Denise, my father-in-law was born in Linesville, but it isn't in Mercer County. It's in Armstrong County, but I guess you knew that. It's a teensy little place by the river just before you get into Freeport. Blink and you miss it. SOMEWHERE on the web I have seen a site that deals with orphan schools from the civil war era in PA. I grew up in Pittsburgh, (now FL) and I do know that at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in the Genealogy Room, or the Pennsylvania Room there is a crumbling fat old book that they keep in one of their non-airconditioned rooms that describes every PA orphan school and has photos and lots of stuff. I used to take it out and look at it for the heck of it. NOW that I can't access it, I have found an ancestor who grew up in one! I surely hope that the conditions in which this great library is keeping such marvelous records in has improved in the past 13 years! But I doubt it. The Western PA Historical Society may also have a copy. AmyHutton