To whom would I write to find deed information on property owned by my family in the 1920's. They are listed as owning a home on Chestnut St. in the 1910 and 1920 census of Lawrence Co., New Castle City. Linda

I noticed on the cemetery page the mention of the Villa Maria Convent, Pulaski Township. I have family stories of two sisters from our family liveing in Lawrence Co. who became nuns. The family lived in neighboring Neshannock Township. I'm wondering if this convent still exists and if so is there anyone to contact who might be able to help me. I'm looking for Mary b. 1908, Audrey b.1911 or possibly Nancy b. 1915 surname RICHARDS. Their parents were Emerson R. and Stella RICHARDS. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Linda

My great grandmother, Kinbury Parker (ELLIMAN) BROWN NYE died in the Lawrence County Home in 1954. Does anyone know if there is a cemetery there that she may have been buried in? Thank you....any and all info greatly appreciated. Linda ronm@westol.com

Stone Church Graveyard: I am searching for the graaves of Jacob A. Richards b. May 1852; and Nancy E. Richards b. Feb. 1852. They were living in New Castle City in the 1920's and were already in their 70's. Are there other cemetaries that were/are located in New Castle City? I would appreciate it if someone could do a lookup in this cemetary and/or advise me on other cemetaries to check. Thanks. Linda

Here are some new things at the Lawrence County USGenWeb site. <A HREF="http://www.rootsweb.com/~palawren">www.rootsweb.com/~palawren</A> Biographies! S. Clark McCreary, Samuel McCreary and Robert Richfort Roberts Fisher - from Stephen Fisher. Biography and photo of Rev. John Blaisdell. Original biographies and photos of Adeline Israel Kroesen and William Frederick Leathers from Ethel L. Winterhalter. Reach the biographies from the right side bar of the main page. Photos! Agnes Regna and Thompsons Ice Cream, St. Joseph's School 8th Grade New Castle from Judy Champion Frates Robert Davis Kroesen, Mary Elizabeth Pierce Kroesen, Carl Lewis Leathers, Margaret Stevenson Leathers from Ethel L. Winterhalter. Hiram Bruce and an Unknown Child, Allen Children, Dunavin's Residence, George Riddle Allen and Family 1920, George Riddle Allen and family 1896, Great Great Grandmother Bruce, Lena Allen and Friend, Unknown Man and Unknown Couple - all from Roland and Lynn Mack. Home of Laura Adams Wilson, Ellwood City Police Department, Andrew Wilson and the Pulaski Cornet Band from Brent Morgan. Arna Barr, Elizabeth Macklin, Doris Shawkee and Jane Baker from the Westminster College Argo, 1933. Helen McConahy from S. Slater. Wilson McCall Stewart from Cindy Baughman, Charles H. Owrey Family from Teresa Blake. Faculty New Castle High School 1928, United Presbyterian Church - Westminster College Campus, Lawrence Hotel - Ellwood City, Public Square - New Castle, Soldiers Monument - New Castle, Washington Street Looking West - New Castle, Fountain Inn - New Castle, Lawrence Avenue Looking West - Ellwood City. That brings our photo count to 124. Good work! We're right on track to reach 200 by the end of the month. Ancestral Heroes! Civil War - James A. Gardner, James Law Banks War of 1812 - James Gault, Jesse Morrow, Revolutionary War - James Glenn, Price Dilley, Joseph Hennon World War I - James B. Mohney World War II - Thomas Alexander Rouser, Charles Edwin Douglas, Kenneth James Slater, John Joseph Franze, Donald G. McCandless, Walter Veza/Wyza. Thanks to Brenda Sensky, Angelo Filigenzi, Charla Rouser Beighley, Jeanne Douglas Singo, S. Slater, Donna E. Mohney, and Peggy Shrader. World War I info on Carl Lewis Leathers, Civil War Info and a 1922 interview with Robert Davis Kroesen from Eithel L. Winterhalter. Roster of Lawrence County Revolutionary War Soldiers and Roster of Lawrence County Civil War Soldiers from Judy Champion Frates. Reach these and the Ancestral Heroes from the link to the main military section page on the right toolbar of the main page. Obituaries! James A. Gardner, Mary Elizabeth Frew Gardner, John Ward, Alexander Jordan, Michael Jordan from S. Slater.......Arthur R. Milliken, May Milliken, Harry G. Milliken, Russell D. Milliken, John D. Neff, Lewis K. Pickel and Hazel A. Marsh Pickel from Michael A. Milliken......Alexander McConahy from Donna E. Mohney......Hiram Bruce from Roland and Lynn Mack.......Mary Ann Connor Book Mansfield, Joseph F. Priesel, Mary E. Welsh Preisel, Emma Gardner Gardner, Francis Xavier Gardner, Effie Gardner Wilson, Arthur Odel Johnston, Charlotte Temple Dover Johnston, Lucius Eugene Johnston, Samuel Richard Johnston, Sidney Duwayne Johnston, William Sidney Johnston, Bessie Johnston Rusu, Rev. George Rusu Sr, Buelah Johnston Choco and Alexander Cioco from Bea Mansfield.....Olive Francis Stewart Adams, Hazel Ethel Currie Adams, and two obituaries and excerpt from a third obituary on Charles Atwood Adams from Janice Worley. More Cemetery listing pages and several hundred more "Add-A-Grave" cemetery listings. Also a list of the Cemetery inscription books written by Dwight Copper and a new cemetery lookups page. Reach all of this from the Cemetery link on the left toolbar of the main page. And the books and lookups page is on line now. Reach it from the left toolbar of the main page. It's not too late, if you have some Lawrence County material - books, cds, yearbooks you'd like to do lookups from - we can always add you to the page. And, for those of you wanting a lookup from "Plain Grove, A History of it's settlement", hang in there. The book isn't indexed, so it's taking me a little longer than I though it would. Well, that's it for now. There's always more to add. Teri USGenWeb Coordinator for Lawrence, Mercer and Crawford Counties

Can someone tell me if the Ellwood City Library archives the Ellwood City Newspapers. Do they provide the service of searching for an obituary, similar to the service the New Castle Library provides?

I recently found out through my Great Grandfathers obituary his fathers name. Does any one have access to the Death index for Lawrence County. I need a date of death for Benjamin Donaldson so I can order a death certificate. I am looking for a Benjamin Donaldson who died between 1903 and 1909. I have no clue as to what date. The only thing I know about him is he married Eva Hopes( also seen spelled Hoopes). He and Eva lived in Mahoningtown in 1903 when thier son Raymond Morton Donaldson was born. By the time of the 1910 census Eva had moved back to the home of her parents in Hubbard,OH. Benjamin supposively had a brother named Raymond as well. Any info on this family would be appreciated. Thank you Tammy

I have many Richeal family members showing on the Mercer Census for Springfield Twp. I believe that the Richeal family in Slippery Rock, Lawrence Co. is from the same family. I would love to hear from anyone researching this line pattypainter@cs.com

David, You wrote, "I would appreciate it if someone could tell me where "Graceland Cemetery" is located. I suspect that it is in New Castle, but need to confirm that. David Leslie White Fort Worth, Texas Researching WHITE, LESLIE, FULLERTON, KELSO, McBRIDE, SILLIMAN in Lawrence County." ----------------------------------------------- The cemetery is in New Castle. Ken

I would appreciate it if someone could tell me where "Graceland Cemetery" is located. I suspect that it is in New Castle, but need to confirm that. David Leslie White Fort Worth, Texas Researching WHITE, LESLIE, FULLERTON, KELSO, McBRIDE, SILLIMAN in Lawrence County.

This interview which was given by my great grandfather, Robert Davis Kroesen, in 1922 when he was 75 years old, tells of his youth, from the 1850's and life until the early 1900's. It has too much interesting material about schooling, child labor, the canals in New Castle, PA, among other things to moulder away in a dark file.. Perhaps you would like to include it in What's new at the PALawrence site. I am also including a bit about the smallpox epidemic of 1882 when Robert (Bob) and his mother volunteered as nurses to help the stricken, which was the way they did things in those days. Much different than today. Robert and his mother, Adeline Israel Kroesen, had both had smallpox so they could nurse the sick without fear of getting the disease again. I hope you find this write-up useful Sincerely, Ethel L. Winterhalter Copyright @2001 elw@stargate.net 3705 Rosebriar Avenue Glenshaw, PA 15116 ROBERT DAVIS KROESEN INTERVIEW 1922 Quoted from his interview in the New Castle NEWS, November 8, 1922 when he was 75 years old."My father's name was William and my mother's name was Adeline. I was born in Allegheny County, PA, May 4, 1847. When I was two years old (1849) my people moved to Mahoningtown and two years later, 1851, moved to Moravia Street in the vicinity of Big Run. I attended the Pollock school. My first teacher, (1853) was George McAnlis. When I was seven years old, I started to carry staves and set up kegs. We had only three months schooling a year in those days. By 1861, when I was 14 years old, I had learned the trade of making kegs and barrels, called the cooper's trade and had become a journeyman. There were no railroads in New Castle at that time. Passengers and freight not hauled by canal boat, were hauled by stage or wagon to Enon Valley which was the nearest point of connection with the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railway. Iron ore, limestone and much of the coal for the furnaces and mills, in fact, all kinds of freight that is now moved by railroad, was then hauled by wagon or canal boat. The New Castle and Beaver Valley Railway from Homewood to New Castle was built in 1863. The old mill was a rolling mill located on a point near the confluence of the Shenango and Neshannock rivers, a short distance from the old black bridge that was taken away by the by the big flood of 1913." When asked for the layout of the canal system, Uncle Bob continued. "The general route of the canal which extended from Erie to Pittsburgh was beginning at Sharon to South Street, New Castle. The very ground that is now occupied by the Erie railroad. Along every canal is a tow path, which is the road the mules traveled when pulling the boats. The railroad mentioned was built mostly on the tow path as it was already graded, ready for the ties. The canal bed was filled with cinder or earth. From Mill Street southward to New castle Jucntion the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad is built on the old canal site. Now I want to go back and explain about the canal from Harbor Bridge to the new mill. From a point about two miles above the Harbor Bridge to South street there was no canal but the boats used the slack water of the Shenango river. The slack water was the water backed up and deepened by the dam which was built across the Shenango river just below South street. The dam backed the water up to where the canal flowed into the river two miles above the Harbor Bridge, so that the boats would use the river clear down to South street" Do you know, Uncle Bob how the Harbor bridge got its name?" was asked. "I can tell you son, just exactly how it was. There was a regular harbor at that place and a number of boats would be tied up there all the time. It was something like a railroad yard. The farmers hauled their grain to that place and loaded it into the boats for shipment. So from that, the place became known as the harbor.and the bridge being there also gave the complete name." "When the boats were towed down the slack water in the Shenango river, to South street, where did they go from there?:" "Right at the west end of Shenango street and right above the dam, was a guard lock into which the boats stowed and were carried along the canal on South street to the aqueduct which crossed the Neshannock river where the dam is now located. On the south side of the Neshannock the aqueduct led into the canal which came out onto Mill street where the little old mill was. "The canal ran south along Mill street and down what is now the P.& L.E, R.R. clear to the junction." "How did the mules get across the Neshannock?" "There was no bridge across the Neshannock at Mill street at that time, except a narrow wooden exchange bridge about six feet wide for the mules to cross on. The people had to use that bridge as a foot bridge also but teams had to go to Washington Street, then called Pittsburgh street. "Did the canal have any 'branch runs' here in New Castle like the railroads have?" "Yes. The dam across the Neshannock crreated a slack water far up the river. The boats were towed up to the city wharf where the New Castle Dry Goods company store now stands and believe me that was some busy place. Boats wre there at all times, loading or unloading. When you consider that the canals handled both passengers and freight, you will have a better idea of what was going on." "How long did you work in the cooper shop making nail kegs?" The Keg Factory stood on Jefferson Street, near Center. Later became the Carnegie Co. play ground. I stayed there until 1863, then went to Rochester, PA and made flour barrels. At that time, I was 16 and considered a good cooper. December 2, 1863 I went to Youngstown and enlisted as a Private in Company N, 10th Ohio Cavalry and was mustered into the United States Service at Warren. In due time I joined the company at Bridgeport, Alabama and was given a horse and full equipment. My Captain was Henry Brown. After camping at Ringgold until Sherman reorganized his army, the Cavalry moved forward to Tunnel Hill, Pickajack Gap, Rockafore Ridge, Snake Creek Gap, Reseca, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. Then through Georgia under General Judson Kirkopatrick. The cavalry moved up the coast through South Carolina and to Durham Station, 50 miles above Raleigh, North Carolina where General Johnston surrendered April 26, 1865. I was mustered out in North Carolina and returned to New Castle, where I have been with few exceptions. I never lost a day while in the army because of sickness, never got hurt and was in three more battles than my company on account of being on detail. Upon my return to New Cawtle, I was 18 years old and went back into the keg factory for several years, then went into the glass factory at Croton to learn the trade. The factory was built in what was considered by some to be an out of the way place, in 1847, (the year I was born) by Anthony Henderson to manufacture window glass. There were no shipping facilities then as the railroads were not built. There was limestone, coal, sandstone and timber on the ground which was owned by Mr. Henderson. He had to all appearances everything at hand except the soda, which was shipped to Enon Valley on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail Road and from there hauled by wagon to the factory. Some of the employees were Harrison, William and Edward Cooley, Samuel Williams,Joseph Miller, John Cline, Wes Ross, the Townsends, Nixons and Vandergrifts. In 1880, I went to Baltimore and put in a year at the glas factory, during which time, my youngest daughter, Adaline, was born. Then John Knox sent for me to come and work in his new glass factory at Grant and Sampson streets in New Castle. This was known as the Sampson Factory. I was with him for twenty years, or until 1901, when he sold out to the American Window Glass Co. After that, I went to Pittsburgh for one fire of ten months, then to Falls Creek for three months, then returned to New Castle and worked one firefor Ed Norris at the Lawrence Factory, which was located north of West Washington Street at the west end of the Shenango River Bridge. That factory was originally built by the men on the co-operative plan. Judge Hazen was superintendent. After the plant was destroyed by fire, Forby Holton re-built it and operated it for several years until it passed into the hands of the American Window Glass Company. From the Lawrence, I went to Barnesville, Ohio and worked in the glass house there until February, 1907. William Hayes, a well known New Castle man, was manager of the plant. From Barnesville, I returned to New Castle and have not been working since. I worked as flattener at all the factories where I was employed. My wife was Mary Elizabeth Pierce of Hickory Township. We were maried February 7, 1867. My family consists of seven children, Alvah, Frank, Myrtle, Louise, Belle, Retta and Adalene all of whom are living (1922). My wife died in 1905" End of Interview Note: Robert Kroesen was born at Ninth street and Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA He died in New Castle,PA in 1923. ADDENDUM TO ROBERT KROESEN'S LIFE During the smallpox epidemic in New Castle, PA in 1872, Robert and his mother, Adeline Israel Kroesen, both of whom had already had smallpox, worked day and night to care for the suffering of those now afflicted. Fortunately, none of their own family were involved. Bob and Adeline stayed with the families they nursed and were away from home for well over three weeks. They didn't go home at all during that time so they wouldn't expose their own family to the dread disease. Robert's daughter, Louise, who was about seven at the time, remembers that they lived far enough away from the part of town where the eipidemic raged, that they prayed the dreaded pox would not affect them if certain precautions were taken. One of the most important was for ALL children to stay away from the affected area. Curiosity got the better of Louise. She decided to stroll through the off-limits part of town. Who would know? She was startled to hear someone call her name. When she located the source, she saw her grandmother, Adeline, at an open upstairs window. Adeline asked Louise to please bring her some more sheets, or have her mother send them over. Louise was so frightened and guilty that she almost choked. It was bad enough to have been discovered in the forbidden place, but her grandmother's apearance startled Louise so much that she ran all the way home. She thought that her usually neat little grandmother looked like either a devil or a witch. She was trembling too much to be able to think which. Adeline, poor soul, had been on the go day and night for weeks, with little or no time for the niceties, such as neatly combed hair. Her hair wa straggling in a way Louise had never seen before. Louise didn't realize at the time what a grueling ordeal Adeline was having. Louise, naturally, was afraid to reveal to her Mother that she had ventured into the infected area, so the message about the desperately needed sheets never got through. Unfortunately, the patients did not have the cooling and healing benefit of being wrapped in wet sheets to help bring down the high fever. Just of one of the many things Robert and his mother knew of the healing arts. Assembled by Ethel L. Winterhalter @ 2001 elw@stargate.net 3705 Rosebriar Avenue Glenshaw, PA 15116

New e-mail address rstott8@home.com Bob Stott

Hi, Could I make a suggestion about the list? Many of the Rootsweb list owners who never used to do it are now putting the list name, or at least part of it, in the subject line. There are several worms making the rounds that download when you open an email, and people are becoming wary of opening any email if they don't know where it comes from. I know that Rootsweb filters these out, but we don't know the email is from a Rootsweb list unless something in the subject line says so. Ann -- Ann Avery Hunter Richmond, Virginia mailto:annh@erols.com

I'd like to set up a books and lookups page for the Lawrence County USGenWeb site <A HREF="www.rootsweb.com/~palawren">www.rootsweb.com/~palawren</A> Nancy Hart Servin has the alumni book for Westminster College, 1854 - 1940. I have a copy of Plain Grove, A History of Its Early Settlement, 1884 Please look through your bookshelves and see what you have that you would be willing to do short lookups from....books, yearbooks, CDs.... and let me know. Does anyone out there have census CDs they'd be willing to do short lookups from? Also, thank you to everyone who has sent in a photo in the last few days.... we're on a good pace to reach 200 photos by the end of February. I should have those photos on line tomorrow. If you've been wanting to send in photos - and don't have a scanner or digital files of the photos - your photos can still be added to the Old Photos section. Contact me - and I'll give you a list of options on how to get the photos to me. Thanks for your help on the lookups project. Teri USGenWeb coordinator for Lawrence, Mercer and Craword Counties

This interview which was given by my great grandfathr, Robert Davis Kroesen, in 1922 when he was 75 years old, tells of his youth, from the 1850's and life until the early 1900's. It has too much interesting material about schooling, child labor, the canals in New Castle, PA, among other things to moulder away in a dark file.. Perhaps you would like to include it in What's new at the PALawrence site. I am also including a bit about the smallpox epidemic of 1882 when Robert (Bob) and his mother volunteered as nurses to help the stricken, which was the way they did things in those days. Much diffeent than today. Robert and his mother, Adeline Israel Kroesen, had both had smallpox so they could nurse the sick without fear of getting the disease again. I hope you find this write-up useful Sincerely, Ethel L. Winterhalter Copyright @2001 elw@stargate.net 3705 Rosebriar Avenue Glenshaw, PA 15116 ROBERT DAVIS KROESEN INTERVIEW 1922 Quoted from his interview in the New Castle NEWS, November 8, 1922 when he was 75 years old."My father's name was William and my mother's name was Adeline. I was born in Allegheny County, PA, May 4, 1847. When I was two years old (1849) my people moved to Mahoningtown and two years later, 1851, moved to Moravia Street in the vicinity of Big Run. I attended the Pollock school. My first teacher, (1853) was George McAnlis. When I was seven years old, I started to carry staves and set up kegs. We had only three months schooling a year in those days. By 1861, when I was 14 years old, I had learned the trade of making kegs and barrels, called the cooper's trade and had become a journeyman. There were no railroads in New Castle at that time. Passengers and freight not hauled by canal boat, were hauled by stage or wagon to Enon Valley which was the nearest point of connection with the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago railway. Iron ore, limestone and much of the coal for the furnaces and mills, in fact, all kinds of freight that is now moved by railroad, was then hauled by wagon or canal boat. The New Castle and Beaver Valley Railway from Homewood to New Castle was built in 1863. The old mill was a rolling mill located on a point near the confluence of the Shenango and Neshannock rivers, a short distance from the old black bridge that was taken away by the by the big flood of 1913." When asked for the layout of the canal system, Uncle Bob continued. "The general route of the canal which extended from Erie to Pittsburgh was beginning at Sharon to South Street, New Castle. The very ground that is now occupied by the Erie railroad. Along every canal is a tow path, which is the road the mules traveled when pulling the boats. The railroad mentioned was built mostly on the tow path as it was already graded, ready for the ties. The canal bed was filled with cinder or earth. From Mill Street southward to New castle Jucntion the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad is built on the old canal site. Now I want to go back and explain about the canal from Harbor Bridge to the new mill. From a point about two miles above the Harbor Bridge to South street there was no canal but the boats used the slack water of the Shenango river. The slack water was the water backed up and deepened by the dam which was built across the Shenango river just below South street. The dam backed the water up to where the canal flowed into the river two miles above the Harbor Bridge, so that the boats would use the river clear down to South street" Do you know, Uncle Bob how the Harbor bridge got its name?" was asked. "I can tell you son, just exactly how it was. There was a regular harbor at that place and a number of boats would be tied up there all the time. It was something like a railroad yard. The farmers hauled their grain to that place and loaded it into the boats for shipment. So from that, the place became known as the harbor.and the bridge being there also gave the complete name." "When the boats were towed down the slack water in the Shenango river, to South street, where did they go from there?:" "Right at the west end of Shenango street and right above the dam, was a guard lock into which the boats stowed and were carried along the canal on South street to the aqueduct which crossed the Neshannock river where the dam is now located. On the south side of the Neshannock the aqueduct led into the canal which came out onto Mill street where the little old mill was. "The canal ran south along Mill street and down what is now the P.& L.E, R.R. clear to the junction." "How did the mules get across the Neshannock?" "There was no bridge across the Neshannock at Mill street at that time, except a narrow wooden exchange bridge about six feet wide for the mules to cross on. The people had to use that bridge as a foot bridge also but teams had to go to Washington Street, then called Pittsburgh street. "Did the canal have any 'branch runs' here in New Castle like the railroads have?" "Yes. The dam across the Neshannock crreated a slack water far up the river. The boats were towed up to the city wharf where the New Castle Dry Goods company store now stands and believe me that was some busy place. Boats wre there at all times, loading or unloading. When you consider that the canals handled both passengers and freight, you will have a better idea of what was going on." "How long did you work in the cooper shop making nail kegs?" The Keg Factory stood on Jefferson Street, near Center. Later became the Carnegie Co. play ground. I stayed there until 1863, then went to Rochester, PA and made flour barrels. At that time, I was 16 and considered a good cooper. December 2, 1863 I went to Youngstown and enlisted as a Private in Company N, 10th Ohio Cavalry and was mustered into the United States Service at Warren. In due time I joined the company at Bridgeport, Alabama and was given a horse and full equipment. My Captain was Henry Brown. After camping at Ringgold until Sherman reorganized his army, the Cavalry moved forward to Tunnel Hill, Pickajack Gap, Rockafore Ridge, Snake Creek Gap, Reseca, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. Then through Georgia under General Judson Kirkopatrick. The cavalry moved up the coast through South Carolina and to Durham Station, 50 miles above Raleigh, North Carolina where General Johnston surrendered April 26, 1865. I was mustered out in North Carolina and returned to New Castle, where I have been with few exceptions. I never lost a day while in the army because of sickness, never got hurt and was in three more battles than my company on account of being on detail. Upon my return to New Cawtle, I was 18 years old and went back into the keg factory for several years, then went into the glass factory at Croton to learn the trade. The factory was built in what was considered by some to be an out of the way place, in 1847, (the year I was born) by Anthony Henderson to manufacture window glass. There were no shipping facilities then as the railroads were not built. There was limestone, coal, sandstone and timber on the ground which was owned by Mr. Henderson. He had to all appearances everything at hand except the soda, which was shipped to Enon Valley on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail Road and from there hauled by wagon to the factory. Some of the employees were Harrison, William and Edward Cooley, Samuel Williams,Joseph Miller, John Cline, Wes Ross, the Townsends, Nixons and Vandergrifts. In 1880, I went to Baltimore and put in a year at the glas factory, during which time, my youngest daughter, Adaline, was born. Then John Knox sent for me to come and work in his new glass factory at Grant and Sampson streets in New Castle. This was known as the Sampson Factory. I was with him for twenty years, or until 1901, when he sold out to the American Window Glass Co. After that, I went to Pittsburgh for one fire of ten months, then to Falls Creek for three months, then returned to New Castle and worked one firefor Ed Norris at the Lawrence Factory, which was located north of West Washington Street at the west end of the Shenango River Bridge. That factory was originally built by the men on the co-operative plan. Judge Hazen was superintendent. After the plant was destroyed by fire, Forby Holton re-built it and operated it for several years until it passed into the hands of the American Window Glass Company. From the Lawrence, I went to Barnesville, Ohio and worked in the glass house there until February, 1907. William Hayes, a well known New Castle man, was manager of the plant. From Barnesville, I returned to New Castle and have not been working since. I worked as flattener at all the factories where I was employed. My wife was Mary Elizabeth Pierce of Hickory Township. We were maried February 7, 1867. My family consists of seven children, Alvah, Frank, Myrtle, Louise, Belle, Retta and Adalene all of whom are living (1922). My wife died in 1905" End of Interview Note: Robert Kroesen was born at Ninth street and Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA He died in New Castle,PA in 1923. ADDENDUM TO ROBERT KROESEN'S LIFE During the smallpox epidemic in New Castle, PA in 1872, Robert and his mother, Adeline Israel Kroesen, both of whom had already had smallpox, worked day and night to care for the suffering of those now afflicted. Fortunately, none of their own family were involved. Bob and Adeline stayed with the families they nursed and were away from home for well over three weeks. They didn't go home at all during that time so they wouldn't expose their own family to the dread disease. Robert's daughter, Louise, who was about seven at the time, remembers that they lived far enough away from the part of town where the eipidemic raged, that they prayed the dreaded pox would not affect them if certain precautions were taken. One of the most important was for ALL children to stay away from the affected area. Curiosity got the better of Louise. She decided to stroll through the off-limits part of town. Who would know? She was startled to hear someone call her name. When she located the source, she saw her grandmother, Adeline, at an open upstairs window. Adeline asked Louise to please bring her some more sheets, or have her mother send them over. Louise was so frightened and guilty that she almost choked. It was bad enough to have been discovered in the forbidden place, but her grandmother's apearance startled Louise so much that she ran all the way home. She thought that her usually neat little grandmother looked like either a devil or a witch. She was trembling too much to be able to think which. Adeline, poor soul, had been on the go day and night for weeks, with little or no time for the niceties, such as neatly combed hair. Her hair wa straggling in a way Louise had never seen before. Louise didn't realize at the time what a grueling ordeal Adeline was having. Louise, naturally, was afraid to reveal to her Mother that she had ventured into the infected area, so the message about the desperately needed sheets never got through. Unfortunately, the patients did not have the cooling and healing benefit of being wrapped in wet sheets to help bring down the high fever. Just of one of the many things Robert and his mother knew of the healing arts. Assembled by Ethel L. Winterhalter @ 2001 elw@stargate.net 3705 Rosebriar Avenue Glenshaw, PA 15116

Jan 25 2001 12:00AM By Louise Carroll: New Castle News Establishing her roots: For 40 years Olive Smilek has traced her family tree, digging back four centuries Olive Smilek first became interested in genealogy 40 years ago when a relative celebrating a 60th wedding anniversary suggested she "look up the family tree because I'm too old." When the North Sewickley Township woman mentioned this to a friend, the friend said, "Forget those dead people." Smilek ignored the well-intentioned advice and began to trace her family genealogy. Now, four decades years later, she has traced both sides of her family back 400 years and has had a lot of fun doing it. In April, Smilek will be 90 and is still enjoying the challenge of tracking down ancestors and getting history lessons in the process. She does it all without a computer. She saves her information in notebooks, charts and scrapbooks. Her collection includes copies of wills and real estate transfers, and documents from government pensions for war service. She also has photographs, some dating back to the 1890s, and these pictures of men in stiff collars and women in long dresses bring to life the people whose names and dates make up the family tree. The relative who suggested she pursue the family roots told her enough to get her started and whet her interest. Her father's family, Groscost, came from Bavaria in what is now southern Germany in 1730, and her mother's family, McClinton, came from Ireland in 1816. At the New Castle Public Library, Smilek has found many facts to help in her search, including the name of an ancestor on a list of passengers coming to America. Hans Philip Groscost arrived in Philadelphia in 1730 aboard the Thistle of Glasgow with 260 other immigrants. He and many of the others passengers were from the village of Ludwigshaven in Germany. Smilek discovered that Hans Philips' grandson, Jacob, served in the Revolutionary War and, although there is no written record of his birth, the records of his service were found and his request for a pension in 1834 netted him $80. Smilek's search provided Jacob with a tombstone in 1977. By proving his service in the Revolutionary War, she was able to apply for a tombstone from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. So far, Smilek has found six ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War. Proof of this service qualified her for membership in the Beaver County Daughters of the American Revolution, which she joined in 1965. Doing genealogy is not just a list of names and dates, but a trip into the history of families and nations. Interesting family stories are a part of the fun of finding roots. An unusual fact about her great-great-grandfather, Patrick Caughey, was discovered at his gravesite in New Salem Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Ohioville, Beaver County. Caughey is the only person buried there whose headstone faces west. This positions him foot to foot with his wife's grave, which faces east. No one is sure why this is, but the caretaker jokingly conjectured that he either wanted to face his wife, or, "He knew where he came from and wanted to know where he is going." In a suitcase of her grandmother, Elizabeth Barnes McClinton, Smilek found photos of the McClintons and a list of names and births prepared in 1906 by Elmore Alfonso Barnes, Elizabeth's cousin. Barnes recounted the history of 12 different families from Chestnut Ridge, Md., coming to Pennsylvania around 1792 and marking off tracts, clearing acreage and building log cabins. The Barnes, Graham and Inman families later crossed the Ohio River and went north into Black Hawk (now spelled Blackhawk) near Hookstown. They were among the first settlers north of the Ohio River in Beaver County. As Smilek traces the different branches of her family, her lists begin to read like a phone book, with many names including Bradshaw, Porter, Harbison, Barnes, Graham and Garvin. Elmore Barnes also wrote about another ancestor, Peter Barnes, who was born in 1744: "My great-grandmother Sophia Barnes (nee Inman) was born Sept. 8, 1753, where I do not know. At what place or what date she married Peter Barnes I can't say as I do not have any record of it." He concludes the record with the death of his grandmother, Agnes Barnes, who died at Bridgewater in 1875 when she was nearly 90 years old. He said, "My grandparents, Robert and Agnes Barnes, in religion were Seceders, afterwards United Presbyterians, and were very devout and religious people." Smilek's research discovered that another ancestor, Peter Porter, born in 1605, and his wife, Frances, were killed by Indians in 1652 in Maryland. Porter had a small shop where he made household kettles and the story is that the Indians felt free to come in and take whatever they wanted. To try to teach them a lesson, Porter heated the bottom of a cauldron and one of the Indians sat on it, got burned and took revenge. The Porters had an infant, Peter II, born in 1651, who survived and was raised by other members of his family. Smilek and her husband, Phil, who died last year, raised four sons and a daughter. She was very active in community affairs in the North Sewickley Grange and is the oldest living member of the North Sewickley Township Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. The auxiliary was formed in 1940 and she became a member in 1941. She also was the North Sewickley Township tax collector for 12 years before retiring in 1962 Although Smilek no longer golfs or bowls as she used to, she is in good health and enjoys "Jeopardy" on television and doing crossword puzzles. She lives on Dennis Lane in North Sewickly and is continuing to work on genealogy. There is still a leaf or two on the branches of the family tree to search and more family history to record. "I still have a lot of work to do," she said.

-----Original Message----- From: George Wolf <wolfden@gtlakes.com> To: PALawren-L@rootsweb.com <PALawren-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 11:44 PM I am trying to find if George Johnston is buried in New Castle, Lawrence CO area. His wife was Maud Allen, daughter of John Leslie Allen. I have Him being buried in either Lawrence CO or Mahoning CO,OH. Thank you for your Help. George Wolf

Does anyone have access to a PA 1860 census? I am looking for Andrew Spenser/Spencer about 50 years old. Also his son, Andrew Spencer 30 years old. I would appreciate any information you could give me. Thank you Ethel Glenshaw, PA

Can I get some opinions on which census would help everyone the most? I was thinking 1860 for both Lawrence and Mercer. What do you think? You can reply to me at Fillows4@aol.com Thanks Terry

-----Original Message----- From: George Wolf <wolfden@gtlakes.com> To: PALAWREN-L@rootsweb.com <PALAWREN-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Monday, January 22, 2001 12:00 PM Subject: George Johnston >I have been trying to research the George Johnston Family . George was born 1875 ,in Bellaire,Belmont CO,OH.His wife ,Maud (Allen) Johnston, son William Lawrence and daughter Effie were all born in Lawrence CO. Lynn Mack gave me the history of Maud Allen's family back ground . I am trying to find information on Amanda McDonald, Maud's mother, and Effie Johnston.the family lived on 84 South Ray Street in 1898 and 225 Cunningham Ave. around 1900. I found the pedigree of John Johnston born Northern Ireland 1761 and also from Crawford CO,PA.This may be of help to people looking for the Johnston name. It is at www.familysearch.org.There is a George Johnston with a wife, Maud .I hope to tie in with the Johnstons ,I am looking for. >thank you, >George Wolf > > >============================== >Search over 900 million names at Ancestry.com! >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp >