F. P. Swartz
1
1 Samuel McFarland 1 - Stewart
George F. Horton
7
1860.
- Cameron. 1
1 1
1863.
1
1
1
W. Shields.
2
John A. Shulze
7,311
S. Matson
P.S. V.Haut
PART II.
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
1.
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY,
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION, ETC.
E ARIE COUNTY constitutes the extreme northwestern point of Pennsylvania, and is the only portion of the State that borders on Lake Erie. It is bounded on the north by Lake Erie, on the east by Chautauqua County, N. Y., and Warren County, Penn., on the south by Crawford County, Penn., and on the west by Ashtabula County, Ohio. The length of the county along the lake is about forty-five miles, along the Chautauqua and Warren County lines thirty- six miles, along that of Crawford County forty-five miles, and along the Ohio line nine miles. It contains 745 square miles, or 476,515 square acres. Its mean or center latitude is forty two degrees north, and its longitude is three degrees west from Washington.
Up to the 24th of September, 1788, all of the State lying west of the Alleghany Mountains was embraced in Westmoreland and Washington Counties. On that date, the section north of the Ohio and west of the Allegheny to the Ohio line was set off as a new county, which was named after the latter river. Pittsburgh was designated as its county seat. The popu- lation was sparse, and it was not until ten years later that a necessity arose in the Northwest for a separate governmental organization. On the 4th of April, 1798, Erie Township was erected with the identical limits of the present county.
COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
The counties of Erie, Butler, Beaver, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren were created by an act of the Legislature of March 12, 1800, their seats of justice being named at the same time. Being unable to sustain a separate organization, five of these, Erie, Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren, were united in one organization for governmental purposes, with the general title of Crawford County, under an act passed April 9, 1801. The county seat was at Meadville, and one set of county officers and one member of the Assembly served for the whole five. This relation continued until 1803, when the first county officers were elected in Erie County.
The townships originally established in Erie County were sixteen in num- ber, as follows:
Brokenstraw, Beaver Dam, "Coniaute," "Conniat," Elk Creek, Fairview, Greenfield, Harbor Creek, "LeBouff," Mill Creek, Mckean, North East, Springfield, Union, Venango, Waterford.
The following townships have been added, making twenty-one in all: Amity, Franklin, Girard, Summit, Wayne.
The name of Brokenstraw was changed to Concord in 1821.
138
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Amity was taken from Union in 1826.
Wayne was formed out of Concord in 1826. Girard was set off from Elk Creek, Fairview and Springfield in 1832. The name of "Coniaute" was changed to Washington in 1834.
That of Beaver Dam was changed to Greene in 1840.
Franklin was created out of parts of Washington, Mckean and Elk Creek in 1844.
Summit was formed out of Greene, Waterford and Mckean in 1854.
CITIES, BOROUGHS AND VILLAGES.
The following is a list of the cities, boroughs and villages in the county, with their distances from Erie by railroad and common road. The distances by common road are by the most direct routes, measuring from the city parks. Those by rail, via the Philadelphia & Erie road, are from the water's edge at the foot of State street, and those by the Lake Shore and Erie & Pittsburgh roads are from the Union Depot. The stars (*) in the first column of figures indicate that the towns are not upon the lines of railroad, but can be reached from Erie partly by rail and partly by common road. In such cases the dis- tances are given as by the railroad station that is generally used, as, for in- stance, Girard, West Girard and Lockport by way of Miles Grove; Albion, Wellsburg and Cranesville by way of Albion Depot; Wattsburg and Lowville by way of Union City, and so on. Where but one set of figures is opposite a name, it is an indication that the place is reached by common road only:
PLACES.
BY WHAT RAILROAD.
DISTANCE BY RAIL.
DISTANCE
BY PUB-
LIC ROAD.
Albion Depot.
E. & P.
26
25
Albion Borough*
E. & P.
27
24
Avonia
L. S. & E. & P.
12
12}
Belle Valley*
P. & E.
7
4
Beaver Dam*
P. & E.
344
26
Cherry Hill*
L. S. & E. & P.
30
27
Corry .
P. & E.
37
33
Cranesville*
E. & P.
27
23
Draketown.
18
Edenville*
P. & E.
25%
22
Elgin .
P. & E.
32
28
Freeport*
L. S.
16+
16
Fairview Borough*
L. S. & E. & P.
12
12
Girard Borough*
L. S. & E. & P.
17}
16
Grahamville*
L. S.
184
181
Greenfield Village*
L. S.
24
18
Harbor Creek Village
L. S.
8
74
Hatch Hollow*
P. & E.
31
18
Kearsage
4
Keepville.
E. & P.
28
26}
Lockport#
L. S.
214
20
Lowville*
P. & E.
37
18
Lovell's Station.
P. & E.
34
30
Le Bœuf Station .
P. & E.
224
19
McLellan's Corners.
21
Mooreheadville.
L. S.
11
10ł
McLane.
14
Middleboro
10
Edinboro
18
East Springfield*
L. S.
22+
21
Franklin Centre.
17
Branchville
12
139
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
PLACES.
BY WHAT RAILROAD.
DISTANCE BY BAIL.
DISTANCE
BY PUB-
LIO ROAD.
Miles Grove.
L. S. & E. & P.
15+
16
Mill Town.
14}
Mill Village
P. & E. & A. & G. W.
34
19
Manchester*
L. S. & E. & P.
10
10
Northville.
L. S.
20
19
North East Borough
L. S. S.
15
15
North Springfield.
L. S.
20
21
Phillipsville.
14
Pageville* .
E. & P.
32
28
Sterrettania
12
Swanville .
L. S. & E. & P.
9
9
St. Boniface.
71
Union City
P. & E.
27
23
West Greene
12
Weigleville
21
Wesleyville
L. S.
4
West Girard*
L. S. & E. & P.
18
164
West Springfield*
L. S. & E. & P.
27
25
Wellsburg*
E. & P.
28
24
Wattsburg*
P. & E.
35
20
Waterford Borough*
P. & E.
191
14
Waterford Station.
P. & E.
19
14
Warrentown
3
All points in the county accommodated by the Lake Shore Railroad can also be reached by the N. Y., C. & St. L., or " Nickel Plate " road.
The classification of the above places is as follows:
Cities-Erie and Corry, 2.
Boroughs-Albion, Edinboro, Elgin, Fairview, Girard, Lockport, Middle- boro, Mill Village, North East, Union City, Wattsburg and Waterford, 12.
All of the rest are unincorporated villages, ranging in extent from a dozen to a hundred buildings, with a population of 50 to 450.
ORGANIZATION OF CITIES AND BOROUGHS.
Erie was incorporated as a borough in 1805, having previously formed a part of Mill Creek Township; divided into two wards in 1840; granted a city charter in 1851; and divided into four wards in 1858. South Erie was set off from Mill Creek Township and incorporated as a borough in 1866; consoli- dated with the city in 1870, and became the Fifth and Sixth wards, some addi- tions having been made from Mill Creek.
The following shows the years in which the boroughs were incorporated:
Waterford, 1833; Wattsburg, 1834; North East, 1834; Edinboro, 1840; Girard, 1846; Albion, 1861; Middleboro, 1861; Union Mills, 1863; Fairview, 1868; Mill Village, 1870; Lockport, 1870; Elgin, 1876.
Corry was established as a borough in 1863, and granted a city charter in 1866. It is divided into the First and Second Wards, each constituting an election district.
The name of Union Mills Borough was changed to Union City July 4, 1871.
ELECTION DISTRICTS.
Below is a list of the election districts in the county, alphabetically ar- ranged. They are fifty in number:
140
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
Albion Borough. Amity Township. Concord Township. Conneaut Township. Corry City-
Second Ward, Third District. Third Ward, First Dist. Third Ward, Second District.
Third Ward, Third District. Fourth Ward,F'st Dist. Fourth Ward, Second District.
Greenfield Township. Harbor Creek Township. Le Bœuf Township. Lockport Borough. McKean Township. Middleboro Borough. Mill Village Borough.
.
The First, Second, Third and Fourth Wards of Erie were divided into three election districts each in 1876, the limits of the several districts being as follows:
FIRST WARD.
First District-East of Parade, between the bay and lake and Eighth street. Second District -- From State to Parade, between Fifth and Eighth streets. Third District-From State to Parade, between the bay and Fifth street.
SECOND WARD,
First District-East of Parade, between Eighth and Eighteenth streets. Second District-From State to Parade, between Eighth and Twelfth streets.
Third District-From State to Parade, between Twelfth and Eighteenth streets.
THIRD WARD.
First, District-From State to Chestnut, between Twelfth and Eighteenth streets.
Second District-From State to Chestnut, between Eighth and Twelfth streets.
Third District-West of Chestnut, between Eighth and Eighteenth streets.
FOURTH WARD.
First District-West of Chestnut, between the bay and Eighth street.
Second District-From State to Chestnut, between Fifth and Eighth streets. Third District-From State to Chestnut, between the bay and Fifth streets.
Mill Creek was divided into the East and West Election Districts in 1864. They choose the same township officials, but separate election officers.
WHAT TOWNSHIP TAKEN FROM, ETC.
The townships from which the cities and boroughs have been taken, and of which the unincorporated villages still remain a part, are as follows:
Albion Depot. Conneaut.
Cherry Hill . Conneaut.
Albion (borough). Conneaut.
Corry (city). Wayne and Concord.
Avonia .... . .Fairview.
Cranesville . . Elk Creek.
Belle Valley
Mill Creek.
Draketown Washington.
Branchville
Mckean.
Edenboro (borough). Washington. Beaver Dam
.Wayne.
Edenville. Le Bœuf.
First Ward. Second Ward. East Mill Creek. Edinboro Borough. Elgin Borough.
Elk Creek Township.
Erie City-
First Ward, First Dist.
First Ward, Second
District.
Fairview Township
First Ward, Third Dist.
Fairview Borough.
Washington Township. Waterford Township.
Second Ward, First District.
Franklin Township.
Waterford Borough.
Wattsburg Borough.
Second Ward, Second District.
Girard Borough.
Wayne Township. West Mill Creek.
Greene Township.
North East Township.
North East Borough. Springfield Township. Summit Township. Union Township. Union City Borough. Venango Township.
Fourth Ward, Third District.
Fifth Ward. Sixth Ward.
Girard Township.
141
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
East Springfield.
Springfield.
Mill Town. Amity.
Elgin (borough).
. Concord.
Mill Village (borough). LeBœuf.
Erie (city). . Mill Creek.
Manchester . . Fairview.
Freeport .. North East.
Northville .. North East.
Fairview (borough). Fairview.
North East (borough) North East.
Franklin Centre.
Franklin.
Girard (borough)
Girard.
Graham ville.
North East.
Pageville
Elk Creek.
Greenfield ..
.Greenfield.
Harbor Creek.
Harbor Creek.
Hatch Hollow
.Amity.
Kearsage
Mill Creek.
Union City (borough). Union.
Keepville Conneaut.
West Greene. Greene.
Lockport (borough). Girard.
Weigleville.
Mill Creek.
Lowville .. Venango.
Wesleyville.
.Harbor Creek.
Lovell's Station.
Concord.
West Girard Girard.
Le Bœuf Station.
. Le Bœuf.
West Springfield. Springfield.
McLallen's Corners
Washington.
Wellsburg.
Elk Creek.
Moorheadville.
Harbor Creek.
Wattsburg (borough). . Venango.
McLane Washington.
Waterford (borough). Waterford.
Middleboro (borough). Mckean.
Waterford Station. Waterford.
Miles Grove.
Girard.
Warrentown. Mill Creek.
POST OFFICES.
Below is a list of the post offices in the county. The figures annexed to some of the names indicate the years when the offices were started:
Albion, Avonia, Belle Valley, 1856.
Branchvillet, *Carter Hillf, Cherry Hill, Corry, 1862.
*East Greene, 1830.
E. Springfield, Edinboro, 1836.
Elk Creek (Cranesville), Erie, Elgin, Fairview, Franklin Corners, Girard, Greenfield, *Godard, 1883.
Harbor Creek, *Hamot (St. Boniface), 1881.
*Hatch Hollow, Hornby, 1883.
Kearsage, Keepville, Lake Pleasant (Mill Town), LeBœuf, Lovell's Station, Lowville, 1867.
Lundy's Lane (Wellsburg), McKean, 1836.
(Middleboro), McLane, McLallen's Corners, Mill Village, Miles Grove, Moorheadville, North East, 1812.
North Springfield, Northville, Phillipsville, 1829.
Platea (Lockport), Six Mile Creek, 1876.
Sterrettania, Swanville, Tracy, 1883.
Union City, Waterford, 1801.
Wattsburg, 1828.
Wayne (Beaver Dam), Wesleyville, West Greene, *West Mill Creek, West Springfield.
Of the above, all except those marked with a star (*) have been sufficiently described. The others are located as follows: Carter Hill in Wayne Town- ship; Godard in Summit; East Greene and Hamot in Greene; West Mill Creek in Mill Creek; Six Mile Creek in Greene, and Hornby in Greenfield. Erie, Corry, North East and Union City are what are known as " Presiden- tial offices," their incumbents being appointed by the President and subject to confirmation by the Senate. The salaries attached to them are: Erie, $2,600; Corry, $2,400; North East, $1,600; Union City, $1,600. The Post- master General appoints to all the remaining offices, and his nominations do not have to go before the Senate.
+Branchville and Carter Hill were discontinued in October, 1883.
1
North Springfield Springfield.
Phillipsville Venango.
Sterrettania McKean.
Swanville Fairview.
St. Boniface. Greene.
142
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
The following are money order offices: Albion, Corry, East Springfield, Edinboro, Erie, Fairview, Girard, Lundy's Lane, Mill Village, North East, Union City, Waterford, Wattsburg, West Springfield.
Erie is the only letter carrier office.
CENSUS.
The first census of the county was taken in 1800, and has been renewed every ten years under the auspices of the United States authorities. Up to 1840, the enumeration was made by one person for the whole county. In the latter year the county was cut up into two districts, and since then the num- ber of enumerators has been regularly increased at each census. The county contained 1,468 inhabitants in 1800, and 3,758 in 1810. Below is the result of the enumerations from 1820 to 1880, inclusive of both years:
1820.
1830.
1840.
1850.
1860.
1870.
1880.
Albion
443
452
433
Amity.
385
560
739
1,016
924
1,033
Conneaut (a).
631
1,824
1,786
1,942
2,118
1,538
1,546
Concord (b).
53
225
652
882
1,255
1,112
1,171
Corry.
288
562
1,645
1,535
1,587
1,462
1,564
Elgin
232
363
474
801
876
Erie.
635
1,339
3,412
5,858
9,419
19,516
27,737
Fairview Township (d).
536
1,529
1,481
1,760
2,131
1,674
1,482
Franklin ..
686
979
994
1,020
Girard Township (e).
2,060
2,448
2,453
2,018
2,338
Girard Borough.
400
616
704
703
Greene ( f).
142
443
1,081
1,542
1,450
1,395
1,531
Greenfield .
281
664
862
731
880
1,089
1,020
Harbor Creek.
555
1,104
1,843
2,084
2,033
1,974
1,781
LeBœuf ( ff)
505
554
876
990
1,488
1,748
1,420
McKean (g).
440
984
1,714
1,921
1,600
1,426
1,394
Middleboro
126
210
Mill Creek (h).
1,017
1,783
2,682
3,064
5,070
2,745
3,279
Mill Village.
388
North East Township (¿).
1,068
1,706
1,793
2,379
1,900
2,313
2,152
North East Borough.
339
386
560
900
1,396
Springfield (j)
896
1,520
2,344
1,916
1,951
1,742
1,792
Summit ..
200
235
593
1,076
1,954
1,334
1,377
Venango (()
290
683
812
1,019
1,801
1,370
1,445
Wattshurg.
132
227
337
286
389
Waterford Township (m).
579
1,006
1,144
1,545
1,950
1,884
1,822
Waterford Borough
938
743
1,551
1,706
1,942
1,943
1,880
Wayne (o).
197
738
1,122
1,224
1,295
1,306
Total county.
8,541
17,041
31,344
38,742
49,432
65,973
74,688
NOTES TO THE CENSUS TABLE.
(a) Reduced by adding a portion to Springfield in 1835, and by the incorporation of Albion Borough in 1861.
(b) Wayne set off in 1826. A slice taken off to form Corry Borough in 1863, and another when Corry waa made a city in 1866. Elgin Borough incorporated in 1876. The township was known as Brokenstraw till 1821. (c) A slice taken off to form Girard Township in 1832, and another to form Franklin in 1844.
(d) A part of Girard cut off in 1832. Fairview Borough created in 1868.
(e) Girard Borough incorporated in 1846 and Lockport in 1870.
() Known as Beaver Dam until 1840. A part of Summit taken off in 1854.
Mill Village incorporated in 1870, after the census was taken.
403
498
900
790
784
Washington (n).
1,038
1,047
1,047
Union Township (k).
Union City.
1,500
2,171
Lockport
405
345
Fairview Borough.
480
425
Elk Creek (c).
6,809
5,277
154
Edinboro.
(g) A portion of Franklin cut off in 1844 and of Summit in 1854. Middleboro incorporated in 1861.
143
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY.
ERIE AND CORRY.
The following was the population of Erie City by wards in 1870 and 1880:
1870
1880
First Ward
3,364
4,629
Second Ward.
5,031
6,583
Third Ward ..
3,730
5,378
Fourth Ward
4,526
5,799
Fifth Ward .
1,497
2,348
Sixth Ward.
1,498
3,000
19,646
27,737
The population of Corry by wards in the same years was as follows:
First Ward.
3,559
2,758
Second Ward.
3,250
2,519
6,809
5,277
UNINCORPORATED VILLAGES.
The following was the population in 1880 of the unincorporated villages named. They are included in the census of their respective townships as given above:
Lowville ...
99
Mill Town. 92
Mt. Hickory Iron Works.
127
East Springfield.
102
Miles Grove.
448
Swanville ...
98
Wellsburg
256
West Girard.
135
COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES.
The true boundary line between Erie and Crawford Counties was long a subject of dispute. To settle the question, the Legislature passed an act at the session of 1849-50, providing for three Commissioners to run a new line, who were given full power to act, and whose decision should be final. In 1850, Humphrey A. Hills, then of Albion, was appointed Commissioner for Erie County; Andrew Ryan was appointed for Crawford, and they two named H. P. Kinnear, of Warren, as the third member. Wilson King was chosen Surveyor on the part of Erie, and Mr. Jagger on that of Crawford, but David Wilson, as deputy for Mr. King, did most of the work. The party had some difficulty in finding a starting point, but after this was agreed upon, it only took about six weeks to complete their task. A perfectly straight line was run from east to west, and marked by stones set two miles apart. The Com- mission added a long, narrow strip of territory to Erie County, which is usually outlined upon the county and township maps. A number of persons found themselves in Erie who had supposed they were citizens of Crawford, and a less number in Crawford who had imagined they belonged to Erie. A Mr. Reeder, of Washington Township, had been so anxious to be a resident of Erie County, that he left his original house and moved into a new one which he supposed to be at a safe distance from the boundary. When the final line was run, the second building was found to be in Crawford, and he was compelled to erect a third one in order to secure the desired residence.
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