Chapter 68
Formed March 20, 1849, named for Perry's flagship in the Battle of Lake Erie, which was named in honor of Captain James Lawrence, United States Navy, Lawrence was mortally wounded in the War of 1812 on the frigate Chesapeake, against the British ship Shannon. As he was carried below, he said, Don't give up the ship. Safely settled by Scotch-Irish, the old canal to Lake Erie, built in 1833, went through
center of the county and did much to develop the resources, bituminous coal, iron ore, and limestone, chief industries, manufactories, and agriculture. Many beautiful drives are all through the county in every direction. The Moravian missionaries, David Zeisberger and Gottlob Sensman, were the first white men who dwelled here long before the county was formed.
They migrated with the Indians from Bradford County through Forest County and were the greatest missionary power to them. They were visited by Glicikin, a renowned warrior of great eloquence, who, with his escort, purposely tried to refute the doctrines of Christianity. They were received by Anthony, a native convert, who treated them courteously and made an impressive
speech on Christian doctrine that astonished the visitors. Zeisberger, coming in then, confirmed his words, and Glicikin, instead of delivering his speech, replied, I have nothing to say, I believe your words. On return to his town, he advised the savages to go hear the gospel. He made them another visit, informed them that he had determined to embrace Christianity,
and invited them, in the name of his chief, Peckock, to settle on land on Beaver River, near his town, Kaskaskunk, now Newcastle. This land was to be for the exclusive use of the mission. The offer was accepted, and on April 17, 1770, they left Oil Creek in fifteen canoes. In three days they reached Fort Pitt, proceeded down the Ohio to Beaver River, and descended
that river to the locality given, now Moravia, passing an Indian village, near present Newport, of women, all single, and pledged never to marry. When encamped, they sent an embassy, Zeisberger, and Abraham, a native, to Peckock, who were received by the chief at his own house. He gave them welcome and pledged protection.
They built houses, cleared land, planted, and prepared for winter. The Indians began to visit them. The Monsies from Gosh-Goshunk were the first to cast their lot with the Christian Indians. Glicikin soon came and became a Christian force. Finally the Monsies adopted Zeisberger into their tribe.
The ceremony took place at Kaskaskunk. They invested him with all the rights and privileges of a Monsie. This proved a complete triumph and was the source of much good influence among Indians. White settlers began to come after Wayne's Treaty of Greenville in 1795. Newcastle County Seat, incorporated as a city in 1869, population 44,938, was laid out at
the junction of the Shenango, Neshenok, and Mahoning Rivers, where they formed the Beaver River, in 1798, by John C. Stewart from Newcastle, Delaware. It has natural gas, fine churches, schools, public buildings, bridges, and many beautiful residences, including that of ex-Lieutenant Governor William M. Brown on the North Hill. Courthouse, Colonial, built in 1852, and spacious grounds, on a hill in east part of the city.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church has a memorial window to Ira D. Sankey, the singing evangelist, who was born and lived here. Subject 90 and 9, Maker, Settlers, New York. Also Hoffman's Christ in stained glass. High School, Brick, of best school construction, well lighted, has reproductions on the walls
of fine works of art. The Oak Park Cemetery has some beautiful memorials. This is one of the manufacturing communities of western Pennsylvania, which form the greatest industrial district in the world. Within a radius of 60 miles of Newcastle, the annual tonnage is over 200 million, while
the combined annual tonnage in and out of Liverpool, London, Hamburg, Suez Canal, and New York is 116 million. The American Sheet and Tin Plate Mill is said to be the largest in the world. They constructed a miniature playground for the only exhibit sent from Newcastle to the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915.
It showed the kind of humanitarian work done by the company, and was representative of this city, where the playground has done a vast amount of good among the foreign population employed in the immense furnaces, engineering works, and the great cement plants making 5,000 barrels of Portland cement daily. The United States Steel Corporation, Carnegie Steel Company, maintains children's playgrounds
with a moving picture theater, average attendance 1,800 children daily. The Rosina Blast Furnace yard is kept like a park in grass, flower beds, and neatness. Cascade Park has great natural beauty. A part of the beautiful slippery rock is in the southeast of this county, at Mount Jackson is Battery Bee Monument in memory of the Roundhead Regiment.
New Wilmington, population 8,861, has Westminster College under United Presbyterian Administration, near here with McKinley Blast Furnace, owned and operated by President McKinley's father. His son worked here as a boy. End of section 68.
