USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > Greensburg > History of Greensburg (Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania) and Greensburg schools > Part 3
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SECTION IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Burgesses and Assistants so chosen, or a majority of them, shall have full power and authority to make such ordinances, rules and regulations, as may be necessary for improving and keeping in order the streets and
FF
FISHER HOUSE, CONDUCTED BY MR. JAMES B. BORLIN. Corner Main and West Pittsburg Streets.
alleys within the said borough, and removing nuisances or obstructions therefrom, and the same to annul, alter or make anew, as occasion may require, and also to assess, levy and collect a tax for the said purposes and shall have all other powers necessary for the well ordering and better govern- ment of the said borough: Provided, That the said ordinances, rules or regulations, shall not be repugnant to the consti- tution and laws of this commonwealth, And provided also, That no tax shall be laid by them, in any one year, to ex- ceed one cent in the dollar on the valuation of taxable property taken from the last assessment, until the same is agreed to by a majority of the electors at the town-meet- ing assembled for that purpose, called together by the said Burgesses and Assistants, or by a request in writing of at least six of the inhabitants of said borough, duly qualified to elect as aforesaid, to the said Burgesses, who shall re- quire the High Constable to give five days' notice of such intended town-meeting, by advertisements fixed up in not less than six of the most public places, within the said borough, notifying the time, place, and object of the said town-meeting; and all taxes which may be assessed or laid within the said borough shall, as near as the same is practicable, be conformable to the laws for raising county rates and levies.
SECTION V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said Burgesses and freemen, duly qualified to elect as aforesaid, and their successors forever hereafter, shall be one body politic and corporate, in and by the name of "The Burgesses and Inhabitants of the borough of Greenesburgh, in the county of Westmoreland," shall have perpetual succession, and they and their suc- cessors, by the name of the Burgesses and inhabitants of the borough of Greenesburgh, shall, at all times hereafter,
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RESIDENCE OF MR. EDWARD WHITFIELD. Walnut Avenue.
be persons able and capable in law to have, get, receive and possess lands, tenements, rents, liberties, jurisdictions, franchises and hereditaments, to them and their successors, in fee simple, or for term of lives, life, years, or otherwise; and also goods and chattels, and other things of what nature or kind soever; and also to give, grant, let, sell and assign the same lands, tene- ments, hereditanients, goods and chattels, and to do and execute all other things about the same, by the name aforesaid; and they shall forever be per- sons able and capable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, in all or any courts within this commonwealth, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes, and matters whatsoever; and that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Burgesses and inhabitants aforesaid, and their successors forever hereafter, to have and to use one common seal, for sealing all business what- soever touching the said corporation, and the same from time to time, at their will, to change and alter; and the said Burgesses and Assistants shall have full power to appoint such other officers within the said borough, as shall be necessary to carry into complete effect the provisions of this act.
SECTION VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Burgesses and Assistants to lay off a portion or piece of ground, on the square of the said borough, lying south and east of the public gaol, sufficient in extent for the purpose of erecting a market-house; and it shall and may be lawful to extend the said market-house eight fect on the street leading to Pittsburgh, if it be found necessary: Pro- vided always, That eight feet at least shall be left between the said market- house and the public buildings.
SECTION VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person, or inhabitant of the said borough, and duly qualified to elect as aforesaid, shall be elected to the office of Burgess, and, having notice of his election, shall refuse to undertake and execute that office, every person so refusing shall forfeit and pay a fine of twenty dollars; and if any person, duly qualified as aforesaid, shall be duly elected to any other office in the said borough, created by this act, and, having notice of his election, shall re- fuse to undertake and execute the duties of that office, every person so refus-
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ing shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten dollars; which fines and forfeitures, and all others in pursuance of this act, or of the bye-laws of the said Burgesses and inhabitants, shall be recovered before the acting Burgess, or any Justice of the Peace of that county, for the use of the said Corporation; and in any such case of refusal, the acting Burgesses shall issue
RESIDENCE OF MRS. J. W. MOORE.
West Otterman Street.
their process direct to the High Constable, requiring him to hold an election for the choice of some other fit person or persons, in the stead of such as shall refuse: Provided always, That if any person or persons shall conceive him or them- selves aggrieved by the judgment of the Burgesses, or any Justice, by virtue of this act, he or they may appeal to the next county court of Common Pleas, who shall, on the peti- tion of the party, take such order therein, as to them shall appear just and reasonable, and the same shall be conclusive to all parties.
SECTION VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Chief Burgess shall take and subscribe an oath or affirmation before one of the Associate Judges, or a Justice of the Peace for the county of Westmoreland, to support the constitution of the United States and of this state, and on oath or affirmation well and truly to execute the office of Chief Burgess of the borough of Greenesburgh and when so qualified, he shall administer an oath or affirna- tion to the other Burgess, Assistants, High Constable and Town Clerk, in manner and form aforesaid, before they shall euter on the duties of their respective offices.
CADWALADER EVANS, Junior, Speaker of the House of Representatives. ROBERT HARE, Speaker of the Senate.
Approved February the ninth, 1799.
THOMAS MIFFLIN,
Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Although the Act of incorporation . was approved Febru- ary 9, 1799, a borough government was not organized or in- augurated until the first Monday in May, of that year. On that day, in conformity with the law, the qualified electors
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Corner South Main and West Third Streets. First Building, 1816; 2d. 1848; 3d. 1883.
of the town, of whom there were 82, met at the Court House and bestow- ed the honor of being the first officials of the new borough upon the gentlemen named:
Chief Burgess-George Armstrong, Esq.
Burgess-Simon Drum.
Assistant Burgesses-Jacob Hugus, Robert Cooper, Thomas MeGuire. Town Clerk-John Morrison.
High Constable-Alexander Stewart.
Biographical sketches of the men who were deemed worthy of this mark of confidence from their fellow-citizens. a century ago, are subjoined:
GEORGE ARMSTRONG enlisted as a private in the Revolutionary war in that famous Westmoreland organization, the Eighth Regiment, Continental Line: subsequently he became a Sergeant in Capt. Nehemiah Stokely's company, and served throughout the war. He was Inspector of the First Brigade, Thirteenth Division, Pennsylvania militia, with the rank of Major, in the war of 1812. Major Armstrong was admitted as an attor- ney at the Westmoreland Bar on March 11, 1793. He acquired a large practice, especially in the line of conveyancing and titles. From Novem- ber, 1819, to October, 1822, John Y. Barclay, Esq,, was associated with him as a partner. In 1815 Major Armstrong was one of the Directors of the Westmoreland Bank. He was married to Anna, a daughter of Dr. John MeDowell, of Allegheny county. While Major Armstrong enjoyed the distinction of first Chief Burgess of Greensburg borough, he resided on the northwest side of First Street, now West Pittsburg Street. In February, 1826, he removed to Pittsburg, where he spent the balance of his life. Before departing he transferred his papers and business to James Findley, Esq.
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SIMON DRUM located within the limits of Westmoreland county as early as 1777. He was one of the first residents of Greensburg, or when it became the countyseat. In 1790 Mr. Drum purchased the lot on the southwestern corner of Main and West Pittsburg Streets, known as No. 58 in the
RESIDENCE OF MRS. ELIZABETH MEANOR. West Otterman Street.
original plan of the town (now the site of the Fisher House) from the first owner, Christopher Truby. He there erected a very substantial stone building (part of which is still em- bodied in the existing structure), and, for a number of years, conducted a noted and successful inn or tavern. Mr. Drum was a public-spirited and enterprising citizen. To- gether with the members of his family, he took an active interest in promoting the religious and educa- tional welfare of the young town. He died October 23, 1822, aged 71 years.
JACOB HUGUS was of Huguenot descent. He set- tled in Greensburg several years before its incorpora- tion. Mr. Hugus was a clockmaker by occupation. As an evidence of his excellent skill in that line, it may be stated that some of the quaint old clocks man- ufactured by him, one hundred years ago, are still owned by citizens of Greensburg and keeping correct time. Although not possessed of an advanced educa- tion, Mr. Hugns was a man of exceptional intelli- gence and mechanical ingenuity. Besides making clocks, for a number of years he also manufactured carding machines. In 1815 he invented and patented a greatly improved wool and cotton carding machine, which effected a muchi-desired saving in the down and fine particles of the wool and cotton during the pro- cess of cleaning. A number of other notable mechan- ical devices were designed by him. Mr. Hugns
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erected the first steam mill (so far as known) west of the Allegheny mountains. It was completed and put in opera- tion in the autumn of 1822. Not only was it a grist mill, but in it were also carried on carding, spinning, weaving, fulling and dyeing. The mill was located one mile southeast of
ON YRANTE
-
MAI
. ..
ICE
Y.
BUSINESS BUILDING OF MR. JOHN F. MITINGER. Main Street.
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Greensburg on the site of what is now known as "Kistler's mill." In 1798 Mr. Hugus owned the lot on the northwest corner of West Pittsburg Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. He died January 28, 1835, in the 67th year of his age.
ROBERT COOPER was the only resident master carpenter in Greensburg in 1799. At that time his place of residence was on East Otterman Street, south of or "opposite the Borough School House." Mr. Cooper was a private in Capt. Joseph Markle's troop of Light Dragoons, attached to the northwestern army, under command of Gen. William Henry Harrison, in the war of 1812. Some time after the close of that struggle. he re- moved to North Huntingdon township, where he resided until his death, February 7, 1827.
THOMAS MCGUIRE was a citizen of Greens- burg more than ten years prior to its incor- poration as a borough. He was among the carly merchants of the place. In 1799 Mr. McGuire was engaged as an inu-keeper, his tavern being located in "Watterson's meadow," which was on the west side of the town in the locality now known as Pennsyl- vania Avenue. He was one of the Trustees named in the Act of Assembly incorporating the Greensburg Academy in 1810. During
the years 1814, 1815 and 1816 he held the office of County Treasurer, that official then being elected annually by the County Commissioners. Mr. McGuire died in 1817.
JOHN MORRISON was a leading merchant in Greensburg prior to and for a number of years after the incorporation of
E
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RESIDENCE OF MR. MORRIS L. PAINTER. East Pittsburg Street. [ 31]
the borough. He was Prothonotary and Clerk of the Courts for nine years terminating in 1817. In 1820 he filled the office of County Treasurer. Mr. Morrison's place of resi- dence was on Main Street, his property adjoining the Court House lot on the north, the site now being occupied by the handsome Barclay office building. It is an interest- ing fact that his son, Dr. John Morrison, performed the duties of Town Clerk continuously from 1822 to 1840. William S. Graham, editor of The Farmers' Register, from 1808 to 1815, was a son-in-law of John Morrison. The latter died on January 7, 1821, aged 71 years.
ALEXANDER STEWART was a son of Archibald Stewart, one of the pioneers of the countytown. The Stewarts, father and son, were butchers. At the time he had conferred upon him the honor of being the first High Constable of Greensburg borough, Alex- ander Stewart resided at and conducted his business on the west side of North Main Street, at a point midway between Otterman and Tunnel Streets. Mr. Stewart was evidently a prudent and successful busi- ness man, as he acquired considerable property with- in the borough limits.
Market Houses,
One of the first and most important acts of the bor- ough officials, after entering upon their duties, was the erection of a public market house. It was located
at the corner of Main and West Pittsburg (then First) Streets, occupying what is now the sidewalk, on the south side of the Court House. The building was 40 feet in length and 14 feet in width. There were six pillars, eleven feet high and two feet square, on each side. The open space between the
RESIDENCE OF MR. JOHN S. MURPHEY. North Main Street.
pillars was five and one-half feet. The foundation was com- posed of stone masonry and the balance of the structure of brick. It was covered by a shingle roof, which projected six feet and formed an "overshoot." The building was com- pleted in October, 1799. An ordinance enacted by the Burgesses, directed that "Wednesdays and Saturdays shall be market days in the borough." Venders, who occupied the stalls for the sale or purchase of produce, meat, etc., were re- quired to conclude their transactions by 9 o'clock a. m .. in the summer, and 10 o'clock a. m., in the winter. Buying or selling after the prescribed hours, on conviction, subjected the guilty person to a fine of fifty cents for each offense.
The market house was torn down when the present Court House was erected (1854). What is now West Pittsburg Street, in the first quarter of the present century, was often called Market Street, because of the location of the market house thereon. That point (the site of the old market house) has always been regarded as the centre, or most public place, in the borough, and, in the olden days, as at present, was selected by the ash-pile, store-box and curb-stone orators as the spot for the delivery of their discourses. Some years after the razing of the old market house, a new one was erected on the southwest corner of Second Street and Penn- sylvania Avenue. It soon fell into disuse, however, and, in 1874, was demolished to make way for an opera house, erect- ed by William S. Naly. Two years later the opera house was destroyed by fire,
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Residents of Greensburg in 1799.
Prior to its incorporation Greensburg had always been in- cluded in the assessment of Hempfield township. According- ly, the first distinctive assessment of the borough was made in the year 1800. Isaac Waggle was the Assessor, and Michael Byerly and William Friedt Assistant Assessors.
RESIDENCE OF S. A. KLINE, ESQ. West Otterman Street.
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They were Hempfield townshipofficials, those for the borough not yet having been elected. The rates of taxation were as follows:
Land-First rate, $2.00; second rate, $1.50; third rate, $1.00; fourth rate, 50 cents.
Horses, Cow Creatures, Etc .- Hallions, $30.00; mares and geldings, $10.00; cows and steers, $5.00.
Mills, Etc .- Grist mills, first rate, $140.00; grist mills, second rate, $90.00; saw, oil and fulling mills, first rate, $40.00; saw, oil and fulling mills, second rate, $30.00.
Trades-First rate, gunsmith, hatter, painter, copper- smith, clockmaker, silversmith, tanner, millwright, cabinet- maker, $100.00; second rate, wheelwright, blacksmith, nailor, wagonmaker, plasterer, mason, carpenter, saddler, joiner skin dresser, potter, $75.00; third rate, barber, baker, tailor, brickmaker, weaver, shoemaker, butcher, $50.00.
Posts of Profit and Profitable Occupations -- Prothonotary and Sheriff, $400; Recorder and Collector of Excise, $200; Judge and Treasurer, $100; attorneys and doctors, $200.
Miscellaneous -- Slaves, $30: tanyards, $60; stores, $150; stills, first rate, $25: stills, second rate, $15; taverns, first rate, $100; taverns, second rate, $75.
In-lots are mostly rated at $20; out-lots, near the town, are rated where the quantity of acres are known, at $7 per acre. Such as are far off are rated at $5 per acre. Houses, etc., are rated individually.
Horebach, Drum and Johnston's are counted first rate taverns, the rest are all second rate. Single men that are
0
FIRST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. South Main Street. First Building, Log, 1795; 2d, 1815; 3d, 1883.
rated for a trade or occupation are not rated for being single men. Single men who are not charged with a trade or oc- cupation are rated at $100.
A complete list of the names, occupa- tions and total valuation of the taxable inhabitants under the first borough as- sessment, is herewith presented:
Johnston, Alexander, innkeeper.
$ 520
Kirkpatrick, John, ex-merebant
270
Keller, Daniel, saddler. 155
Kubus, John, Sheriff 972
Kerns, John, hatter.
490
Lukins. Thomas, cabinet-maker
250
Lutz, Godfrey, baker
100
Michly. Daniel, tailor ..
50
Morrison, John, merchant.
265
MeCorkle, William, printer.
100
McCleland, Jobn, weaver
120
Marshal, John, innkeeper
305
Morrow, Paul, attorney
515
MeKechan. David, attorney.
270
McGuire, Thomas. innkeeper
359
Morford, Lewis, shoemaker ..
135
Armstrong. George, attorney.
$ 832
Armstrong. Joseph, wheelwright
240
Brown. Robert, merchant. 130
Benty, Robert, merchant. 704
140
Brady. James. innkeeper 330
155
205
Coulter, Mrs. Priscilla, widow
388
75
Coulter, Henry, merchant ..
150
Postlewaith, James, doctor
465
Crocket. Androw. young man.
100
30
Cope, William, plasterer ..
180
411
Collins, Daniel.
190
Rohrer, George ...
20
Coderman, George, wagonmaker
SO
Ryan, George, coppersmith
100
Cristman, George, barber.
230
Snowden, John M., printer
265
Cook. Joseph.
486
Stewart, Alexander, buteher
65
Dickey, Robert, merchant.
430
Shaefer, John, merchant
125
Drum, Simon, innkeeper.
1026
Stewart, Nathaniel, mason.
145 50
Drum. Philip, young man
100
Smith. John, shoemaker ..
235
Emmitt, Samuel, landlord.
280
165
Fowler. John, joiner.
75
Singer, Simon, blacksmith
180
Fleeger, John, blacksmith.
105
Shaeffer, Adam, saddletree-maker.
75
Flceger. Peter, blacksmith
Taylor, Joseph, merchant
360
Friedt, William, young man
230
Truby, Christopher, Jr .. potter.
240
Graham, Robert, shoemaker
235
Wise. Henry, clockmaker
175
George, Nathaniel, merchant
315
Weaver. Henry. merchant
150
Granas, Knos, joiner ..
Wells, Jobn. Collector of Excise
621
Hanna. John, saddler.
25.5
Williams, Nathan, mason
15
Hamilton, Thomas. Prothonotary
656
Welty, Henry, skin dresser.
985
Hill. John, tailor-
120
Watt. Robert. hatter
Horebach. Peter. innkeeper.
745
West, Samuel, shoemaker
21
Hoge, Thomas, merchant.
455
Williams. Robert, saddler.
50
Henry, William, tailor ...
260
Young, John. attorney
1105
Hugus, Jacob, eloekmaker.
310
Youog, (brother of the above).
19
Harris, William. brickmaker.
1110
Day, Niebolas
21
Houser, John, aged man ...
Jackson, Richard
20
llofsteter, widow
30
MeCleland, Joseph
30
Haines, Bernard, barber.
80
taxables.
Nyhoff. Gerbard .
200
Harwick, Joseph, wheelwright
100
Truby, Christopher, Esq.
160
Jameson, Jobn, wheelwright ..
135
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100
Stewart. John, butcher ..
GO
Cooper. Robert, carpenter.
Ewing, Adam, merchant.
365
Smith. John. blacksmith
Shuman, Peter, tanner
50
Mahon, Barney, shoemaker.
50
NeCaskey, John. mason.
MeCaskey, James, mason
100
McCully, Andrew, copper and tinsmith
McKee, Samuel, journeyman tanner
100
MeGanghey, Daniel, laborer
100
MeLaughlin. Joseph
35
Brownslon, Asa, hatter ..
McRanaghan. William, sbocmaker.
Bacon, Daniel, nailor ..
Painter, Jacob
Rohrer, Frederick, merchant
225
125
205
Non-resident !
SECOND COURT HOUSE AT GREENSBURG,
Erected 1798.
The total number of taxables was 97: total valuation, $25,555; nom- ber of houses and lots, 76; out-lots, 26; stores 11; taverns, 6; single men, 23; horses, 50; cattle, 42; posts of profit, 8; trades and occupa- tions, 31; tanyards, 2: stills, 2.
In a majority of instances the assessed valuation, as given in the list, here presented, also represents real estate possessions which were located outside of the borough limits. Moreover, in many cases, tax- ables were not the owners of the real estate with which they were tax- ed, but merely tenants.
Second Court House at Greensburg.
Although authority was granted by the Act of February 14, 1789, for the displacing of the first rude Court House with a new and better one, it was not until eight years thereafter that the work was actually commenced. The old or first Court House was in use for offices until demolished, but the sittings of the court did not take place in that building after January, 1794. From June of that eventful year (dnr- ing the Whiskey Insurrection) until April, 1795, the courts were held in the house of Robert Taylor, an innkeeper. In the three succeeding years the public house of Bartel Laffer was used for that purpose. The first Court House was torn down in the year 1797. While the second or new one was ready for partial occupancy, in the winter of 1798. the main structure, prison, adjoining office buildings and sur- roundings were not entirely completed until 1801. Brick and stone were the materials used in the construction. In the early years of the present century the Westmoreland Court House was renowned as a very handsome public building. The state supreme court sat in the
35 ]
new edifice in 1799, beginning its session on May 27. A statement, in detail of the cost of the edifice, with the prison and offices, is annexed:
Nathaniel Williams for building Court House and offices and finding 267,610 brieks at 40 s. per m .... $2,414.60
David Pollock for materials provided and carpenter work done to Court House and offiecs.
4,209.68
Samuel Alexander for nails and smith work for Court House and jail .. .
293.54 127.72
Alex. Beans, for smithwork.
Daniel Bacon, for ditto ..
33.37* 15.92
Peter Horebach, for ditto
18.663
John Probst, for screws.
7.31
Jacob Hugus, for spouts and pipes.
46.80
Tarence Campbell, sheet and bar iron
10,35
Gondy and Williams, for glue ....
12.667
Robert Williams, for paint and gluc.
10.88
Lancelot Armstrong, for lettering office doors.
7.00
James MeLaughlin for digging foundation of prison yard wall. 1123 yds. at 1 s. per yard ..
14.93
John Shaffer, for a stove for Court House
24.00
William Cope and Frederick Rhorer for plastering offices, in part 310 00
11.33}
William Harris, for brick and hauling
3.164
John Flecger, for making stove pipe, etc
21.62
Uriah Wheeler, for digging part of jail well
4.00
Thomas McCamith, labor at Court House ...
3.00
Peter Helich, for repairing tin pipes ..
29.33}
Nathan Williams for painting brick work of Court House and offices
36.26
Nathan Williams, in part for building jail wall.
811.78
John Fleeger, in part for public well ..
1.00
John Fleeger, for smithwork.
17 30
William Cope, in full for plastering the offiees and part of the Court House ...
313.972
John McCaskey, for cutting and laying steps at Court House and offices
105.33}
Timothy Bnell, for covering jall wall, making gate, etc ..
91.495
Peter Eckhart, for hauling stone for jail yard wall ..
125.53
Nathan Williams, for work done on jail and jail yard.
224.39}
Williams and Stewart, in part for paving front of the Court House ..
10.00
Joseph Hostetter, for a bell
131.25
Extra expenses for use of publie buildings.
165.78
William Cope for plastering the under story and part of the upper story of the Court House. in full ..
209.82
70.10
John McCaskey for paving the under floor of the Court House ... Williams and Stewart. for paving before Court House and offices Nathan Williams, for digging and walling a well in the jail yard and paving abont the same ..
150.00
John Shryock, for putting a pump in ditto.
10.47
Joseph Armstrong, for putting up banisters, rails and gates betore the Court House and offiees and painting the samo ... 101.75 Simon Singer, smitbwork done about Court House, jail, jail yard, pump, etc .. 26.20
206.00
1.
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