History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 126

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John Gilchrist, died Sept. 16, 1870, aged 50.

Francis Jamison, died April 18, 1846, aged 67.

Henry Isett, died Dec. 31, 1818, aged 52; his wife, Frances, died April 9, 1839, aged 61.

John Nicholls, Br., died May 10, 1842, aged 79. William Haney, died March 17, 1806, aged 46.

John Hill, died Dec. 9, 1822, aged 70; his wife, Ann, died July 27, 1823, aged 60.

John Mcclelland, died Ang. 16, 1846, aged 92; his wife, Catherine, died Nov. 7, 1839, aged 62.

William McGinley, died Aug. 2, 1873, aged 68.

Hugh Brady, died Nov. 4, 1868, aged 88; his wife, Ann, died Oot. 25, 1861, aged 71.

John Huff, born Nov. 23, 1793, died Nov. 16, 1847; his wife, Rebecca, born July 11, 1800, died Aug. 10, 1873.

Rachel Green, died June 11, 1868, aged 05.

Florinda W., wife of William Moore, died March 29, 1876, aged 55.

Dr. Ell A. Fisher, died Nov. 18, 1874, aged 48.

Rebecca, wife of John M. Laird, died July 5, 1875, aged 74. James G. Gilleland, died Oct. 16, 1875, aged 66.

Samuel L. Carpenter, born June 10, 1796; died Nov. 9, 1876.

Joseph Kunkle, died Jan. 23, 1879, aged 78.

Jane Welty, died Dec. 96, 1878, aged 79; her husband, Jacob, died April 30, 1864, aged 73.

Sarah A. Watt, wife of Daniel R. Killgore, died July 4, 1875, aged 67. Priscilla, wife of Dr. T. C. Bierer, born March 96, 1834; died Jan. 1, 1864.

Martha, wife of James Mcfarland, died April 20, 1865, aged 70. John Loor, died May 28, 1868, aged 51.

David Gilchrist, Br., died March 28, 1858, aged 75; his wife, Elizabeth, died March 10, 1872, aged 89.

James Goodlin, died Aug. 15, 1850, aged 52; his wife, Jane, died March 14, 1851, aged 48.

Lieut. James W. Goodlin, 11th Pa. Vols., died Dec. 18, 1802, aged 30. J. Milton McGiven, Battery T, Ist Pa. Art., died Oct. 27, 1863, aged 19. Samuel Jack, died Oct. 16, 1814, aged 82.

Margaret Jack, wife of Judge J., died May 3, 1818, aged 63. Wilson Jack, died Oct. 29, 1852, aged 61.

Henry Jack, died Jan. 24, 1837, aged 51.

Matthew Jack, died Nov. 20, 1843, aged 65.

Judge William Jack, died Feb. 7, 1821, aged 69.

Hon. William Jack, born July 29, 1788, died Teb. 28, 1852; his wife, Harriet, died Jan. 20, 1879.

Lois Armstrong, wife of James Armstrong, died July 8, 1824, ared 39. Jemima, wile of James Stout, died Dec. 6, 1822, aged 34.

Richard Jackson, died April 25, 1826, aged 53; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 22, 1875, aged 99.

Elizabeth, wife of John Reed, died 1816.

Margaret, wife of James Brown, Sr., died June 92, 1831, aged 56. William Brown, died Feb. 6, 1853, aged 49.

Robert Brown, born Dec. 5, 1763, died Nov. 17, 1849; his wife, Anna, died Aug. 3, 1840, aged 63.

Lydia, wife of William Brown, died Oct. 21, 1829, aged 21.

Dr. T. F. Campbell, died May 16, 1809, aged 29.

John Kubns, Sr., born Feb. 25, 1788, died June 8, 1868; his wife, Susan- na, born July 25, 1798, died June 1, 1870.

Hannah Welty, died April 4, 1878, aged 78.

Mrs. Susan Clark, died Aug. 4, 1879, aged 76.

Bev. Joseph Smith, D.D., born July 15, 1796, died Dec. 4, 1868.

' Ann, wife of Morrison Underwood, and daughter of Peter Gay, died Aug. 2, 1876, aged 76.

Dr. John Hasson, born Feb. 2, 1806, died May 10, 1872.

Maj. John B. Alexander, died 1840.

Bev. Robert Henry, born 1801, died Nov. 1, 1838.

Moses Craig, died Oct. 25, 1842, aged 44; his wife, Ann (Mckinney), died April 96, 1871, aged 71. .

Alexander Mckinney, died Oct. 14, 1827, aged 71 ; his wife, Mary, died Sept 22, 1828, aged 58.

Elisabeth, wife of Henry Welty, Jr., died Dec. 26, 1825, aged 22. Joseph Herwicka, died June 15, 1832, aged 54.

Agnes Mckinney, born Aug. 5, 1791, died Dec. 29, 1814. Jane, wife of William 8. Graham, died Sept. 18, 1868, aged 81. Dr. John Morrison, born March 4, 1798, died Ang. 4, 1809.

Mrs. Dr. John McDowell, died 1818.

Mrs. Debora Mershon, died April 18, 1831, aged 56. Elisabeth Mccullough, died July 12, 1876, aged 73.

THE CATHOLIC GRAVEYARD

lies just over the brow of the Academy Hill, north of the town, and within a hundred yards of the Cen- tral Railroad. It is small in size, and the graves are, comparatively with the other two burial-places, few in number. This is accounted for by the fact that the main body of the Catholics of Westmoreland have always resided in Derry and Unity townships, about Bairdstown, Derry, Latrobe, and Youngstown. Per- sons remember the time when there was not a single Catholic family in Greensburg. There is now a number of families of that creed who reside in this town, and a Catholic place of worship, called the Church of the Holy Sacrament, was erected in 1848, on Academy Hill, contiguous to the site of the graveyard. It has a small parsonage annexed to it with an incumbent, who officiates every Sunday, and on other days, with great regularity, calls the faithful to prayers at matin, noon, and vesper tide. The Catholic graveyard is much older than the church. It is not known to the writer when it was consecrated, but it was a burial-place in the school-boy days of men now seventy years of age, and an old head-stone, marking the place where John Brannan lies interred, shows the time of his death and interment to have been in 1826. The date of its consecration could probably be found in the records of the bishopric of Pittsburgh. There are no monuments in it, but sev- eral of the graves are inclosed with substantial iron railings, and have marble head- and foot-stones. The most handsome and costly stones are those erected to mark the last resting-places of the Egans, - Sher- idan, John Woods, and the Allwines. There are five graves of the Allwines, placed in an exact row, with exact intervals between them, with head- and foot-stones. Two of the graves have ordinary stones, and three, which are those of children, have marble head and foot and side pieces. They are remark- ably well executed, and bear upon them simple but suitable inscriptions from Holy Writ. One bears the text, "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God." Another bears the words, "Thy will be done," and the third a text from Job, in which he expressed his cheerful resignation under suffering, " The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord." Many if not a majority of those who are buried in the Catho- lic graveyard have been immigrants from Ireland and Germany. Here lie Kehoes, Dugans, McBrides,

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Mccarthys, Fitzpatricks, Hickeys, McCallums, Mc- Cabes,, and Sheridans, along with persons of un- doubted German origin. The cross is sculptured on most of the headstones, and often it is accompanied with the I. H. S.,-Jenw Hominum Salvator. Some of the graves are marked with plain wooden crosses, in- tended, doubtless, to precede more solid mementoes in stone and marble. It was pleasing to note the evi- dences of humble affection over some of the graves that were without stones. These graves were cleared all around from weeds and high grass, were sodded on the sides, and planted in the middle with beauti- ful flowers. Planted by the hands, and watered with the tears of pious love and duty, their incense, borne on high by the gales of heaven, will be as grateful as the proud monument-monumentum are perennius- that rises and flouts the skies by mere human strength and skill.

The site of the Catholic graveyard commands a fine prospect. It overlooks the whole town and coun- try around it. If planted with trees and furnished with benches, it would be a pleasant place for the re- ligious to elevate and purify their minds by medita- tions among the tombe, or by communion with the spirits of departed saints.

THE GERMAN GRAVEYARD

in former years lay southward or below the town, at the distance of a couple of hundred yards from the last house on Main Street, the mansion of the Rev. Nicholas P. Hacke. Now the town extends down to it, and the graveyard is adjoined by a plot, beautified with trees, shrubbery, grass, and flowers, on which stands the handsome and luxurious residence of James Woods, Esq. This graveyard was designed as the burial-place of the German and English Luth- eran'Churches, and the German and English Evan- gelical Reformed Churches, although some persons of other denominations are interred in it. Tbe grave- yard is large, nearly level, and is surrounded with a handsome fence of palings, with double gate for car- riages and horses, and two gates for foot passengers. It contains between four and five acres, and is thickly covered with grass and other vegetation, except on and around newly-made graves. This ground was devoted to the custody of the dead before the present century commenced. In it are buried old citizens of the town and vicinity, whose names are as familiar as household words all over Westmoreland County. Here lie Drums, Marchands, Stecks, Horbachs, Mech- lings; Turneys, Hackes, Wises, Kuhnses, Eisemans, and Bierers. Some of the stones at the graves are worthy of note on account of their gray and weather- beaten age, and others on account of the persons whose last mortal resting-place is marked by them. Two weather-stained head-stones inform the public that Col. Christ. Truby and John Houser are buried beneath them, the former having departed this life in 1802, and the latter in 1804. A heavy, substantial,

old-fashioned tombstone bears an inscription which tells that beneath lie the remains of John Michael Steck, who was for fifty years a pastor of the Luth- eran Evangelical Church, thirty-eight of which were passed in the charge of the German Lutheran con- gregation at Greensburg. He died in 1830, at the age of seventy-five years. Another tombstone near to it is placed over John Michael's son, Michael J. Steck, who died in 1848, having been for eighteen years the pastor of his father's German Lutheran congregation. The Rev. Michael Eyster, pastor of the English Lutheran Church in Greensburg, reposes under a stone near to his reverend German brethren. They have all gone to a place where there was no confusion of tongues, and where there are no different languages. Four plain but solid tombstones show where lie four Marchands,-Dr. David Marchand, a well-known physician, member of Congress and pro- thonotary of Westmoreland; his son Lewis; another son, Albert, twice member of Congress from this dis- trict, and one of the best lawyers at the Greensburg bar; and a third son, Dr. Thomas, who was taken away in the first flower of manhood. Three head- stones mark the spots where lie Augustus Drum, Esq., his father and grandfather. Augustus Drum was a good writer and speaker, and a highly respectable lawyer, who had represented with honesty and ability one of the western districts in the State Senate, and this district in Congress. His father, Simon Drum, was postmaster at Greensburg for nearly half a cen- tury, having been appointed by 'Thomas Jefferson, and removed by Zachary Taylor. His grandfather, Simon Drum, was one of the oldest residents of Greensburg, having kept a tavern on the corner of West Pittsburgh and Main Streets during the Whis- key Insurrection, years before the borough of Greens- burg was incorporated. Here are stones that show where lie Jacob Turney, Esq., and John Kuhns, Sr., although Jacob Turney, Esq., and John Kuhns, still walk in health the streets of Greensburg.

The war has left its bloody footprints in this grave- yard, for handsome stones are erected where each one of eight young men has found a soldier's sepulchre. Their names are Alexander Everett, Albert Kennedy, Jacob C. Porcher, Reuben Shrum, Henry G. Reamer, and three persons of the same name, Shuck. There are few monuments here. One to the Bierer family is about eight or nine feet high, and consists of base, pedestal, and a square pillar, which tapers towards the top. The pedestal and pillar are of marble. On one side of the shaft is the name Bierer, surrounded by a wreath of flowers. On one side of the square pedes- tal is the following epitaph : " Frederick Bierer, born at Winsheim, Kingdom of Würtemberg, Germany, July 27th, 1791 ; died June 7th, 1854, aged 62 years, 10 months, and 21 days."

It is worthy of notice in the German burial-ground that the stones, until of late years, are very plain and without eulogistic epitaphs. Although some of the

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

buried persons were men of wealth and distinction, the former is not shown on their graves in costly sculptures, or the latter announced in the inscrip- tions. There is some display of wealth and sculp- ture and some panegyric on the stones erected of late years, and especially on those of the soldiers' graves. This is pardonable and commendable, for meeting with an untimely death in the cause of their country, such posthumous honors assuage the grief of friends and incite to deeds of patriotism.

The German graveyard is not laid out by visible divisions into separate allotments, and there are no walks or carriage-roads through it, and only a few shrubs and flowers in it. It was located and used at a time when the country was new, the people poor, and when they were forced to attend to the necessi- ties of the living rather than the decorations of death. Yet it was the labor of these men that laid the foun- dations of our present wealth and prosperity.

THE MASONIC ORDER.

The first Masonic lodge was No. 64, chartered over half a century ago, but which finally surrendered its charter. Some of its members yet live in this neigh- borhood.

KEDBOX COMMANDERY, No. 18, KNIGHTS TEMPLARS, was instituted April 11, 1860. Its charter members were Zachariah P. Bierer, William S. Brown, Rich- ard Coulter, James K. Hunter, William J. Long, William H. Locke, Arnold Lobaugh, Stephen F. Northam, B. F. Rose, Samuel Rock, William Robin- son, Chauncey F. Sargent, David W. Shryock, Wil- liam R. Terry, Robert W. Turney, Joseph R. Weldin, Daniel Welty, and Reuben Zimmerman. Its Past Commanders have been installed :

1800, Richard Coulter; 1861, Zachariah P. Bierer; 1983, William & Brown; 1864, George L. Potts; 1896, D. W. Shryock ; 1867, Heary Kittering ; 1868, Samuel Reck ; 1982, W. W. Logan; 1870, George T. Haff; 1871, James A. Hunter; 1872, John Latta; 1878, James W. Wilson ; 1874, Clark 7. Warden; 1875, Joseph J. Johnston ; 1876, John H. Highberger; 1877, Robert W. Turney; 1878, Jobn &. Welty ; 1879, William H. Klingensmith ; 1880, Fridolin Miller ; 1881, Heary J. Brunot.

The officers in March, 1882, are :

Com., H. J. Brunot; Gen., J. A. Marchand; O. G., Cyrus N. Stark ; Trens, George T. Huff ; Rec., Clark T. Warden.

OLIVET COUNCIL, No. 13, R. S. E. AND 8. MASTERS,

was instituted Dec. 22, 1859. The charter members were Zachariah P. Bierer, William S. Brown, Rich- ard Coulter, William J. Long, William R. Terry. Its Past Thrice Illustrious Grand Masters were in- stalled as follows:

1000, Richard Coulter; 1861, W. R. Terry; 1862, W. 8. Brown ; 1863, Zachariah P. Bierer; 1864, W. 8. Brown ; 1867, Samuel Rock ; 1868, William Robinson ; 1989, Daniel Welty ; 1870, W. W. Logan ; 1871, James A. Hunter; 1872, Jobn Latta; 1873, C. F. Warden ; 1874, James A. Wilson; 1875, Henry Kittering; 1876, Jobu H. Highberger; 1877, Robert W. Turney; 1878, John 8. Welty ; 1880, William H. Klingensmith ; 1881, H. J. Brunot.

The officers in 1882 are :

Thrice DI. G. M., Fridolin Miller; Dep. III. G. M., Levi Porcher ; P. O. of W., James Haslett; Bec., David W. Shryock ; Trees., George T. Huff.

URANIA CHAPTER, No. 192, H. R. A.,

was instituted June 14, 1859. The charter members were William 8. Brown, Richard Coulter, John W. Coulter, Jesse Chambers, William J. Long, David L. McCullogh, David W. Shryock, Daniel Welty. Its Past High Priests were installed as follows:

1860, Richard Coulter ; 1000, William 8. Brown ; 1861, Daniel Welty ; 1802, Zachariah P. Derer ; 1863, William Robineon ; 1986, D. W. Shryock ; 1896, Samuel Rock ; 1857, Heary Kettering; 1868, W. W. Logan ; 1809, Edward J. Keenan ; 1870, John Latta ; 1872, James A. Hunter ; 1873, C. T. Warden ; 1874, J. W. Wilson, R. W. Turney ; 1875, Joseph Pearod ; 1876, Samuel 8. Turney ; 1877, John H. High- berger; 1879, George T. Haff, Fridolin Miller ; 1880, H. J. Branot.

The officers for 1882 are :

H. P., John A. Marchand ; K., Cyrus N. Stark ; Scr., William M. Singer; C. of H., William H. Huff; P. S., Welty Mccullough ; Tyler, Daniel Welty; Sec., David W. Shryock ; Trees., Zachariah P. Bierer.

PHILANTHROPY LODGE, No. 225, A. Y. M.,

was instituted Oct. 17, 1847. Its charter members were Lebbeus L. Bigelow, James Bell, Alexander Caldwell, David Cook, William A. Cook, William Jack, Abraham Klingensmith, Daniel Kistler, Sr., Frederick A. Rohrer, Joseph Stokely, Jacob M. Wise. Its Past Masters have been :

1848, Lebbens L. Bigelow; 1860, John Jennings ; 1863, John Fallwood; 1864, L. L. Bigelow ; 1856, William 8. Brown ; 1858, Richard Could ter ; 1860, Samuel 8. Turney; 1880, David W. Shryock ; 1861, Daniel Welty; 1802, Zachariah P. Blerer ; 1863, William 8. Brown ; 1806, Samuel Reck ; 1808, Jonathan X. Pense ; 1867, Henry Kettering; 1808, John Latta ; 1989, Levi Porcher ; 1870, James A. Hunter; 1871, Clark T. Warden ; 1873, Joseph J. Johnston; 1874, John H. Highberger ; 1876, Robert W. Turney ; 1876, William H. Klingen- smith; 1877, Abial B. Brown ; 1878, Fridolin Miller ; 1879, Joseph Pearod; 1880, James Hazlett; 1861, Wilson Baughman.

The officers for the year 1881-82 are: .

W. M. Wilson Baughman; 8. W., C. W. MoGrew; J. W., George L. Potts; Sec., D. W. Shryock ; Treas, Samuel 8. Turney.

WESTMORELAND LODGE, NO. 518, A. Y. M.,

was instituted Dec. 27, 1872. The charter members were Zachariah P. Bierer, Robert G. Ford, George F. Huff, Alexander W. Killgore, William W. Logan, John Latta, Christian 8. Overholt, Martin S. Over- holt, Aaron S. R. Overholt, Samuel Rock, Daniel F. Steck, Jacob Turney. Its Past Masters have been :

8. 8. Turney, Z. P. Bierer, Sammel Rock, John Latta, George 7. Huf, William W. Logan, George W. Good, William M. Singer, Darid 8. Atkinson, Cyrus N. Stark, John A. Marchand, Welty Mccullough.

Its officers for 1881-82 are :

W. M., E. A. Treanor : 8. W., William A. Huff; J. W., John M. Peoples; Sec., John A. Marchand ; Treas., Zachariah P. Bierer, who ban held this place since the institution of the lodge.

MASONIC FUND AND MASONIC TEMPLE.

The Greensburg Masonic Fund is controlled by five trustees, viz. : Zachariah P. Bierer, John H. High- berger, Richard Coulter, John S. Welty, and George F. Huff, who are respectively appointed by the five foregoing branches of the order. These trustees, as i the representatives of the fund for the said different

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branches, have charge of the "Masonic Temple," in which they all meet.

The ceremonies of the laying of the corner-stone, which occurred July 6, 1871, are thus described in one of the borough newspapers :

"The Cincinnati Express at 8.40 A.M. brought officers of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and quite a number of members of the fraternity from Johnstown, Indiana, Ligonier, Blairsville, Latrobe, and elsewhere.

"The Mail from the West had the Great Western Band (who were escorted to the 'Long House' as their headquarters) and a number of the fraternity from Pittsburgh and Irwin.

"The Grand Lodge was represented by the follow- ing grand oficera :

"R. W. A. M. R. A. Incierta; R. W. Dep. G. M., Samuel O. Perkins; 2. W.dos. G. W., Robert Clark ; R. W. Jan. G. W., Charles H. King- Chee ; R. W. C. Trees, Richard Coulter; R. W. G. Sec., Joba Thomp- wa; d. Chep, J. T. Jones; G. M., Charles Bohnider ; G. &-B., 8. Besk; G. P. W. 8. Brown; Dencens, D. W. Baryock, J. A. Hunter; Otowards, W. Meble, W. J. Andersen; G. T., J. L. McQuleten.

" All of the members of the Masonic fraternity present rendezvoused at the present hall at eleven o'clock, and were formed into procession under the direction and guidance of E. H. Turner, Chief Mar- shal, with the following aldes : Gen. R. C. Drum, Z. P. Bierer, G. F. Huff, C. F. Warden, W. W. Logan, Col. D. 8. Porter, Capt. J. J. Bierer.

"The whole procession then moved off, passing along some of the principal streets, and were coun- termarched by the Kettering House, where they re- ceived and escorted the Grand Lodge officers to the site of the new hall.

" When order was obtained, prayer was made by the chaplain, J. F. Jones, and the purpose of the as- semblage announced by the Deputy Grand Master, as follows:

".R. W. art,-Our brethren of Greensburg having determined to erect upen this site their new Masonic Hall, and their desire having been daly made known that the corner stone thereof shall be laid ac- cording to the ancient customs and menges of Freemasons and not oth- erwise, we have come here to comply with that destro.'

"The committee having sent a note of invitation, desiring the presence of the venerable Alexander Johnston, Esq., the oldest Mason known, they received his reply regretting his inability, from recent illness, to come.

"The R. W. Grand Master made eloquent allusion to the fact, expressing the universal gratification it would have afforded every one to have had the vener- able brother present, and then directed the R. W. Grand Secretary to read his letter, which is as follows:

** Kroson, July 3, 1871.

"" Masses. HUNTER, COULTER, AND SURTOCK.

. ""MY DEAR BRETHREN,-Your letter of the 24th ult. received' At that time, and since, I have suffered a severe attack of sick ness, which will deprive me of being present at the laying of the corner-stone of the Masonic Hall, as also to meet the brethren of Lodge No. 64, over which I presided for many years. I presume I am the oldest living member of

the Greensburg Lodge; not only Greensburg, but perhaps the United States. I was entered, persed, and raised in Lowtheretown Lodge, No. (4, County Formenegh, Ireland. Pardon my egotiem. ""I am yours fraternally, ". A. JOHNSTON.'

"The R. W. Grand Master then directed the R. W. Grand Treasurer to place the articles prepared for deposit in the corner-stone, and the R. W. Grand Sec- retary to read a list of the articles deposited, viz. :

"The Holy Bible.

Abiman Resca.

Manning's (Pa.) Masonic Register, 1871. Certified lot of the officers of the R. W. Grand Lodge of Pennyivanis. List of officers of the M. E. Grand H. R. A. Chapter of Penneylvania. Act of incerperation, by-laws, and roll of officers and corporators of the Gresesberg Masonic fund.

By-laws and roll of odileers and members of the different Masonic so cieties of Greensburg.

Impressions of Greensburg Masonic stals.

Impression of Westmoreland County osals.

Impression of other Greensbarg oficial conla.

Certified Het of State oflcers of Pennsylvania.

Certified Het of county officers of several counties of Pennsylvania.

Certified Het of county officers of Westmoreland.

Certified list of Grecasburg borough officers.

Copy of Small's Legislative Hand-Book. Copies of the following newspapers:

Keystone, July 1, 1871.

Westmoreland Republican of July 25, 1856.

Gromsbury Herald, July 5, 1871. Republican and Democrat of Ang. 12, 1870.

Republican and Demeoret of July &, 1871.

Gremsbury Tribune of July 6, 1871.

Pouneylvania Argue of July 6, 1871.

United States coins of colnago of 1871, viz .: Gold, 98, 92.50, 81 ; oliver, 50 cts., 26 cts., 10 cts., 5 cts .; wickel, 5 cta., 3 cta., 2 ctr., 1 comt.

"The corner-stone was then laid to its place accord- ing to the 'ancient usages, customs, and landmarks of Freemasonry.'

"The address by the Grand Master, Robert A. Lam- berton, was brief, eloquent, and appropriate. During the delivery the vast audience stood spell-bound in the glaring sun of the July day, and each one seemed to fear he might lose a word or fail to catch a sen- tence. There was but one regret, and that found vent when the address closed,-it was too short.

"The audience was unusually large. The entire body of our citizens turned out, and many of the fam- ilies of the farmers of the neighborhood were present, and to these were to be added a large number of vis- itors from a distance."

The following history of the inception of the Greensburg Masonic Hall and description of the building (from architectural plans, which were strictly followed in its erection) are condeused from an article published in the Herald in July, 1871:

About ten years since the four Masonic bodies of Gresasberg, who had hitherto been compelled to rent as a hall for their use bach building as best they could find, united in a purpose looking to securing a build- ing of their own at some future day, and organized a board of trustees, to be elected from members in each, and by the several societies respectively, aggregating fire, and were denominated the trustees of "Greensburg Masonic Fund." This board was made the receiver, custodian, and die- barsing agent of each respectively. As the receipts of the societies, from dues, fees, and life memberships, paid into the treesary of the board, began to accumulate, which was not till the close of the war, it was determined to procure an act of incorporation, that it might be known in law, and so held responsible. . Accordingly the organization was

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 126

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: