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TIMELINE 1849-1899 | Diet 1849-1899 | Education 1849-1899 | Health 1849-1899 | Industrial 1849-1899 | Religion 1849-1899 | War 1849-1899
TIMELINE: 1849-1899
1849
Lawrence County is formed from Beaver and Mercer County March 20.
The Father of Lawrence County
You can read a brief biographical sketch of Senator David Sankey, the “Father of Lawrence County” on the Pennsylvania State Senate website.
1850
First Court of Common Pleas held in First Methodist Church on South Jefferson Street, New Castle.
1850 (July)
Photo by John Mitchell
Many communities formed militias. The Lawrence Guards was the first military drill unit formed in New Castle. It was organized in July 1850 by Major W.W. Taylor. This picture was taken by John Mitchell at McGuffin’s Corner. Judge L.L. McGuffin is standing in the doorway.
1852
Lawrence County Court House completed at a cost of $32,000.
Westminster College founded in New Wilmington.
First McConnell’s Mill built.
1854
Wil-Roy furnace built in Slippery Rock Township.
1855
Bank of New Castle established.
1860
Population of County 20,000.
The Canal Boom
The canals were a boom to the local economy, but a financial disaster for the commonwealth. It cost $519,364 to build the Beaver Division of the canal and in a decade $210,360 was spent to maintain it. However, tolls only brought in $38,312. The canal era ended with the coming of the railroads which offered much greater speed and capacity for freight and passengers, as well as year round service.
The Eagle, a new boat on the New Castle Packet line, prepares to leave one of its scheduled stops (September 8, 1860). Packets, primarily used for passenger service, left the New Castle packet landing at 12 noon and 7:30 p.m., arriving at New Brighton at 7 p.m. and 4 p.m., timed to make connections with trains going east and west.
1861 – 1865
CIVIL WAR
Over 4,000 men from Lawrence County served – Nearly 500 lost their lives 1864
1864
Villa Maria began by the Sisters of the Humility of Mary on William Merrin farm
1865
President Abraham Lincoln assassinated
1866
First limestone quarries opened for by Green, Marquis and Johnson.
1867
Shenango Hall (later the Opera House then the Capital Theater) opens on South Mercer Street, New Castle.
1874
Wampum Cement and Lime (Shinn Brothers) began operation.
1876
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
1882
Water system established in New Castle.
1886
Gospel hymn composer, Ira D. Sankey donates first YMCA to New Castle.
1886
The Park Opera House on the Diamond (New Castle) opens
1887
Hillsville limestone quarry workers
Bessemer Limestone and Cement started
1889
First electric plant in New Castle.
First street car service in New Castle.
1891
Elliott Brothers Steel Company established. One of first strip steel mills.
1892
Ellwood City is created. Ellwood City became a booming industrial town within a short period of time.
1892
McKinley Tariff act passed
1893
Fazzoni Fireworks begins operations
The first fireworks manufacturer in New Castle was Leopold Fazzoni, who owned and operated the Fazzoni Brothers Fireworks Company. Mr. Fazzoni came to New Castle from Italy in 1886 and worked in the tin mills to earn enough money to start his own business.
Mr. Fazzoni was issued the first certificate for fireworks manufacturing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Of the people who worked with the Fazzoni family, many founded their own businesses, such as: Paul Rozzi, Jacob Conti, Constantino Vitale, and Joseph Zambelli.
1893
Greer Tin Mill opens
The McKinley Tariff of 1890 was the highest protective tariff enacted in American history up to that time. It sought to protect already established industries and encourage new industries, such as tin plate. This had monumental implications for New Castle’s economy. America was the leading consumer of tin plate, but had few existing producers. Local entrepreneurs George and Charles Greer saw an excellent opportunity. With the financial backing of William Foltz and R.F. Cunningham, the Greer’s opened the Greer Tin Mill in 1893. This mill would become the largest in the world.
1895
First seamless steel tubes in America pierced at Ellwood Weldless Tube
1896
Nancy’s Island opened in Pulaski
1897
Frank Jongrass hanged at Lawrence County Court house for murdering his fiancée.
1897
Cascade Park opens in New Castle.
Cascade Park was once the entertainment center of Western Pennsylvania. Once a popular picnic spot known as Big Run Falls. It was developed into a trolley park in 1897 by the New Castle Traction Company. Designed by leading landscape architect, Frank Blaisdell, the buildings and amusements enhanced the natural beauty of the setting.
Now available in MP4 Video
To learn more about the history of Cascade Park, see our video and read our books.
1898
Spanish-American War
Company B 16th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, marched down Court House Hill as they departed for war.
1899
New Castle treasurer, John Blevins, found murdered in his office at city hall.
DIET 1849-1899
Meal preparation in the early days of the county consumed more of the family’s time and energy than we can imagine today. Certain foods were natural to the area and were picked in season and some such as hickory nuts, black walnuts, hazelnuts and chestnuts could be saved all winter. Wild berries were plentiful. Wild strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and elderberries provided a treat in the spring and summer. Such delicacies as strawberry shortcake, berry pie and cobbler are still favorites.
Every home had a least one gun for protection and hunting. Venison, wild turkey, squirrel and rabbit together with fresh fish could round out a meal.
Corn was the most versatile dietary ingredient. Corn meal in many forms was the basis of most meals. It was used for Johnny cake, corn pone, and boiled to make mush which was eaten with meat gravy. Cold mush could be fried and eaten with syrup or honey. Once gardens were planted, the family’s diet included potatoes, squash, cabbage, rhubarb, turnips, and grains for flour.
Farmers began raising pigs for meat, cows for milk and beef, chickens for eggs and Sunday dinner. Bread was an important part of every meal, but making yeast bread was a time consuming prospect in the early 19th century. The yeast had to be made at home, the bread had to rise for several hours, oven baking required time to pre-heat the oven. Ovens were not regulated so bread could not be put in the oven and left to bake without constant checking on it.
Food preparation was a family affair. Meat had to be cured and smoked. Jellies and jams had to be made. Apples and pears were picked, peeled, cored and dried. Apple butter had to be made, cabbages, potatoes and turnips were buried to prevent freezing. Nuts were hulled and stored.
Tea and coffee were rare and expensive. Tea was made from sassafras roots or other herbs, and a coffee-like drink was made from a variety of including wheat, barley and rye. There was also homemade cider, wine and other liquors. This restricted diet, without access to essential vitamins and minerals in the winter often led to many diseases such as rickets and pellagra and contributed to the high mortality rate of the period.
EDUCATION 1849-1899
What we now know as Lawrence County was settled by the Scottish-Irish and Germans. They came to the area early, some before the American Revolution. They cleared the land and built shelter. The Scottish were fiercely independent and if their independence was threatened, they moved further west.
The first settlers were usually single men, or men who came with a group to plot the land and build shelter before returning East for their wives. As their families arrived better homes were built and as the community grew, they built churches and schools.
The main reading material in the home and the schools was the Bible. The children learned to read,write, and do sums (math). Discipline was harsh. School was short at first, three months each year, as the children were needed to work the land and help support the family. The first teachers were paid by the families of the children. If they did not live close by, they boarded with some of the families. While we do not know when the first school was established in the county, it is known that there was a log school house near Harlansburg in 1800 or 1801.
The first school buildings were one room and they had a log fireplace for heat. Oiled paper gave light through the windows. The older boys helped with the firewood. Restroom facilities were outside. Paper was scarce so the students used hornbooks. A hornbook was made of wood and was shaped like a paddle. Paper was attached to the hornbook. Printed on the paper were numbers, the alphabet and Bible verses. A thin piece of clear horn stretched over the paper to protect it.
Drinking water was pumped from a well into a common water bucket and each child drank from a common dipper. Lunches would be carried from home and usually consisted of cornbread, fruit in season, and homemade cookies or cake. When the first public school act passed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1834, it was to insure that every child would be able to attend school and get the basics of a good education. The schools would be paid for through local taxes and state appropriations. Lawrence County in 1862 levied $23,646 in taxes and received $2,184 from the state. The cost of teaching 6,910 students averaged 52 cents per month per student. The teachers did not have to have the education they have now. They would complete grammar school and go to what was called a “select school”. They were then qualified to teach.
Teachers earned an average monthly salary of $27.45 for men and $17.84 for women. In 1841, the Commonwealth tried to repeal the public school act. Thaddeus Stevens, an aggressive, uncompromising member of the Pennsylvania legislature led the fight to defeat the bill.
From the Brady-Handy photograph collection, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
As the community grew, schools were built in every area. By 1858 New Castle had two large school buildings. One on North Jefferson Street and one on Pearson Street. In 1875 after what the New Castle News called a somewhat stormy session, the school directors of the First and Second wards of the city established a high school on the second floor of the Knox building on South Mill (known as the Warner Theatre). It had 18 students and one teacher.
North Street School First Grade Class 1895
HEALTH 1849-1899
By 1849 health care in Lawrence County was at a watershed. New discoveries and applications of new medicines, knowledge of the human body, and the growing professionalism of medical practice would be a benefit to the new county.
The main cause of poor health was the lack of knowledge about sanitation. People just did not realize the connection between unsanitary conditions and sickness. They tossed garbage and human wastes into streets and yards. Horse drawn vehicles also added to the wastes in the city streets. Insects were common pests. Flies and mosquitoes were numerous. While an annoyance, the insects were not suspected of spreading disease.
The lack of concern about public health and sanitation resulted in much sickness. Summer through fall was known as the “sickly season” with typhoid, dysentery, as well as smallpox and cholera. Winter and spring brought measles, pneumonia, tuberculosis, scarlet fever and whooping cough. Accidents and assorted mishaps–burns, bites, injuries often proved to be fatal if the victim was far from a doctor’s care. And doctor’s were few and far between. The few doctors tried valiantly to combat illness without the benefit of antibiotics, anesthesia, or proper equipment. But sometimes they contributed to the patients ill health. Most early doctors were unaware of contagion and many failed to associate unsanitary conditions with disease.
The standard cure was to cleanse the system by the use of cathartics (bowels), emetics (stomach) and diuretics (urinary tract). Other tonics were give to promote a “copious” perspiration. Because of the lack of anesthesia, little surgery was attempted. Amputation was performed if necessary. Childbirth was very chancy, any abnormality in the delivery of the child usually led to the death of the mother. Still the average family had eight children.
After the Civil War, anesthesia and antiseptics were available. Doctors also were better trained, but there was still little they could do to overcome the overcrowded living conditions and poor diet. Epidemics still ran rampant. It wasn’t until the 1880’s that water purification systems became part of every city. While that helped, it had little effect as long as school children still used a common drinking cup, and the same sanitary facilities.
INDUSTRIAL 1849-1899
Shenango Iron Works
Reis, Brown and Berger, also known as the Shenango Iron Works, was built in 1845 by J.H. Brown, J. Higgs, and G. Thomas. It was christened the Oriza Iron Works and prospered until 1859. Due to the lack of adequate transportation, the business failed. It was vacant from 1859 until 1863. It was then purchased by Reis, Richards, and Berger. It was completely renovated with an improved rolling mill, nail factory, and furnace. When the railroads came to New Castle in 1864, the firm prospered. In 1864, W.H. Brown purchased the interests of Mr. Richards. As more railways connected with the city, the firm continued to grow. It added an extensive brick works and new furnace (Little Pet and Rosena). At one time, the plant was the largest employer in New Castle. In 1877, the payroll alone reached $45,000 per month.
Amalgamated Loses Support
In the late 1890’s, two major trends undermined Amalgamated’s position. Steel replaced iron as America’s basic metal, making the skills of foundrymen obsolete. Steel makers also introduced new machines that could be operated by unskilled laborers. The union refused to admit these unskilled workers, many of which belonged to a growing population of immigrants.
Early Unionization
New Castle has a reputation for labor activism. In the early days of industry, many local workers were members of Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers. Its members were primarily skilled or semi-skilled workers.
In the early 1900’s, New Castle was a one industry town. Individuals and families made decisions based on predictions of how the tin mill was running. Even local entertainment evolved around the mill. Children played at the company playground and attended movies at the company theater.
RELIGION 1849-1899
The people in Lawrence County in 1849 were probably more religious than today, but less churched. Church membership was a serious decision, so it is not surprising that while attendance at services was high, membership was low.
The earliest churches were Presbyterians and Lutherans. Followed by the Methodists, Baptists Episcopalians, and Deciples of Christ. The influx of Irish during the Canal period brought the Catholic Church to the area, and it continued to grow with the influx of Southern Europeans and Slovaks during the tin mill era.
WAR (SPANISH AMERICAN) 1898
The U. S. battleship Maine exploded in Havana harbor on the night of February 15, 1898. The exact cause of the explosion has never been determined, but the U. S. government believed it had been done by Spain. And on April 25, 1898 war was declared.
War fever was high in Lawrence County. Everyone was all steamed up and we school kids were parading around in groups singing, “The Maine, the Maine — remember the Maine.”
I can remember very distinctly the vast crowd of people who gathered around the Court House where the enlistments were being taken in the court room. There were several doctors, but I remember Dr. Pollock most easily. The jury rooms, etc were used for the examinations while the crowd hung around the corridors in the court rooms.
On July 9, 1898, Company B 16th Regiment, Pa. Volunteer Infantry was ready to go. Shortly after noon, the giant crowd assembled in and about the Court House. As the court bell rang, the fire bell and the whistles blew and the company marched down the court house hill to the old Union Depot (Clark’s Studio) where they loaded up and left on the old Pittsburgh & Western Railroad. As the train pulled out Joe Trax blazed away with his Custer cannon.
There was a huge crowd in New Castle that day. The Grand Army paraded (there were still lots of them in 1898). Cars of the troop train were lined up past the Excelsior Hotel (empty lot across from Clark’s) and I recall the engine which hauled the train was trimmed up in red, white and blue bunting.
– Clifford L. Vance, A History of Lawrence County