New Castle

In 1798, John Carlysle Stewart, a civil engineer, traveled to western Pennsylvania to resurvey the "donation lands" granted by the government to revolutionary war veterans.  In the course of performing his task, he discovered that the original survey forgot to stake out 50 acres at the confluence of the Shenango River and Neshannock Creek. Stewart claimed it for himself. There and then was the beginning of the City of New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Stewart laid out the town of New Castle in April of 1798.  It was comprised of approximately 50 acres in what was then part of Allegheny County. New Castle became a borough in 1825, having a population of about 300. The city later became a part of Mercer County. On April 5, 1849 the Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania signed an act creating Lawrence County. New Castle became a city in 1869 and was headed by its first Mayor, Thomas B. Morgan.  At that time, the population had increased to about 6,000.

Business in New Castle began to flourish in the early 1800's with the construction of the canal system which made its way through the city.  Numerous manufacturing plants located in New Castle because of the availability of transportation facilities and ready access to raw material markets. The canal system was later supplemented and then replaced by the railroad system which offered greater speed and capacity for freight as well as year round service.

By the turn of the century, New Castle was one of the fastest growing cities in the country as it became "The Tin Plate Capital of the World." The tin plate industry marked a turn in the prosperity of New Castle. New Castle's population swelled from 11,600 in 1890 to 28,339 in 1900, and to 38,280 in 1910, as immigrants flocked to the city to work in the mills.  In the 1920's, New Castle enjoyed its greatest prosperity. The landscape of the city was transformed with the building of many beautiful structures, some of which still stand such as The Cathedral, St. Mary's Church, and the Castleton Hotel. The city also established its identity.  New Castle is known both as the "hot dog capital of the world" and the "fireworks capital of America." Its chili dogs are the product of Greek immigrants who came to New Castle in the early 1900's and established restaurants along with their homes.  The notoriety for fireworks is credited to two local fireworks companies of international stature, S.Vitale Pyrotechnic Industries, Inc. (Pyrotecnico) and Zambelli Internationale.

In the 1930' the city, along with most of America, suffered tremendously during the Great Depression.  As many businesses closed, members of the community lost their jobs and homes.  During this trying time, the federal government established the Works Project Program (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). These programs offered jobs to many displaced workers. Many of the stone walls built by the WPA and the CCC still stand as a reminder of the historic demise of the economy.

Over the past 40 years, New Castle has been transformed from its primary reliance on industry to a well balanced economic base comprised of manufacturing, retail and service related business establishments.  Many buildings and old stately homes are being restored by developers and families

Lawrence County

Excerpt from The History of Lawrence County, written in 1887

"The Land now forming Lawrence county was formerly a part of Beaver and Mercer counties, but after much agitation a new county was formed in the spring of 1849 by an act of the General Assembly, which was named Lawrence in honor of Commodore Lawrence, who uttered the heroic words "Don't Give Up The Ship." The people of New Castle were greatly rejoiced at the passage of the bill. The dividing line between Mercer and Beaver counties had run directly through the city of New Castle, and the matter of attending court at Beaver and Mercer had been a great inconvenience to them.

The territory composing Lawrence county was once inhabited by the red man, and many relics of the Indian are still found in various parts of the county. Evidences that the pre-historic race, the "Mound Builders," once inhabited these parts are also to be found in the county. A mound was opened near Edenburg some years ago which contained skeletons, earthenware of curious design and different implements used by the "Mound Builders." As far back as 1770 missionaries came to this county and established a mission at or near Moravia.

The first white man who visited this section was Christopher Grist, who is supposed to have arrived here on an exploring expedition in 1750. A Moravian missionary visited the territory comprising Lawrence county in 1758 for the purpose of founding a mission, but for some reason or other gave up the project. The Moravian missionaries after their settlement in the county in 1770, left for Ohio about the close of the century, and the first real white settlers in these parts was a party of forty-five persons who came from Allegheny county, intending to settle on the Mahoning river between Edenburg and Mahoningtown. Some dissatisfaction arose and but seventeen of the number remained in the county. Other settlements were made in the county between 1795 and 1800.

When this region was first settled the only means of getting around was by following Indian trails, which generally followed the larger streams. A complete trail was discovered up the Mahoning to Youngstown and to Pittsburgh.

The Erie Canal was completed through New Castle in 1833 and opened for business. The Ohio division, running south of New Castle, was completed in 1838. The canal was the only means of carrying freight and passengers until 1864 when the Erie and Pittsburgh (or Beaver Valley R.R.) was completed through the county, and opened to the general public. Lawrence county is now traversed by a number of railroads. Erie & Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago have about four miles of track, the Erie & Pittsburgh, twenty-six miles, the Ashtabula, Youngstown & Pittsburgh, ten miles; the Buffalo, New York & Philadelphia, twelve miles; the Western, about twenty-six miles and coal roads about ten, making in all about one hundred and ten miles of railroad.

The citizens of Lawrence county are an industrious, frugal class of people. During the war of the rebellion the patriotism of the people was put to the severest test, and nobly did they responded to the call for soldiers. For its size Lawrence was the banner county of the State in its aid to assist the Government in putting down the rebellion. The land is first-class for agricultural pursuits while the county abounds in minerals. The population by the last census is 33,312, of which New Castle has about 12,000."

Notable Figures

George W Johnson
Father of original owner Charles Johnson

At the end of the 1800s, George Johnson was the largest dealer in limestone in the world, proprietor of the Arethusa Iron Works and City Roller Mills, and a manufacturer of sheet iron and steel..

Excerpt from
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania written in 1897

"Mr. Johnson is a thorough business man, and the career, which he has made for himself, and which has brought him wealth and those things that wealth bestows, is worthy of imitation in every particular, for he has strictly adhered to the upright principles which enter into the business life of every really successful man, and his business methods are open to the most critical inspection. Among the citizens of New Castle he occupies a high place, and it is with pride that they point him out as one of the most enterprising of its many energetic citizens.

Our subject was born near Clarksville, Mercer Co., Pa., in 1847, on a farm, like the greater share of the leading men of to-day, and was a son of John Smith Johnson, and grandson of John Johnson, Sr. Our subject's grandfather was also a native of the Keystone State, and was known as a prosperous farmer. His son followed in his footsteps. Our subject's father was born and raised on the farm in Mercer County, and later worked at mining for a considerable length of time. His wife, who was stricken low at thirty-nine years of age by an attack of typhoid fever, bore him seven children, who were as follows: Jane; George W.; Salvina; Frank, deceased; Hannah; William, deceased; and Joseph S., who died at an early age. Our subject's father was aged sixty-seven years at his demise. He was an active partisan of the Democratic party, but never ranked among the aspirants for office.

George W., at the age of ten years, entered the employ of Wilson, Lean & Co., at Clinton, Pa., working at mining, and clerking in the company's store, in fact, doing whatever a bright young lad with willing hands and thoughtful beyond his years could do, and at the age of fifteen, so faithful and conscientious was he in his efforts to do the best he knew how, that he had entirely gained the confidence of his employers, who accordingly even at that early age gave him charge of several departments, and so he continued until he had full charge of the large general store, holding the position of manager until 1871, when his ambition led him to enter greater fields of labor, and make his mark in the world. With this idea of a larger and increased field of usefulness in view, Mr. Johnson with A. R. Lee, and William Patterson, formed a partnership, styling it the Lee, Patterson, Johnson Co., and entered upon the lime business at Wampum, Lawrence County, continuing in the manufacture of that material and in its traffic for a time, when our subject bought out his partners, and operated the business alone. Later on, he became associated with Green, Marquis & Co., and in 1880 located in New Castle, where they engaged in business under the firm name of Marquis & Johnson; since 1889, Mr. Johnson has been alone in business, and to-day we find him among the most representative and prosperous of the citizens of New Castle, employing over 450 men, and although a thorough business man, he has always been very charitable and kind to the poor and needy, and respects the lowly laborer as much as those who occupy high and mighty positions.

The Arethusa Iron Works, built originally in 1873, and rebuilt by our subject in 1895, is located on Center Street, covering the greater portion of ten acres, and has the following excellent equipment for the manufacture of iron and steel: one double and four single puddling furnaces; four squaring shears; eleven trains of rolls; one squeezer for sheet iron and steel. The works use natural gas and coal, and have an annual capacity of 15,000 gross tons; W. L. Johnson, our subjects oldest son, is the general manager.

Mr. Johnson also owns and operates lime quarries at Hilltown, New Castle, the product of which is known as Bessemer limestone. He also quarries at Franklin Forge and Tyrone Forge. In addition to his other interests in the limestone industry, he is manager of the City Roller Flouring Mills, which turn out 150 barrels of flour per day. Mr. Johnson must also be included among the extensive real estate owners of New Castle, for, having confidence in the fut invest heavily in landed property.

Mr. Johnson married Elizabeth Ann Osborn of Lawrence County, and has two children, both of them sons. William L., the elder, born Oct. 24, 1868, is a graduate of Meadvile College, Class of 1890; he then spent three years engaged in civil engineering and mining in Colorado, and in 1893 became associated with his father in the management of the iron plant. Charles H., born July 9, 1870, graduated from the Massachusetts School of Technology in 1893, followed mining and engineering in Colorado also, and in 1895 became associated with his father, having charge of the limestone business."

In 1904 George W Johnson was one of the Pennsylvania delegates to the Republican National Convention.

Charles Johnson house                                                                 

James R Phillips
Father of the original owner Grace Phillips Johnson

James R Phillips is the secretary and general superintendent of the Ellwood Tinplate Co., of Ellwood City, Pa. He is English by birth, as he was born near Dudley, England. He became associated in 1894 with the Ellwood Tinplate Co., and to-day is one of Ellwood City's leading and influential citizens, taking a hearty interest in improvements of all kinds, and identifying himself with the best and most progressive element of the place. He married Margaret E. Love of Sharon, Pa., and they have a pleasant home on one of the prettiest streets, where they perform their full share of social functions. In 1897, Mr. Phillips was elected school director, and is rapidly gaining for himself a reputation for earnestness of purpose and full endeavor in making Ellwood City's schools inferior to none in the county.

The Ellwood Tinplate Co. was established in 1894, with H. A. Bishop, president; A. W. Brown, vice-president and general manager; Charles Babcock, treasurer; all of the above residents of Cleveland, Ohio; and James R. Phillips, secretary and general superintendent. In the same year the factory was built in the western part of the city, and following are some of the departments: hot mill department, 200X250 feet; tin house No. 1, 100x50 feet; tin house No. 2, 75x50 feet; assorting room, 45x90; warehouse, 35X250. A part of these buildings were erected in 1894, and the work immediately commenced, three hundred men being employed, and a weekly output of 3,500 boxes being averaged. All kinds of roofing are manufactured and tin of all grades, for which the company has gained an excellent reptutation over a wide stretch of territory, the product, however, being shipped principally to eastern markets. The business is placed on a solid financial basis, and has grown to the extent that in 1897 more space was needed, and the following rooms were added: a pickling room, 55x75 feet, an annealing house, 75x100 feet, a cold rolling department, 65x75 feet. The hot mills were increased from four to five, and the cold mills from four to six. By these additions the company was enabled to raise the weekly product to 4,400 boxes, and give employment to 100 more men. This is up to the present day one of the most prosperous and most firmly established firms in that line in the United States. Mr. Phillips has devoted energy and good judgment to furthering the interests of the company and of all connected therewith, and the success of the firm is attributed in a large measure to his untiring efforts.

James Phillips house

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Thomas Phillips Johnson
Son of original owners, raised in the home

Thomas Phillips Johnson is the co-founder of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Pittsburgh’s largest law firm; former co-owner and vice president, Pittsburgh Pirates; editor, Harvard Law Review; assistant to the secretary of the Navy; president, Lawrence Savings and Trust Co.


Winifred Johnson Clive
Daughter of original owners, raised in the home

Winifred Johnson Clive is a noted American artist who has illustrated books such as Morning Light: The story of Jesus and whose work hangs in galleries and museums across the country.  The Orlando Museum of Art has a wing named after her.  She created the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation which generously supports the Arts through programs such as an Artists Studio at the Fine Arts Museum of San Fransisco, a Teaching Art Infusion project in Orlando, and supporting the Cornell Museum of Fine Arts at Rollins College.  The Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation also assists programs that benefit animals such as a Therapeutic Riding program at the Medicine Horse Center in Colorado,  the  Back to Nature Wildlife organization which supports wildlife sanctuaries, and the creation of Winnie's Center for Holistic Veterinary Medicine in San Fransisco.