Reference: History Of Beaver County, Pennsylvania: And Its Centennial Celebration
Joseph Henderson Bausman
John Samuel Duss
Published: January 1904
Page 634 to 636
The Borough Of Beaver In 1837-38
It may be of interest to our readers to see an exhibit of the business and preofessional activities of
the county seat two thirds of a century ago. We therefore reproduce here entire the notice of Beaver
in a rare old book, viz., Harris's Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania Business Directory for 1837,
as follows:
Beaver, the county town of Beaver County, is situated on high and elevated ground, on the right bank of
the Ohio river, and about half a mile from the Beaver creek. It has the population of 1000 inhabitants.
In this place are two churches and two Sabbath schools, numerously attended; also a Temperance society,
pretty numerous; an Academy, in successful operation, where the ancient as well as modern languages and
the higher branches of literature are taught,-L.B. Williams, Principal. It contains likewise an extensive
hat manufactory, a tannery, four Smithies, ten stores, a watchmaker's shop, three saddler's shop, five shoe
and three tailor shops, four public houses, and two printing offices and weekly papers. Among the
residence are three clergymen, ten lawyers, four doctors, and one notary public. A bank, being a branch
of the Bank of Pittsburgh, is located here, H. Stow, cashier.
DIRECTORY OF BEAVER
Merchants
|
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James Lyons
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James Allison, Jr.
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John Barclay
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James Eakin
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Robert McCreery
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Thomas Henry
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Abraham Nass [Noss]
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David Minis
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Benj. Adams
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Brewer
|
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Joseph P. Johnston
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Saddlers
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Daniel [David] Marquis
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John Douds
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J. T. Conn
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Boot and Shoemakers
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Stephen Todd
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William Fields
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J. French
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William Conn
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J. H. Kemp [Camp]
|
Micahel Kemp
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Tailors
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David Eakin, Jr.
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Abraham Shelky [Shockey]
|
D. Hall
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Carpenter and House Joiners
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Jackson Slew
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Abraham Sutherland
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James Anderson
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J. Yarley
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Plasterers
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Andrew and Samuel Carson
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Coopers
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Henry and George Streck
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Blacksmiths
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|
David Somers
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C. Risinger
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James Risinger
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Morton & Eakins
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Hatters
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Shively, Allison & Wilson
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Stone Masons
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Morgan & Maxwell
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Tallow Chandler, etc.
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Daniel Eakin
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Innkeepers
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John Light
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David Porter
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Widow Moore
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Physicians
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Oliver and Smith Cunningham
|
R. B. Barker
|
George Allison
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Attorneys at Law
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|
James Allison
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William Allison
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Daniel Agnew
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J. R. Shannon
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William B. Clarke
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N. P. Fetterman
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H. Roberts
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S. Meredith
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Mr. Chamberlin
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Mr. Jones
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Thomas Cunningham
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Clergymen
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Presbyterian
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A. O. Patterson
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William Maclean
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Methodist
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Mr. Calender
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Mr. Munroe
|
Justices of the Peace
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William Clarke
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David Bacis [Backus]
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Jas. D. Eakin
|
Member of Congress elect
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Hon. Thomas Henry
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Associate Judge
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Benjamin Adams
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County Commissioner
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James D. Eakin
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Clerk for Commissioners
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Richard Agnew
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County Treasurer
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John Barclay
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Prothonotary and Clerk of Court of Quarter Sessions and Oyer and Terminer
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John A. Scroggs
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Register and Recorder and Clerk of Orphans' Court
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Thompson M. Johnson
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Editors
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Argus
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William Henry
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Aurora
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Alexander Niblow
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Additional names are Eli Reed, hatter, sexton of the old graveyard, and coroner; Samuel, William,
and John Gibson, tinners; John and Martin Camp, butchers; John Richardson, blacksmith. The rivermen
of the town were the Stone brothers, Charles, Stephen, and Daniel; the Somers brothers, David, Milo
and John; Thomas and Martin S. Lyons; Adam Shoemaker and son John; and George W. Hamilton. Milo
Adams was one of the prominent physicians of the place.
As late as 1838 there was still a thick woods from the present passenger station of the Pittsburgh &
Lake Erie Railway up to the corner opposite the Beaver House, and, from the old Catholic Church site,
on the other side, to the corner of Third and Beavers streets, there was nothing but pasture,
corn-field, and common land.
There was a daily mail, a four-horse stage-coach, which ran between Beaver and Cleveland; a daily
hack to and from Pittsburg and a tri-weekly mail on horseback to New Castle, Pa., and New Lisbon,
Ohio. The lastest intelligence was brought by steamboat to Stone's Point from Pittsburg in the
evening. At election times there was always crowds at the landing waiting for the boat. State
elections at that period was held in October, and the Presidential elections in November. In 1840
the Presidential election was so close, and the two northern counties, Potter and McKean, so difficult
to be communicated with, that is was three weeks before official announcement was made that General
Harrison had carried the State by 343 majority.