History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 135

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
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USA > Pennsylvania > Westmoreland County > History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 135

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mr. Shupe was one of the pioneers in the oil business, and in this he was successful. He was of a joyous disposition, seldom or never despondent, was fond of fun and frolic, and took great pleasure in making others happy, and especially the boys of his own town. He was always around at a circus or show of any kind, and generally remained outside till the crowd was in, and then gathering up all im- pecunious lada, would make a job lot of them with the doorkeeper. Of a pleasant winter's day, when sleigh- ing was good, he has been seen with his team hitched to a good sled, the sled filled with little girls, and a hundred feet of good stout rope reaching out behind

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with dozens of small boys on their little sleds attached by a cord to the rope, having the merriest of times up and down and around town, and himself as merry as the merriest. He was known familiarly in business circles and by all his neighbors as simply "Dan" Shupe.

Mr. Oliver P. Shupe, his son, seems to have re- ceived his father's mantle, is full of generous im- pulses, and bids fair to rival, if not outdo, his father in public-spiritednees and general usefulness.

Mr. Shupe was twice married; the first time to Miss Hitchman, who died May 24, 1848, at the age of twenty-nine years. They had three children,- Oliver P., born 1843; Lucy A., born 1845; and Beu- nivista T., born 1847. He was married the second time to Miss Sallie B. Dick, daughter of W. B. Dick. His children living of the second family are James W., William D., Carrie J., Virginia B., and Sadie O.

He died suddenly in Allegheny City, April 30, 1878, of a congestion of the brain.

NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP.

ORGANIZATION, ETC.

NORTH HUNTINGDON TOWNSHIP was organized April 6, 1778. It was the parent township of both the others bearing the same name with the local prefixes.

It is a populous and very flourishing township. The main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad trav- erses the township, with stations at the following places : Manor, Irwin's, Larimer's, Carpenter's, and Stewart's. The principal stream is Bush Creek, which flows entirely through the township. On it are many mills and several extensive manufactories. The entire eastern portion of the township contains an abundance of bituminous coal, which is advan- tageously mined. There are also some very distinct outcrops of coal in the central part and one in the northwest corner. This forms a part of the famous Pittsburgh coal measures.

The principal town within its limits is Irwin bor- ough. There are the following flourishing villages, viz .: Larimer's Station, Stewartsville, and Robbins' Station, all post-villages, while Circleville and Jack- sonville are neat and thrifty hamlets. Since the building of the Pennsylvania Railroad and its com- pletion in 1852 the township has more than quad- rupled its population and material resources. It em- braces in its territory all nationalities, the English and German predominating.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

While in Ligonier Valley, around the stockade fort erected in 1758 by Gen. Forbes' men, claims were taken up and settlements made as early as 1760, the first actual land cultivation commenced in. the township no earlier than 1770, after the termination of the Pontiac war, which ended in 1768. Among the early settlers were the Marchands, Walthours, Studebakers, Whiteheads, Saams, Cribbses, Thom-

ases, Sowashes, Harrolds, Rodebaughs, Millers, and later the Gongawares and Kunkles.

The Marchand family first located near Millers- thal. The Studebaker lands comprised the farms now owned by J. R. Kunkle, Jonas and Peter Gon- gaware, J. Lawrence, Kunkle's heirs, Jacob Buzzard, and Samuel Alshouse. The Walthours owned the Harrold and Hays farms, and almost all the land between them and Manor Station.

In 1774 the house lately occupied as a dwelling by Elijah McGrew, near the track of the Youghiogheny Railroad, was built.

The earliest settlers in this township were Germans, except Matthias Cowan, Col. John Irwin, afterwards one of the associate judges of the County Court, and his brother, James Irwin, the father of the founder of Irwin borough. Judge Irwin at first traded with the Indians, but as soon as colonies began to form he took up a large tract of land, including that on which Irwin borough now stands.

A little later large numbers of Scotch-Irish Pres- byterians settled along Brush Creek and north of it. Among these were the McCormicks, Osbornes, Boyds, Sloans, Coulters, Ewings, Crosbys, Greens, Wilsons, Irwins, Skellys, Larimers, Fullertons, Hindmans, Longs, Horvells, Marshalls, Simpsons, Duffs, Corrys, Grays, Forsythes, Temples, and others. Many of these did not come until after the close of the Revo- lution, from 1783 to 1796.

The first known settlement was made in 1761 by Matthias Cowan, who married a Miss Gray, and came in a cart, in which they lived until he built his cabin on the farm now owned by Matthias Cowan Ekin, his grandson. Cowan's brother-in-law, Abner.Gray, was captured on this farm by the Indians and carried into captivity.

Thomas Marshall very early located on lands now owned by Col. McFarlane. John, one of the early

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settlers, lived on the farm now the property of George Scull, and was the founder of the present Pittsburgh Commercial Gasette, which was established by him ninety-six years ago.

There were two block-houses in the township; one was on the farm now owned by John Gott, and the other on the farm of Brintnel Robbins, who came from New England. The latter farm is now owned by Joseph Robbins, a grandson of the original settler. These block-houses were places of refuge to which the settlers fled on the approach of Indians. The brick house now occupied by John H. Irwin, just outside of Irwin borough, was built in 1886 by John Irwin, and nearly opposite was the old tavern, erected and opened when the turnpike was built in 1816.

LONG RUN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND CEME- THRY.

This ancient church congregation was organized under the Redstone Presbytery in the last quarter of the past century. Its present brick edifice was erected in 1865. Among the early settlers buried in its ceme- tery are

Catherine, wife of Benoni Gregory, died Dec. 18, 1838, aged 92. George Miller, died Nov. 11, 1848, aged 86; his wife, Christina, died Tob. 6, 1826, aged 63.

John Miller, died Oct. 8, 1845, aged 55.

William Michael, died July 9, 1846, aged 58; his wife, Elisabeth, died April 14, 1836, aged 40.

Sarah Marchand, wife of Edward Scull, died June 8, 1845; born March 1, 1819.

Nancy, wife of Henry Boyd, died June 14, 1838, aged 58.

John Scull, died Tob. 8, 1828, aged 63; his wife, Margaret, died Sept. 9, 1842, aged 75.

John Irwin Scull, died Jan. 81, 1827, aged 87.

Abby Scull, died Jan. 12, 1831, aged 70.

Robert Taylor, died Aug. 6, 1824, aged 84.

Margaret A., wife of Isaac Taylor, died Sept. 22, 1882, aged 21. John Macurdy, died May 12, 1826, aged 54.

John Hindman, died April 8, 1810, aged 48; his wife, Isabella, died Dec. 7, 1832, aged 74.

James Cewan, died Oct. 11, 1826, aged 54.

Matthew Cowan, died Dec. 25, 1819, aged 84; his wife, Rachel, died April 10, 1815, aged 01.

William Ewing, Sr., died Nov. 17, 1838, aged 80; his wife, Ann, died Sept. 26, 1818, aged 75.

Alexander Ewing, Br., died Feb. 14, 1826, aged 56.

Nancy, wife of Alexander Ewing, Jr., died Feb. 10, 1846, aged 39. Martha White, died Deo. 11, 1874, aged 78.

Samuel Mann, died March 11, 1808, aged 50.

Amelia Mann, died Deo. 17, 1790, aged 30.

William Fullerton, died Nov. 10, 1827, aged 63; his wife, Hannah, died May 8, 1797, aged 29; his wife, Barbara, died Jan. 12, 1803, aged 34; his wife, Jane, died March 21, 1820, aged 58.

Daniel Fleming, died Aug. 20, 1819, aged 58; his wife, Susannah, died Dec. 16, 1896, aged 59. Daniel Fleming, Jr., died Jan. 21, 1890, aged 21.

Thomas MoKean, died Nov. 11, 1841, aged 78; his wife, Margaret, died June 94, 1887, aged 78.

John Cavett, born June 7, 1778, died Tob. 28, 1872.

John Cavett, died Oot. 5, 1847, aged 77; his wife, Jane, died Dec. 27, 1827, aged 51; his wife, Elisabeth Cavett, died March 16, 1845, aged 50. Andrew Carson, died May 18, 1830, aged 35. Jacob Cort, died Oct. 13, 1858, aged 47.

Mrs. Mary Ward, died April 15, 1828, aged 62.

Hannah, wife of John Gray, died July 30, 1860, aged 58.

Boyd Ward, died Dec. 21, 1848, aged 65; his wife, Nancy, died April 20, 1840, aged 40.

Catherine Huffnagle, died Feb. 21, 1848, aged 80.

Juliet, wife of John Forsythe, died Aug. 16, 1834, aged 41.

Thomas Plumer, died March 8, 1811, aged 43; his wife, Ann, died May 20, 1815, aged 37.

Matthew Robinson, died May 28, 1883, aged 51; his wife, Rebecca, born 1794, died Oct. 11, 1865.

Jane Tilb, died Jan. 19, 1820. George Kennedy, died Dec. 17, 1841, aged 70.

John Boyd, died May 18, 1840, aged 78; his wife, Rachel, died Oct. 29, 1848, aged 68.

Joseph Hall, died Dec. 10, 1894, aged 53.

Charles Stewart, died July 2, 1836, aged 62.

Hannah, wife of William Woods, died Oot. 17, 1847, aged 75.

Robert Marshall, died Jan. 28, 1829, aged 63.

Samuel Wattira, died July 8, 1888, aged 51.

Rev. Christopher Hodgson, of M. E. Church ministry, born Sept. 12, 1811, died March 25, 1874.

Mary Osbarn, died Aug. 19, 1839, aged 00.

Samuel Logan, died June 7, 1828, aged 25.

Margaret, wife of David Logan, died July 30, 1843, at an advanced ago. Adam Coon, horn June 13, 1774, died April 28, 1864; his wife, Mary, born Jan. 1774, died Oct. 15, 1858.

William Caldwell, Sr., died Deo. 7, 1872, aged 79.

John Cooper, died 1820, aged 84; his wife, Jane, died 1796, aged 43. James Cooper, died 1826.

Alexander Cooper, died 1851.

James Rollins, died Nov. 17, 1792, aged 47.

Anthony Rollins, died Oct. 30, 1828, aged 87.

Henry Rolands, died 1812, aged 60.

Isaac Robinson, died April 18, 1812, aged 55; his wife, Jane, died Tob. . 22, 1828, aged 74.

Richard MeAnulty, died Oct. 20, 1823, aged 55; his wife, Elizabeth, died March 17, 1881, aged 83.

Julia Parks, died Jan. 6, 1834, aged 38.

William Parks, died Nov. 14, 1837, aged 78; his wife, Margaret, died May 7, 1832, aged 68.

Martha, wife of William Larimer, died Jan. 13, 1798, aged 27; her hus- band died Sept. 18, 1838, aged 67.

John Larimer, died Dec. 26, 1873, aged 80; his wife, Christiana, died May 16, 1864, aged 51.

Isaac Taylor, died Aug. 21, 1875, aged 83; his wife, Elizabeth, died Aug. 25, 1877, aged 71.

Benjamin Byerly, born May 15, 1791, died Jan. 8, 1864; his wife, Jane, born Sept. 2, 1796, died Jan. 22, 1852.

Thomas Sampson, died Tob. 2, 1846, aged 52.

Samuel Black, died Nov. 7, 1870, aged 70; his wife, Jane, died Oot. 2, 1876, aged 64.

BETHEL CHURCH (UNITED PRESBYTERIAN).

This church, originally called Brush Creek, was or- ganized in 1796-97, and was the third one of this de- nomination in the county. Its log edifice was re- placed in 1836 by the second building, which stood until 1881, when the present one was erected. Its first pastor was Rev. Matthew Henderson, and its present incumbent Rev. J. N. Dick.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

was organized Nov. 7, 1870, by Revs. R. Carothers, D. Harbison, and J. A. Marshall, with Elders Duncan Hamilton and D. W. Shryrock, with forty members and four ruling elders, viz. : Adam Byerly, Robert Hanna, William Kirker, and D. W. Highberger. For long years previous the place had been used as an outpost of Long Run Church in Redstone Presby- tery, and enjoyed considerable preaching from its pastor, not enough, however, to satisfy the desires of the Presbyterians at the station, or the Presbytery of Blairsville. Hence the organization and the early settlement of a pastor, Rev. D. L. Dickey, whose successors have been : 1873-77, R. M. Brown; 1877, James Kirk (stated supply); 1878-80, S. K. Howard;

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HISTORY OF WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1880-82, A. Z. McGovney. The present elders are C. L. Palmer, W. S. Bowman, Daniel Lenhart, Louis Marchand (also session clerk).

THE REFORMED CHURCH

was organized on the first Sunday in January, 1853, eight months before John Irwin laid out the town. The first pastor was Rev. S. H. Gilsy, whose succes- sors have been : 1856, T. J. Apple; 1857-61, L. H. Kefauver ; 1861-65, H. W. Super; 1866, George H. Johnston ; 1866-70, T. J. Barclay ; 1870-72, Walter E. Krebbs; 1878-79, J. M. Titzell; 1880-82, A. E. Truxal. John Irwin, founder of the town, gave the lot on which the edifice was erected in 1853. The fourteen original members were Joseph, Fanny, Elizabeth, Cyrus, Lucetta, Amanda, and Albert Cort, Samuel and Susan Perkins, Jacob and Anna Hershey, John Wigle and wife, Mary. The first elders were Joseph Cort, Jacob Hershey, S. Perkins, and John Wigle. The present elders are Joseph Cort, S. C. Remsberg, S. P. Highberger, Jacob Hershey ; deacons, William Moore, Adam Whitehead, George T. Keifer, Peter Hilt, Jr. The superintendent of Sunday-school is Abner Cort. The church membership is two hun- dred and forty.

THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN OF HOLY TRINITY was organized in 1874 by Rev. A. H. Bartholomew, who for two years served it with those of his charge. The following were members of the church council : J. B. Blyholder, Mr. Hunker, C. C. Painter. It then united with Trinity Church at Adamsburg, and in 1876 called Rev. V. B. Christy as pastor, who made his residence at Irwin. It purchased its lot in 1876, and erected its edifice in 1877. Its present pastor is Rev. Mr. Lund, who also ministers to the English Lutheran congregation. His services in the former are conducted in the Swedish language. Its Sunday- school superintendent is Charles Gustaven.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL

congregation was formed in 1859. Rev. W. P. Black- burn was the first pastor, whose successors have been : 1860-68, F. D. Fast ; 1863-66, W. F. Lauck; 1866- 67, G. W. Cranage; 1867-70, N. G. Miller ; 1870-73, J. H. Concla; 1878-75, S. P. Wolf; 1875, David Mc- Cready ; 1875-77, Homer G. Smith; 1877-79, Noble G. Miller; 1879, R. Hamilton; 1880-82, Earl D. Holtz. The trustees are S. Ridinger, Cyrus Bill- himer, D. P. Highberger, Samuel Wood; Superin- tendent of Sunday-school, Prof. E. B. Sweeny. Orig- inally a circuit appointment, it is now a station of the Pittsburgh Conference. The church membership is two hundred. The church is on Main Street, and the parsonage faces on Third Street.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN (OF IRWIN).

This congregation was organized Oct. 17, 1874, from the parent "Bethel" Church, two and a half miles southwest of town. The first elders were Thomas

Shaw, Samuel Gill, John Rose, David Shaw, M. C. Ekin. Rev. E. N. McElree was pastor until 1877, and was succeeded by Rev. C. B. Hatch, the present incumbent. The church edifice was erected in the winter of 1868, when the members were component parts of the old Bethel congregation. It is a frame structure, situated on Maple Street, and has a commo- dious basement and lecture-room. John Fulton is the Sunday-school superintendent. The church mem- bership is one hundred and sixteen.

CHURCH OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (RO- MAN CATHOLIC)

is a substantial brick structure, with priest's residence adjoining the frame school hall. Before its erection masses were said in the old school-house and at pri- vate dwellings. Rev. M. Murphy has been the pastor since 1872. The congregation was organized and church erected in 1867. The corner-stone of the building was laid Aug. 15, 1867. Rev. T. Mullen, vicar-general of the diocese, in the absence of Bishop Domenec, officiated. In the afternoon a lecture was delivered by Rev. Father Ward.

WELSH CONGREGATIONAL. Services are held every Sabbath at 10 A.M.

SCHOOLS.

The citizens of North Huntingdon township eagerly accepted the free-school system, voting almost unani- mously in its favor. The then boundary of the town- ship contained six rude school-houses; now within its limits there are twenty houses and twenty-two schools. Among the prominent teachers after the adoption of the school law were Theodore Woods, the McCormick family, and many others. At a later date were J. R. Howell, J. Brennaman, W. P. Dewalt, E. B. Sweeny, Miss Sue Dewalt, Miss S. Smith, and many other good names. Among the prominent di- rectors were Dr. R. B. Marchand, William Wray, H. Larimer, John Gaut, William Kunkle, A. Duff, and others. In 1882 the Irwin school board consists of Dr. G. L. Humphreys (president), S. D. Lauffer (sec- retary), Joseph Copeland (treasurer), D. C. Schaff, James Gregg, Rev. J. M. Dick, D.D.

The commodious two-story brick school building was erected in 1867.

The teachers in 1882 are:

High School, Prof. J. Chamberlain ; Room No. 4, W. B. Caldwell ; No. 3, E. B. Sweeny ; No. 2, E. B. MoCormick ; No. 1, Mies Bertha E. Reed.

UNION CEMETERY

is located. about a mile east of the town, on the Greensburg turnpike, and among its burials are the following :

Col. Jobn Irwin, died Tob. 15, 1822, aged 82; his wife, Elisabeth, died June 3, 1818, aged 70.

James Irwin, died July 24, 1833, aged 82; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 17, 1836, aged 45.

John Irwin, born Oct. 9, 1811, died June 7, 1876; his first wife, born Sept. 14, 1811, died June 22, 1830.

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Martha Atlee, wife of W. F. Caruthers, born Ang. 6, 1812, died July 6, 1876. Samuel QUI, born May 14, 1807, died Sept. 5, 1875. Elisabeth, wife of Joseph Lenhart, died Nov. 94, 1862, aged 50. Mrs. Mary E. George, born April 6, 1881, died Oct. 21, 1878.

Fame B., wife of Thomes H. Irwin, born Dec. 28, 1842, died March 8, 1865. William Sobribler, died June 7, 1870, aged 65.

Robert Wilson, died Jan. 8, 1846, aged 70; his wife, Jane, died Feb. 20, 1863, aged 62.

James Wilson, Jr., died May 12, 1847, aged 28. Elizabeth Wilson, wife of R. A. Hope, died Dec. 11, 1878, aged 49. . Jacob B. Saam, born June 90, 1830, died Tob. 11, 1879. Henry Kebort, died Aug. 29, 1877, aged 66. Jacob Cole, died June 21, 1878, aged 37.

Martin Bowers, died June 8, 1873, aged 36. Elisabeth, wife of Dr. D. D. Taylor, died -, aged 50. Mary, wife of John D. Evans, died March 27, 1876, aged 36. Mary J., wife of D. W. Highberger, died July 6, 1870, aged 32. Charles Robinson, died Sept. 15, 1879, aged 42. Thomas Williams, died Nov. 27, 1878, aged 51. Sarah Sowash, died Feb. 9, 1862, aged 38.

THE CATHOLIC CEMETERY

is near the above, and among its oldest interments are

Joseph Mason, died Sept. 28, 1876, aged 67; his wife, Julia, died June 1, 1879, aged 71.

Frank Finnigan, died Jan. 8, 1880, aged 70; his wife, Mary, died April 11, 1880, aged 68. Eve, wife of John W. Hugo, died July 16, 1876, aged 55. John Flannigan, died Nov. 2, 1876, aged 63. Thomas Dolan, died June 17, 1877, aged 51.

IRWIN BOROUGH.

Irwin is located on the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad, twenty-two miles east of Pittsburgh, and is situated in the heart of the bituminous coal region of Western Pennsylvania. When the railroad was fin- ished, in 1852, the site of the town was a forest of (mainly) white-oak timber. In 1844 there was only one house here, which was owned by Thomas Shaw, and an old log cabin occupied by a coal-digger. John Irwin, its founder, laid out the first plan of lots in September, 1853, to which he subsequently made several additions. The original plan called 'for but one street, called "Main," extending from the rail- road to the Reformed Church. The first addition was First, Second, Third, Fourth, Oak, and Walnut Streets. The second addition comprised a nine-acre lot. He also built the "Stewart House."

The greatest change in the place was brought about by the coal companies. Just one month after the first through train passed over the railroad Thomas A. Scott and William Coleman commenced, in De- cember, 1852, to open the mines and ship bituminous coal to distant markets. They continued to operate until 1856, when they sold out to the Westmoreland Coal Company, which had been incorporated in 1854. This company began operations at Larimer's Station, and has grown until its field of operations extends from below Manor Station to beyond Spring Hill. The Penn Gas-Coal Company was incorporated in 1859, and commenced shipping from Penn Station. In 1866 it bought out the Coal Run Railroad, which had been built in the same year by Painter & Lauf-

fer, and began work near this borough. In 1874 it built the Youghiogheny Railroad and opened mines near the mouth of Big Sewickley Creek.

In November, 1864, the borough was incorporated,1 the necessary survey for the same having been made by John McCormick, then seventy-five years of age, and H. F. Ludwick.

The first borough officers were elected in 1865, viz .: Burgess, H. F. Ludwick; Clerk, S. C. Remsburg; Councilmen, John Irwin, William F. Caruthers, Jacob Goehring, John McWilliams, Abner Cort; Treasurer, J. J. Hurst. The officers in January, 1882, were : Burgess, J. M. Dinsmore; Clerk, S. C. Remsburg; Council, David Steel, C. W. Pool, R. M. Fulton, J. H. Orr, George Sowash, Jr., C. R. Fritch- man; Treasurer, John D. Brown; High Constable, Philip Bussue.

The first store in the town was kept by John George, in the property now owned by George H. Irwin.

In the early part of 1868 a visitor at Irwin des- cribed the town in the following article. As this was shortly after its incorporation, we regard it as val- uable and of interest to the later generation :

"Irwin Station is situated on the Pennsylvania Railroad, ten miles west of Greensburg, and has of late become one of the most important stations along the line. In connection with and adjoining the station a village was laid out, which a short time since was incorporated under the title of ' the Borough of Irwintown.' On visiting this borough on Saturday last we found that Latrobe had not monopolized all the enter- prise in our county, for that spirit exists to a very eminent and com- mendable degree in Irwintown.

" The first house on the site of the town now so thickly populated was built in the spring of 1854 by John George, Esq., who immediately set- tied therein. Here be found himself alone in the woods, without a habitation in sight, and surrounded on all sides by a dense forest. But he was not long to remain alone, for in quick succession the trees of the forest disappeared before the woodman's axe, and buildings were erected with surprising rapidity. The dreary and apparently repulsive side-hill seemed to be inviting to the energetic pioneer, whose industry and labor soon changed the aspect from a dull, uninteresting forest to a flourish- ing, beautiful, and pleasant borough of one thousand inhabitants.

"We purpose to make a brief sketch of the improvements which came under our notice, hoping that it will tend to stimulate to extra exertion towards progression in the future, and that their brilliant rec- ord for enterprise in the past may be outshone by themselves.

" There are three hotels within the Mmits of the borough, all of which are kept in good, orderly style. The Guffey House is situated on the corner of Second and Oak Streets, is a large three-story building, con- taining nineteen comfortable and commodious sleeping-rooms, two large and handsomely furnished parlors, a large and comfortable dining- hall, a reading-room and bar-room, besides the portions occupied by the landlord's family. It is so situated as to command a beautiful view of

1 On the 23d of August, 1864, the petition of the citizens of the town of Irwin was presented to the court, in which was set forth in the usual form and by the usual terms the inconvenience under which they suf- fered from want of being Incorporated, and asking the court to incor- porate the aforesaid Irwintown. The court, after the same had been regularly passed on by the grand jury at the August sessions, 1864, or- dered and decreed on the 14th of November, 1864, that the prayer of the petitionera should be granted; that the inhabitants residing within the limits set forth should be incorporated under the name and style of the borough of Irwin ; that the first borough election should be held on the first Monday in December, 1864 ; that the election should be held in the school-house in the borough ; that John McCormick should give notice of the election, and that Stephen Ridinger should be judge, and John Mc Williams and Derwin Taylor inspectors. Nov. 28, 1864, it was ordered that the borough of Irwin should be a separate school district.

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the railroad east and west, the coal-works, and all the surrounding country on the north side of the house. The landlord, Mr. John Guffey, is an obliging gentleman, and neglects nothing which will contribute to the comfort of his guests. The table is provided with all the choice viands the market affords, dished up in the best style which an experi- caced and obliging landlady can conceive. The bar is well kept, hand- comely decorated, and furnished with all kinds of liquor. On the whole, this hotel is a credit to the town, and should be visited by everybody who chances to stop off at Irwin. The other hotels, kept respectively by Wm. Twigger on Main Street, and Joseph L. McQuistion on the railroad, are good houses and have every facility for the accommodation of questa.

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 135

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

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