Bicentennial Edition 1776-1976 Times~News Erie, Pa. Sunday, July 4, 1976
Times~News Erie, Pa., July 4, 1976 Section D Page 1
Erie: A Rich, Historic Heritage
by Vicki Sanfilippo Times-News Staff Writer
Although Erie was not a part of the Revolutionary War, it nevertheless has a rich historic background.
Erie, as we know it, was nothing more than a dense forest, a virtual no man's land.
While actual early history of "Presque Isle" refers to the Eries (also Eriez) or "Cat Nation" Indians, there is evidence that centuries before there was another race of men who inhabited Erie County. The race is known as the "Mound Builders."
Curious mounds and circular embankments have been found in the townships of Harborcreek, LeBoeuf, Girard, Fairview, Conneaut, Springfield, Wayne, Venango.
According to reports, circles of raised earth at Four Mile Creek, and in Wayne Township, were found several feet in height encompassing three acres and surrounded by a trench. Their formation and make up without a doubt were the work of human hands. An idea of their antiquity was garnered by the timber growing on them - a tree was cut from the Conneaut embankment that was approximately 500 years old.
The names of Etienne Brule and Sieur de Champlain are connected with early exploration of Presque Isle, however, an exploration party of four French missionaries of the Recollet branch of the Recollet branch of the Franciscan Order, 12 French laymen and four Indians, led by the Rev. Joseph LeCaron, made the first recorded expedition to the region in 1615.
They tried to civilize the Eries, but the Indians distrusted the Franciscans. The Jesuit priests who later tried to establish a post among them were repulsed and all efforts were abandoned until the valley was in possession of the Senecas.
The Senecas gained control of the rich valley from the Eries in a bloody war which ended in 1654 with the exterminatin of the Eries. The Senecas were friendly to the French, and the first attempts at European colonization began shortly thereafter.
In 1673, Pere Jacques Marquette spent several days at Presque Isle with Louis Joliet. They made the first important chart of the Peninsula and the Bay, and later explored the other
Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.
The first settlement of Presque Isle by white men was in 1753 when the French village of the name was built on the site now occupied by the Soldiers and Sailors Home. The village contained several families, grist mills, a school teacher, a Catholic priest and numerous Indians. They cleared land and cultivated fields of corn. A fort was built and occupied on the west bank of Mill Creek (by Front St.,) and also a road to Fort LeBoeuf. The fort was evacuated by the French garrison in 1759 after the fall of Quebec, and was occupied by the British in 1760. Both nations considered Presque Isle an important point in the chain of defenses and a valuable supply depot. The overland route from Presque Isle to Fort LeBoeuf was the only break in water navigation along the line of forts from the lakes to the Mississippi River.
Capt. Russell Bissdell, with 200 men from General Anthony Wayne's army, landed at Presque Isle in the spring of 1795 and built two block houses on the bluff overlooking the harbor entrance, just east of the mouth of Mill Creek. The men cleared land for a cornfield, built a sawmill to supply lumber for the barracks occupied by the troops, and within a year, completed a warehouse and stockade.
The first settlers to locate permanently within the county were Thomas Rees and John Grubb, who also arrived in the spring of 1795. Later in the year, William Miles and William Cook, with their wives, settled in Concord Township, . . near the sole residents for many years.
A month or so later, Col. Seth Reed, accompanied by his wife and sons, Manning and Charles John, came to Erie in a sailboat from Buffalo, and took up lands in McKean Township. Other Erie settlers at Erie during 1795 where Rufus S. Reed and George W. Reed, James Baird and children, Mrs. Thomas Rees and Mrs. J. Fairbanks. Among some of the outstanding men who followed them in the next few years were Capt. Daniel Dobbins (the builder of Perry's fleet), Judah Colt, Timothy Tuttle, Jacob Weiss and William Wallace.
The region was a dense forest at the time the first settlers arrived. During the first five years after laying out the town, migration was slow because of Indian opposition. In 1800, the entire population of the Triangle was 237, with 81 at Erie. After 1805, the county was settled more rapidly, and Erie had a population of 394 in 1810. Most of the settlers came from New England and New York.
In 1800, Erie County was made a separate county with Erie designated as the place for holding court. The first election took place in 1798 when it was still part of Allegheny County. Erie was incorporated as a borough in 1805, and the first election was held on May 5, 1806.
When war with England was declared in 1812, Erie was still a struggling village of around 400 residents. The early settlers were a hardy lot who lived in a frugal manner. Mush, corn, bread and potatoes were the principal foods with flour, pork and sugar considered luxuries.
The pioneer's home was usually a log cabin of unhewn logs laid one upon the other, mud filled the crevices. As the conditions improved, structures of hewn timber were built with mortar replacing mud. As saw mills increased in number, frame buildings were substituted for the log cabins. A brick or stone structure was looked upon as an architectural marvel.
The Indians were still a menace to the pioneers. Although they were friendly to the settlers, they were not so cozy when under the influence of whiskey.
The city itself gradually began to expand from its early location around 3rd and French west-ward. 3rd St. was the chief business thoroughfare until the early 1820's when French St. superseded it. this remained the busiest until the 1860's.
Industries, which later played an important role in Erie's development started during this period (see business and industry story). The opening of the Erie and Pittsburgh Canal in 1844 brought a boom to business in the section. It did a booming business for 30 years, and lapsed quietly when the Erie and Pittsburgh Railroad bought it to eliminate competition.
Erie obtained its city charter in 1851, a short time before it started to vie with other sections of the country in the construction of railroad lines in all directions. The wild period of railroad construction reached its peak with the so-called Railroad War, in which Erie residents protested what they considered a "death blow at the town's growth."
Cooperated as a borough in 1866 and consolidated with Erie in 1870.
Life in the county during the 1870's changed from the colorful life of the boatmen to the uncertain one of politics. Erie became politically minded during the '50's, and attained sufficient prominence in 1875 to entertain the only state assemblage of either party when the Democrats convened in Erie.
After 1870, Erie continued to expand, and almost tripled its 1870 population during the next 30 years.
Erie was the second city in the United States to adopt the electric trolley system in 1885. this brought the county's population into a more compact trading group.
A flood of immigrants thronged to Erie as laborers in its many industries war clouds hung over Europoen during the pre-World War I period.
By 1920, Erie had a population of 93,372. The Mill Creek Flood of 1915, which resulted in the loss of 25 lives and property damage of over $2 million, led to certain city-wide improvements. A flood control tube was built, ,many new sewer systems were laid, street and parks were renovated and beautified and a school building program was begun.
And Erie continued to grow through the years until today it is the third largest city in Pennsylvania.
And, Erie continues to grow and improve, adding each year to its rich history.
Erie County Government Began Operating In 1803
Page 2D By George Miller Times Staff Writer
The roots of Erie County's judicial system date back to April 9, 1803, when the first session of court was convened in George Buehler's public house, 3rd and French.
The year marked the first time that Erie County had been organized for judicial purposes. Erie was made the county seat.
Prior to that time, the area had been part of other counties.
From 1788 to 1800 the area was known as Erie Township of Allegheny County with the county seat in Pittsburgh.
Allthough county government here was created on March 12, 1800, neither this section nor the newly formed counties of Crawford, Mercer, Venango and Warren could afford the cost of governing themselves.
Until 1803, these counties were grouped under the name of Crawford County with Meadville serving as the county seat.
The organization of the county into a separate judicial district at the April 9, 1803 meeting also brought the establishment of a separate county government here.
Three county commissioners were chosen from the 16 townships in the county.
In 1803 the county was still a very rural area with a population of about 2,000.
As a result, courts convened in private houses, sometimes at Buehler's, or across the street at Conrad Brown's, or at log house at 2nd and Holland, which was used as a jail.
In 1808 the county built its own courthouse on west Perry Square with the help of a $2,000 grant from the state.
Fire destroyed the building on March 23, 1823, along with important county documents, including land titles that had been recorded up to that time.
County commissioners began construction of a new courthouse on the same site in 1824 and the building was completed in 1825.
During construction, court was convened at the Erie Academy on the corner of 9th and Peach.
When completed, the new courthouse served as a center for many public functions including church meetings, lectures and political gatherings.
The first county murder case since its organization into a judicial district occurred in 1821. A man named James McKee was found guilty of killing John Sivers in an area now known as Summit Township.
McKee was sentenced to seven years in prison and died while serving his sentence.
Several others were convicted of murder before the county's first execution by hanging occurred on March 9, 1838.
In that case, Henry Francisco was found guilty of poisoning his bride of three weeks and put to death by hanging.
The place where Francisco was executed marked the spot where a new county courthouse was constructed on W. 6th Street some 15 years later.
another execution did not occur until Aug. 8, 1899, when Howard Heidler, Fairview, was convicted of the slaying of his brother-in-law, Levi H. Kreider.
Construction of the new courthouse on W. 6th St., which had been the site of a jail for some years, began in 1852 and was completed in 1855 at a cost of $60,000.
That building is the west wing of the present courthouse.
The new courthouse, unlike the one on Perry Square, had offices for commissioners and other county officials in the same building.
In 1889-90 an addition was made to the building which nearly doubled its size and provided an additional courtroom, law library and offices for other officials. That addition is the east wing of the present courthouse.
The most recent addition to the courthouse began in the spring of 1974 and is expected to be completed by either late this year or early next year.
the $7.2 million addition will provide space for courtrooms for county judges and additional office space for county officials. The addition also includes a new jail, which was opened late last year.
the formal dedication of the addition is scheduled sometime this fall and is expected to highlight this year's Bicentennial observances for county government.
The oldest of Erie County government records date back to the 1790's, according to officials.
However, most records were destroyed in the 1823 courthouse fire and records were kept only sporadically up to the mid-1880's.
Prothonotary Alexander "Sandy" MacIvor said his office had some naturalization records dating back to the 1790's.
Although other records are from 1823, they are described as "sparce" up to the turn of the century. The first record of a marriage license issued for the register of wills office is Oct. 1, 1885. The license was issued to Charles Behr and Katherine Ohmen.
The oldest records of the clerk of courts office date from the May session of the court in 1823.
the term of court had four cases including two for fornication and bastardy, one for perjury and one for operating a tippling house without a license. The first man sentenced during the term was ordered to pay childbirth expenses of $14 and 50 cents a week for a bastard child.
More to come...........
