USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 104
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Penn Township.
2109
+20 }
448 )
21 inc.
Salem Township.
777
164 inc.
New Florence Borough
For St. Clair township, at the house of Widow O'Connor, in New Florence.
For Scottdale borough, at the public school-house. For Pleasant Unity Election District, at the public school-house in Pleasant Unity.
For Washington township, at the house of David Walters.
For West Newton borough, at the West Newton council-rooms.
For Livermore borough, at the public school- house.
For Loyalhanna township, at public school-house No. 1 (Carson's).
For Ludwick borough, at the new public school- house now being constructed.
For Madison borough, at public school-house in said borough.
For Mount Pleasant borough, at the Church Street public school-house in said borough.
204
378
1916
2204
2682
1180
1258
Mount Pleasant Borough.
204
800
For North Bellevernon borough, at the public school- house in said borough.
1573
1689
Bewickley ..
....
Digitized by
717
300 inc.
Mount Pleasant Township ..
Penn Borough.
The Third District (called Logan), at a tenant-house of Samuel Smith, in the occupancy (at present) of N. N. Fullerton.
[1122 )
112 dec.
New Alexandria Borough.
298.)
Greensburg Borough
833 )
Latrobe Borough.
Livermore Borough
3760
Increase in 10 years.
268
Donegal ..
For Penn borough, at the public school-house.
420
HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
The total population of the county in 1790 was 16,018; in 1800, 22,726; in 1810, 26,892; in 1820, 80,540; in 1880, 88,500; in 1840, 42,699; in 1850, 51,726.
POPULATION OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY BY THE CENSUS OF 1880. TOWNSHIPS.
.There are twenty-three townships, with the follow- ing population, which includes all the villages that are located within the boundaries of each, viz. :
DerTy ....
Balom 1831
North Huntingdon. 6341 Traokilo
1704
Hompfeld ... 6286
Tast Hantingdoo. 4404
Washington 1004
Mount Pleasant. 4224
Cook ......
1266 1248
Valty Bowlok ley ...
8400
Bell
1064
Rostraver.
3231
South Huntingdon ..
8006
St. Clair. 796
PoDs ......
2019
Upper Burrell 714
Ligonier ...
2616
Loyalbanna.
Allegheny
¥060
BOROUGH8.
1. Greensburg ..
$600
11. ParDessus
590
2. Latrobe .. ....... .......
181.3
12. Salem 460
8. West Newton ........
1475
13. Bolivar .. 378
4. Irwin .......
1444
14. Now Alexandria.
336
5. Scottdale.
1×78
15. Youngstown ...
204
6. Mount Pleasant ..
1197 16. North Bellevernon ......
20
7. Ligonier.
635
17. Adamsburg .
19%
8. Ponn ....
004
18. Madison. 190
188
10. New Florence .. 632 90. Livermore
16
From the foregoing it will be seen that Greensburg stands at the head of the list of boroughs in regard to population, and Latrobe stands second, and that Derry township stands at the head of the list of townships, North Huntingdon second, and Hempfield third.
VILLAGES IN THE ORDER OF THEIR POPULATION.
Derry Station 1 TT7
West Latrobe ...
150
Bridgeport ...
635 Spring Garden.
158
Webster.
660
Millwood ...
150
Westmoreland Olty
827
Circleville ...
149
Buterville ...
493
Jacksonville
132
Bouth alde Village.
484
Grimtown.
128
Hahntown .....
432
Fairfield ...
119
Texas ..
410
New Stanton.
118
Wardentown.
359 Paradiso.
110
Shafton ....
.843 Lock port ....
105
Bunker Hill.
327
Kelleytown
90
. Paintertown village.
. Shafton village ...
342
. Southaide village. 484
. Stewartsville village. 44
· Wardentown village 859
. Westmoreland City village. .....
690 604
Penn borough ....
Penn township, including village of Harrison City. . Harrison City village ... 247
2000
3931 Bostraver township, including the following villages.
. Gibsonton village. 180 · Webster village .. 600 Salem borough, or New Salem. 400
Salem township.
1831
Scottdale borough 1278
St. Clair township ...
796
Sewickley township, including the village of Suterville " Buterville village .... 403
3400
Unity township, including the following villages 4079
" Pleasant Unity village.
. West Latrobe village. 169
Upper Burrell township. 714
Washington township, including the village of Paulton 1004
. Paulton village. 90
West Newton borough
1475 204
The population of all the counties which were formed out of the original Westmoreland in 1790 was 63,018. These were Allegheny, 10,309 ; Fayette, 13,325; Washington, 23,866; Westmoreland, 16,018.
1 Incorporated a borough since census was taken.
up the total, the following table with explanation is given :
Names of villages are indented and placed under the township in which they are respectively situated, and the population of the township includes in every case that of all villages within it. The villages marked with an asterisk (*) are unincorporated, and their population is given only approximately, as their limits cannot be sharply defined :
Adameburg borougb.
Allegheny townebip.
Bell township, including the following villages.
· Grimtown village .. 128
Fairfield. 1612 Porrytown village. . Baline village. 172
Bolivar borough ... 87
Cook township ... 1800
Derry township, including the following village " Derry Stalon village. 777
. Millwood village ... 150
. St. Clair City village 221
Donegal borough ....
848 Donegal township ... 1242
Last Huntingdon township, including village of Reagantown. . Rescantown village ... 35
4404
Fairfield township, including the following villages. 1612
. Fairfield village.
119
. Lock port village 106
Franklin township, including village of Murrysville 1704
81
Greensburg borough ..
2500 1286
Hempfield township, including the following villages.
. Enst Greensburg village ..
· Grapeville village.
· Paradise village. 110
Stanton village 118
Irwin borough .....
Latrobe borough ... 1815
Ligonier borough ..
634
Ligonier townebip ..
9046
Livermore borough
164
Loyalhanne township.
848
Ludwick borough
603
Madison borongh ...
190
Mount Pleasant borough
1197
Mount Pleasant township, including the following villages . Bridgeport village
4294
. Bunker Hill village 327
. Spring Garden village 168
· Texas village .... 410
New Alexandria borongh
Now Florence borough ....
North Bellevernon borough
900
North Huntingdon township, including the following villag · Circleville village ... 149
6941
. Hahnstown village. 459
· Jacksonville village.
. Kelleytown village.
Paintertown .....
299
Grapeville.
92
Pleasant Unity.
298
Murrysville.
81
Harrison Olty ..
247
Bt. Clair .....
221
Stewartsville.
Gibsonton
180
Ragentown.
33
Balina ..
172 Perryton
Thirty-six villages not named,-Stahlstown, Laugh- linstown, Mechanicsburg, Waterford, Seward or Ve- rona, Lucesco, North Washington, Mclaughlinsville, Markle, Shearer's Cross-Roads, Mendon, Bethany, West Overton, Hannastown, Mansville, Bottsville, Hillside, Cokeville, Congruity, Newlensburg, Char- tiers, Smithton, Middletown, Oak Grove, Jones' Mills, Laurelville, Stonerville, Tarr's Station, Bull's Head, Painterville,-the populations of which are not sep- arately given, which makes sixty-six villages in this county.
In the foregoing table the population of some of the townshipe is made up of villages and of the country, In order to show what villages are accounted to make
Youngstown borough.
Digitized by
Google- --
100 9060 1064
4079
Donegal.
Lower Burrell.
9. Ladwick.
609 19. Donegal ...
East Greensburg
53
Parnasans borough
South Huntingdon township. 8006
Lower Burrell township. 940
. Murrysville village.
CIVIL HISTORY, STATISTICS, AND MISCELLANEOUS.
421
PRESIDENT JUDGES.
1786. John Moore. 1701. Judge Alex. Addison. 1808. Samuel Roberts. 1006. John Young. 1887. Thomas White.
1867. Jerezninh M. Barrell.
ASBOOTATE JUDGES.
1001. William Jack.
John Irwin.
James Barr.
1856. Samuel L. Carpenter.
1906. William Jack.
G. R. D. Young
1861. Robert Given.
Jobn Irwin. Jacob Painter.
John Jones.
1811. John Lobingier.
Thomas Pollock.
1866. Robert Given. M. P. MoClansban.
1841. James Boll.
1871. Jobn W. Biddle.
John Moorhead.
M. P. Mcclanahan.
JUSTICES.
The first justices appointed by the proprietary (Penn) for the county on its erection 'in 1773, with the advice of its Council (Joseph Turner, William Logan, Richard Peters, Lynford Landner, Benjamin Chew, James Tilghman, Andrew Allen, Edward Shippen, Jr.), were William Crawford, Arthur St. Clair, Thomas Gist, Alexander McKee, Robert Hanna, William Wilson, William Thompson, Eneas Mckay, Joseph Speer, Alexander McClean, J. Bracken, James Pollock, Samuel Sloan, and Michael Rugh.
PROTHONOTARIES.
1778. Gen. Arthur St. Clair.
1776. Michael Huffnagle. 1779. Archibald Lochry.
1788. Thomas Hamilton.
1855. William McCall.
1809. John Morrison.
1018. James Reed.
1868. Wm. J. Williams (4 months). Bales MoColly. 1861. George Bennett.
1864. John Zimmerman.
1831. David Marchand.
1850. Randall MeLaughlin.
1886. James B. Oliver.
1878. R. W. Singer.
1876. John H. Highberger. 1879. H. P. Hasson.
1848. James McCallister.
SHERIFFS.1
1778. John Proctor.
1776. James Carnehan. 1781. Matthew Jack.
1785. Robert Orr. 1709. William Perry.
1700. James Guthrie.
1703. John Brandon.
1786. James Bandy. 1703. John Kuhne. 1801. Joba Brandon.
1804. Jobn Sloan.
1807. Alexander Johnston.
1810. Robert Stewart. 1813. John Fleming.
1816. Humphrey Fullerton.
1819. John Klingensmith.
1882. John Niocolla. 1836. Morrison Underwood. 1828. John Klingensmith.
1880. Henry Kethering. --
1 Sberifi were appointed until 1899.
" Upon the death of James Harvey in 1843, David Newingham was appointed sheriff until the next election.
RECORDERS OF DEEDS AND REGISTERS OF WILLS.'
1790. James Guthrie. 1809. Robert Dickey. 1812. James Montgomery. 1818. Robert Montgomery.
1854. Jacob M. Miller. 1867. Edward J. Keenan.
1860. William L. Evans.
1850. Alexander Johnston.
1836. Jonathan Bow.
1839. Jacob 8. Steck.
1842. Archibald. B. McGrew.
1848. David Cook.
1878. James Dennison.
1849. James Keenan, Jr.
1863. Randall Mclaughlin.
OLERKS OF THE ORPHANS' COURT.'
1836. George T. Ramsay.
1870. Joseph Gross.
1839. William Gorgas.
1873. George W. Trick.
1856. Joseph Gross.
1876. James W. Wilson.
1858. Robert W. Singer.
1864. Joseph W. Blair.
COMMISSIONERS."
1774. Christopher Truby. 1779. Benjamin Lodge.
1806. Thomas Pollock. John Bonnett.
Robert Clark.
William Freidt.
1788. Joseph MoGarrah.
Alexander Barr. William Jack.
William Parks. Jacob Tinstman.
1785. William Moore. James Lawson. John Nesbit.
1808. James Kelly. William Parks. Jacob Tinstman.
1787. William Moore. James Lawson. William Jack.
1809. James Kelly: John Sheaffer. Jacob Tinstman. 1810. Thomas Culbertson.
1788. James Lawson. William Jack. Eli Coulter.
1811. Andrew Findley.
1814. James Caldwell. Robert Williams.
1789 William Jack. John Giffem.
1816. Jobn Milligan. 1817. Jacob Rugh.
Eli Coulter.
1819. James Clarke. .
1820. Samuel Bushfield ..
1822. David Byall. Neal Boyle.
1792. Robert Clark. Benjamin Lodge. George Smith.
1823. Jacob Turney."
1798. George Smith. Alexander McDonald.
James White.
1860. John W. Marshall. (One elected each year for 3 уевги.) 1851. Henry Swartz.
1852. Simon Detar.
1863. Jeese Walton.
1864- Alexander Hanna.
1865. George Albert. 1856. T. B. McGrew.
1857. G. W. Roms. 1858. Samuel MoClean.
1859. John Larimer.
1800. John Severn. 1861. James Menoher.
1802. James Parr. John Bonnett. James Smith. 1808. James Parr.
1862. W. J. Reed. 1868. Abraham Hays. 1864. James H. Clark. 1865. M. G. Keener. 1866. Michael Keffer.
John Bonnett. Imac Wager.
1806. Jamen Parr.
1867. John H. Highberger.
1868. John M. Bierer.
John Bonnett. William Freldt.
1869. George Bridge.
* Before 1790 the prothonotary also filled this office. " Up to 1836 the office of clerk of the Orphans' Court and of prothon- otary were filled by the same person, as they were later, between 1842 and 1855.
" Given as far as their records show. . No records accessible in which the succession of these officers is kept up until 1849.
Digitized by
Jobn H. Wise. Mi Coulter.
1867. Lewis A. Johnston. 1870. John Zimmerman.
1889. John Clark: 1842. David Fullwood.
1849. Samuel B. Rammey. Andrew Graham, Br.
1852. Joseph Grom
1790. John Giffem. Robert Clark. Benjamin Lodge.
1849. James Shields. Levi Kempf. John Horrell.
1794. John Kirk patrick. James White. George Smith.
1796. John Kirkpatrick. James White. Barton Loffer. 1798. Jacob 8mith. Robert Dickey. James McGreary.
1881. Samuel L. Carpenter. 1834. David Fullwood. 1887. William Mckinney. 1840. James Harvey." 1843. Michael L. Hays. 1846. David Kistler. 1849. John Hugue 1802. John Welsh. 1863. William Welsh. 1866. Valentine Elliott.
1800. Henry Allahouse. Jeremiah Murry. James Smith.
1859. William Huston. 1862. William Bell. 1865. Robert M. Reed. 1868. Daniel F. Steck. 1871. Alexander Killgore. 1874. John Guffey. 1877. James Borlin.
1848. John C. Knox. 1851. Jeremiah C. Burrell. 1865. Joseph Buffington.
1871. James A. Logan. 1879. James A. Hunter.
1863. William C. Guffey. 1866. Samuel Rock. 1869. Clark F. Warden. 1872. John M. Laird.
1875. William B. Snodgrass.
1851. Jamen Bell. David Cook.
1881. William Hague.
1879. John R. Bell.
1807. Thomas Pollock.
422 HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
1870. Tesac Irwin.
1876. J. C. West. M. M. Dick.
Ballot-boxes $0.00
Fuel and light for holding elections .. 210.00 2,006.76
Fay of election officers ..
Constables attending election 417.50
Registry of voters .....
Henry Keeley .. 780.00
John H. Townsend. 786.00
William Taylor ..........
700.00
D. Musick
800.00
Comvalerionerd' Counedl :
V. E. Williams.
Edgar Cowan (extra) 80.00
A. M. Sloan ..... .. 60.71
W. T. Miller ..
167.00
Jenter :
C. Wanemaker. 450.00
Com mieslouers' + x peDers .. 81.10
Compensation of poor-bouse directors (extra) .. 800.00
County Instituto ....
900.00
Court-Boues Depenses :
Court-bouse and jail repairs. 1,500.15
Coke and coal .. .. ...
609.86
Gas for court-boues and fall 99.06
Architect for court-bouse and jall
1,076.00
Prison Deponses :
Guarding jail .............. $88.50
Medical attendance .. 85.00
Shaving prisoners .....
16.00
Inquest on dead bodies
88.18
Horse and livery hiro ....
35.00
Judgment in Common Pleas, J. J. Wiring w. Westmore land County ............
521.98
Merobandier, clothing, bedding, and medicines for pris oners, etc ...
Miscellaneous ...
Dy amount paid on county orders. $71,765.96
By amount paid on poor-house orders. 62,916.79
esedrer's commission .. ..
8.468.08 Road damages ..
Balance in treasury.
16,522.48 Rewards .... com
DR.
To balance in treasury at last settlement ...... $53,096.93 To amount received from collectors for 1881. 78,653.22 Transcribing fees on unseated land tales.
To outstanding taxes for years 1876, 78, '79, and '80
21,174.62
Interest on mazo ......
To amount pursuant to election lawe, 1879 and '80.
292.74 140.70 624.97 278.10
To unessted land sales ......... prior to sale. .....
To docket costs per John R. Bell, clerk of courts
Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
$3.56 15.00 Allegheny County work-bouse ... 867.85
Printing and Advertising : Westmoreland Democrat 415.84
Pounsylvania Argus ..
189.10
To costs in commonwealth case per Peyton Greenlow ...
To costs in commonwealth case per Lewis Boss 13.79 25.00
To costs in commonwealth case per Peyton Greenlow.
To gas for use of private individuale ...
To Ligonier bridge for use of Ligonier borough per N. M Marker .......
60.00 100.00
To Stauffer's bridge, Fayette County ... 26.50
Received of Y. O. Gay se per statement ...
1,824.65 4.00
To fines per Henry Kettering.
800.00
$152,768.26
Cz.
By amount paid
Assessors and assistante .. $1,454.50 47.00
Auditor of State account ..
Auditors of county account. 600.00
Bridge-building and repairs.
25,691.86
Blank books and stationery ..
719.24
Court Deponese :
Boarding jurors. 11.05
Commonwealth costs ... 2,866.41 1,148.07
Copying testimony and stenographing.
Constables' quarterly return .... 676.53
District attorney's fees .. 446.00
Pay of grand and travers jurors
Jury commissioner, J. Long .... - W. Chambers.
11,566.87 136.14 141.54
Clerk to jury commissioner, W. Keener, 1876.
Prothonotary's foss .. ......
Clerk of courts ...
Tipstaves and court-criers ...
Sheriff's fees and boarding prisoners.
24.00 9.95 659.11 1,249.50 2,131.15
On the night between the 4th and 5th of June, 1859, occurred the most memorable unseasonable frost in the annals of Western Pennsylvania. All vegeta- tion and fruit was almost totally destroyed. The region of country over which the frost extended was from the Northwestern lakes southeastward through
L. P. HATS. JOHN B. HORBACH. J. HIRAM RUHIGER.
Audilors.
BIG FROST OF 1859.
884.68
Treasurer's commission on $66,972.75 at 116 per cent. .... Extra commission on poor-bouse orders se treasurer of poor fund. 311.08
Extra commission on poor-house statement ... 27.36
Balance in treasury.
15,322.48
$152,768.25
Refunding orders ..
Fox-scalpe ..... .....
219.20
Poor-house orders out of county fund as per poor house statement .. 02.216.79
Treasurer's commission on $75,000 at 3 per cent.
2,260.00
To old lumber ...
DR.
To whole amount of money received from all sources ........ ... $152,768.95
CZ.
Road and bridge views ..
Redemption money and tax refunded ......
349.79 21.96 708.93 900.51 158.60 104.94
State tax (extra for 1879 and *80).
502.67 417.00
Transcribing records (commissioners' office) ...
Transcribing unesated land recorde se per sot of 1869 (J. W. Wilson).
542.00 298.87
Telegraphing
Pennsylvania Reform School 1,019.00 493.51
To office rent per J. H. MoOullough ... A. M. Blown, from Ang. 18, 1881 28.00 112.00 124.00
To jury fees per Jas. Wilson, clerk of courts ...
To jury fees per John R. Bell, clerk of courts To jary fees per Henry Kettering, sheriff .. 96.00 139.00
Tribune and Herald. 390.98
J. J. Wirelug, for advertising lande in which sales were revoked 23.75 687.71 967.64
9.00 Road and school-tax on unseated lands
To Nine-Mile Run bridge per M. Kubna, supervisor.
1879. Heary Keely. Heary Taylor. John H. Townsend. 1002. 8. G. Bresch bill.
1874. Henry Keely.
1876. John L. Derer.
1876. Clark Batterfeld (died and | R. P. Arnold appointed in his -- place).
H. H. Dyers.
William Taylor.
COUNTY EXPENSES.
A writer in the Gasette, March 5, 1825, in criticising the public expenditure of the county, has the follow- ing : " Economy indeed ! Let these disciples of econ- omy bring their observances home to themselves. I am told they charge for commissioners' and clerks' pay, in. the lump, $667, which, allowing to the clerk $180, would leave to each commissioner $176 pay for sitting one-third of the year. Let them render an account of how much each received, as is customary in other counties, that the people may see how much each apostle of economy has put into his own pocket."
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF WEST- MORELAND COUNTY FROM JAN. 8, 1881, TO. JAN. 2, 1881.
J. J. WIRare, Treasurer, in Account with Westmoreland County.
1871. Hugh Ryan.
1872. William Deverter.
1878. John Berbert.
Digitized by
Pursuant to election lawe, 1881. 46.48 Transcribing fees on widows' appralesment docket (J. W. Wilson) ... 320.00 15.43
423
CIVIL HISTORY, STATISTICS, AND MISCELLANEOUS.
portions of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania into the States of Maryland and Virginia, being bounded on the east by the Allegheny Mountains, and on the southwest by the Ohio River from Wheeling south westward.
The wheat, rye, and cornfields were cut down and ruined. In a few hours after the sun came out the sprouts withered and fell dead. Nor could any- thing be expected from the growth of the wheat, as the seed was entirely destroyed. In most of the county the wheatfields and cornfields were plowed up and buckwheat very generally was sowed, but in some instances potatoes were planted in their stead. Great excitement prevailed throughout the whole county, and in the rural districts arrangements were made to prepare for a famine. This apprehension and fear were increased by senseless men, and sometimes by designing men, who had nothing else to talk about but war, famine, and the latter end of all things. Suddenly the price of all the grains and all vegetables went up to an amazing figure. Men in some localities who were in well-to-do circumstances invested all they had and borrowed more to buy grain in expec- tation of more exorbitant prices, and with hopes in some instances to make much money. Some of these men were broken up by the venture, and they received but little condolence from their neighbors, for the prices as suddenly fell. The granaries in the West were full; those who had purchased old flour which had got musty in the commission houses at Pittsburgh at prices from ten to twenty dollars the barrel, and who had refused to sell at any price, were now glad to sell at two or three dollars.
All garden vegetables shared the same fate as the grain. Apples, cherries, peaches, grapes, and all kinds of wild fruits came to nothing. The year was long called the year of the frost, and no doubt would have long remained a marking-time in local annals had not a more noteworthy epoch occurred the next year.
On the 23d of April of that year snow fell to the depth of over fourteen inches on the level by actual measurement in this region of country.
CENTENNIAL OF . THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, 1873.
On Wednesday night, Feb. 26, 1878, in pursuance of a previous announcement, a large number of the citizens of the county and of invited guests came to- gether in the "Kettering House," and after a sump- tuous banquet in the due form celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of the organization of the county. The meeting was organized by calling the Hon. Edgar Cowan to the chair. Messrs. Daniel Welty, John M. Bierer, D. W. Shryock, F. J. Cope, Lewis Cline, M. Underwood, S. S. Turney, Samuel Alwine, John W. Turney, H. C. Marchand, Alex- ander Kilgore, E. F. Houseman, I. Uncapher, W. H. Markle, R. W. Singer, and John L. Bierer were ap-
pointed vice-presidents, and Messrs. Frank Cowan, S. A. Kline, F. V. B. Laird, and D. G. Atkinson, secretaries.
Judge Veech delivered a speech, and after the ora- tion the following toasts were responded to by the gentlemen named :
"Old Westmoreland, Mother of Counties, her Off- spring," by Hon. Edgar Cowan.
"The Courts and Bench of Westmoreland County," by Hon. James A. Logan.
"The Greensburg Bar," by Hon. Jacob Turney.
"Our Pulpit, Press, and Schools," by Mr. D. S. Atkinson.
" Westmoreland's Honored Dead," by Hon. James
A. Hunter.
"Our Physicians," by Dr. J. W. Anawalt.
" Westmoreland's Daughters," by Mr. W. K. Kling- ensmith ..
"The County Officers," by Mr. C. F .. Warden.
"Our Mining, Manufacturing, Mechanical, Com- mercial, and Agricultural Interests," by Dr. Kline.
"Our Railroads," by Hon. James C. Clarke.
" Westmoreland's Battle-Fields," by Dr. Frank Cowan.
"Posterity," by E. J. Keenan, Esq.
"Our Next Centennial," by Gen. Richard Coulter. This meeting gave evidence of the feelings of local pride which exists in the present generation, and be- gan a series of inquiries into our local history which had never been evidenced before that time. Enthu- siastic as it was, it was but preparatory to the cele- bration of the anniversary of the signing of the Han- nastown Resolutions, which ushered in the series of anniversary meetings commemorative of the Rev- olutionary period.
CENTENNIAL OF THE HANNASTOWN RESOLUTIONS, MAY 16, 1875.
By the successful celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the date of the Hannastown Resolu- tions, celebrated on the 15th of May, the 16th falling on Sunday, the series of Revolutionary anniversaries was inaugurated. We give the preliminary and the final incident connected with this joyful occasion, from Frank Cowan's Paper of May 1, 1875:
WESTMORELAND'S CENTENNIAL.
"In view of an appropriate public celebration of the centennial of the first declaration of inde- pendence of the people of the United States of America, namely, the one hundredth anniversary of the meeting held on the 16th day of May, 1775, at Hannastown, the then capital of Westmoreland County, embracing the southwestern part of Penn- sylvania, the people of Greensburg assembled in the court-house on Wednesday evening last (Feb. 28, 1875), and effected an organization by calling His Ex- cellency Lieutenant-Governor Latta to the chair, and electing Dr. Cowan as secretary. The chair in a neat speech stated the object of the meeting, the import-
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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ance of the first step taken in the Revolution by the people of old Westmoreland one hundred years ago, and the great propriety of perpetuating the glorious principles of our ancestors in appropriate observances on such an suspicious day as an hundredth anniver- sary of their deliberate declaration in public. He was followed by H. C. Marchand, Esq., in response to inquiries about the meeting at Hannastown and the resolutions adopted, both meeting and resolu- tions but recently resurrected from the tomb of for- gotten lore. Hon. Edgar Cowan then spoke on the prospective celebration, suggesting a commemorative medal or other token to be sold, and the proceeds ap- plied to the national centennial next year. Col. Ege, E. J. Keenan, Esq., and Judge Logan participated in the proceedings. On motion, the chair appointed the following committee, to which was delegated the power of the meeting to increase their number and appoint sub-committees as they see fit: H. C. Mar- chand, chairman ; Edgar Cowan, Judge Logan, E. J. Keenan, D. S. Atkinson, Col. Ege, Dr. Kline, F. V. B. Laird, Frank Cowan, E. F. Houseman, Dr. Piper, Gen. Coulter, T. J. Barclay, and F. J. Cope. The meeting then adjourned.
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