Ask A Historian - page 2

The Lawrenceville Historical Society accepts only questions relating to people, places, and events that are connected to the community of Lawrenceville in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This information was added on December 23, 2009.

Q: I am a volunteer for the Heinz History Center, and am working on research about the Allegheny Arsenal explosion in September 1862. I have found considerable material about the explosion itself but I am still looking for biographical details about Alexander McBride, an official at the arsenal at the time of the explosion. I know that his daughter Kate was killed at the disaster.

Could you please let me know if you have any family diaries or biographical info about Mr. McBride? Thank you very much for your help.

Mary Ann Slater

Cell (724) 840 5477
Home (412) 793 8371
saurslater@yahoo.com

A: The Lawrenceville Historical Society, unfortunately has little information on Alexander McBride. He is mentioned our book In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories (see pages 61-62). He is also mentioned in Jim Wudarczyk's book Pittsburgh's Forgotten Allegheny Arsenal.

We do know that McBride is buried in an unmarked grave in Lawrenceville’s St. Mary's Cemetery.

Jim Wudarczyk provides the following information:

Inside the archives of the Heinz History Center is the original copy of Alexander McBride's military papers and two notebooks. One notebook had formulas for fireworks circa 1856 and the other appeared to be his working notes that contained technical data on the types of gunpowder, etc in loading cartridges. These notebooks do not contain any biographical information but they make for interesting reading. Also in the PA Room of the Carnegie Library, there was an article from the early 1900's with a photograph of McBride and an account of how he was active in petitioning the government for aid for the families of the victims of the disastrous 1862 explosion. He purchased a house on Carlton Street in Lawrenceville (I believe the number is 4612), which is still standing but has been remodelled so it hardly resembles the 1860 structure. He was also active in the founding of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, which was originally located in the now boarded up Academy Building on 46th Street.

Q: Pat Mahon writes: I'm trying to find a family tree of Stephen Collins Foster to complete research for book I'm writing. I want to find out several relatives anf where they come into his family. Do you know where I could find one or have a name checked?

A: There are many public member trees on Ancestry.com that include Stephen Foster. You can access this site by becoming a member. You can access it for free by going to your nearest Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Other public libraries may also provide this service for free.

One such web page for Stephen Foster is http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/2694326/family?fpid=-1516896814.

Q: How many pounds of gun powder was placed in the barrels used at the Allegheny Arsenal during the time of the American Civil War?

A: The good folks at the Reference Services Department at Carnegie Library tell us that every source that they were able to find on the topic indicated that the standard issue was 100 lbs. at the time in question.

Update: Some time ago we had a request for information from Sally Rowley. Sally wanted to know when the Allegheny Arsenal Gatehouse was torn down. We finally got a date. November 10, 1947.

Q: Mary Lou writes, “The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society has had an inquiry about English immigrants who came to Lawrenceville about 1870. Do you know of any such group? Is there anyone in the Lawrenceville Historical Society who might be able to help her? “

A: The first white settlers in the Pittsburgh area were Scotch-Irish and English. They remained the dominate element for years. At the time of the war of 1812, the increased iron and rope manufacturing attracted Germans, especially to the Lawrenceville area.

Many nationalities poured into the area in the 19th century, including Polish immigrants.

As far as a specific group of English settlers in 1870 -- where to start? Were they associated with a particular church? For example the Primitive Methodist Church was an offshoot of the English church founded in England in 1829. It was establish at 5225 Holmes Street in 1881. (The building is still there, but it is now called the Door of Hope Community Church.)

That's just a stab in the dark -- we would need more clues to associate with a particular group of immigrants. By 1870 there were many!

Q: Kathryn writes, “When I was growing up in Lawrenceville, there was a church located on 44th St. below Butler Street. It was about the fifth or sixth bldg. down from Eden Way. It was on the same side of the street as Klein's. I believe it was torn down some time in the 60's. The property was then purchased by Mr. & Mrs. John Monahan. (spelling may be wrong) Mrs. Monahan's first name was Mary & their dog's name was Whiskers. I believe that he was an Airedale. Mary went on to have the property cleared & planted lots of trees & flowers. This lovely garden could be seen from 44th St. as well as Locarna Way.

“Does anyone remember the name of the church that used to be there? Yes, I was one of the kids that lived at Locarna Way.” < br>
A: St. Paul’s Reformed Church.

Q: One of the model railroad guys I know is a retired Bell Telephone Company employee. He noticed the telephone building on Butler Street, around 41st, and asked me about it. I wondered if you know anyone in LHS who knows the history of the building that I could ask.

As I recall, the building was eventually the setting for a photo by a famous photographer and the photograph was later reproduced in Smithsonian.

I wonder if the murals on the first floor survived. – Don Reed.

A: Unfortunately, we know nothing about the use of the building by the Smithsonian or the murals.

Unfortunately, we don't know much about the Fisk Substation of Bell Telephone, which was located at 4020 Butler Street near Fisk Street. I'm not sure when they started up, but Fisk telephone exchanges appear in the 1898 Pittsburgh and Allegheny City Directory. At that time Allegheny City was still a separate municipality, and wasn't incorporated into the city of Pittsburgh until after the 1907 election.

There were only two companies that had Fisk exchanges by 1898. The first of these companies was Lattimer, Meyers, and Company, a coal and coke firm located on 30th and Liberty. Their phone number was 216 Fisk.

The second company was Campbell and Horigan Mausuleums, which was located at 4718 to 4726 Penn Avenue. Their phone number was Fisk 45. Notice how they listed Fisk first while the other company had Fisk listed after the number. We don't why they did this. This company was still in business until recently.

Old timers told us that when phones first came out, you called the operator and asked for the substation that you wanted. Once you were connected, then you asked for the number. Notice that the numbers were only two or three digits. By 1910 some of the more widely used substations such as Cedar and Grant were using four digits, but we didn't find any four digit Fisk numbers until 1916.

The building later came to be used by the Polish Army Veterans Home. This name is misleading as the building was used as a social club, not an actual home.

With the help of Frank Stroker and Al Tanler of the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation we were able to find out about the following architectural aspects of the building.

Freestanding
4 bays wide
6 bays long
3 stories

General Description – It is a blocky structure of Classical inspiration with heavy overhanging modillion cornice. Eyebrow windows appear on the 3rd story with rest on sill course and are separated by pilaster strips. The double hung sash windows on the 2nd story are segmental arched. Belt course and egg-and dart molding separate the storefront from the stories above. The storefront is framed by pilasters and heavy cornices. This information was dated July 31, 1979.

The building was used in the movie “Silent Witness”, starring Valerie Bertinelli. The bar in the movie was called, "The Dew Drop Inn". For more details see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=37.

This information was added on December 21, 2009.

Q: Mordecai asks, “Was Holmes Street in Lawrenceville named for Oliver Wendell Holmes?”

A: No, this street was named after the prominent and generous Holmes family of Pittsburgh. The most famous member of this family was “Pittsburgh” Jane Holmes, who is not to be confused with her cousins “Baltimore” Jane Holmes or “Young” Jane Holmes.

“Pittsburgh Jane” was very active in founding , running, and/or financing several Pittsburgh institutions including the Protestant Home for the Incurables (a.k.a. the Holmes House) and the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind.

Her father, David Holmes, was a very successful grocer. Her brothers William, John, and David were also successful businessmen. It was with the money that her father and brothers raised that Jane was able to finance her charities.

Q: Andy Watson tells us, “I was told that 4130 Butler Street was once an A & P grocery store, and it was the first store to ever use barcodes. Is this true?”

A: While it’s true that 4130 Butler Street was once an A & P supermarket, it’s not true that it was the first store to ever use barcodes.

According to various websites that we have seen, barcodes were first a set of concentric circles, and were used by railroads to keep track of boxcars. Later the barcode was refined to look like the ones with which we are so familiar, and was put into place in 1974. Marsh’s Supermarket in Troy, Ohio was the first store to utilize barcodes.

Q: Leslie Rubinkowski is seeking information on her great uncle Stanley Ratka, who was born in Lawrenceville on December 11, 1894 and was killed in action in Argonne Forest on September 27, 1917. There was a VFW (the Mistelski-Davidson-Ratka Post No. 204) on Polish Hill named in part in his honor. She would also like to get photos and/or information of that VFW post.

A: We have no information on Stanley Ratka. If anyone can help, please contact us or Leslie at rubinkowski@mac.com.

Q: Missy Jarzenske is seeking any information on 260 - 37th Street. She would like to know if the house is haunted, if anyone was murdered there, or if there are any interesting stories associated with it.

A: Joanne Pilewski informs us that the house’s façade appeared in the movie Gung Ho. (See http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=36 for more information about this movie.)

Anyone with information about this house is asked to contact Missy at missyjarzenske@gmail.com.

Q: Fred Copeland asks, “Could you tell me the best resource to locate school photos in year books for Arsenal High School?

A: We checked at the Pittsburgh Board of Public Education to see if they have any yearbooks, but we were told that the school libraries had the old yearbooks. However, when we checked at Arsenal Middle School, we were told that they don’t have yearbooks from when Arsenal was a High School.

We remember hearing from a couple sisters talking about Arsenal being a high school for girls in the 1930's, and this is verified in Annals of southwestern Pennsylvania, vol. 3, by Lewis Clark Walkinshaw, which lists it among the other city high schools as having opened as a high school in 1930. However, it does not mention it as solely a girl's school. If memory serves us correctly, the curriculum was geared toward trades rather than academics.

Also, Your community Through the Years by WJAS Radio Station in Pittsburgh, PA shows a photo of Arsenal school and identifies it as being a high school.

The publication year of this text is 1956. Both sources can be found on the Historic Pittsburgh Project.

Another photo, in the images section of the Historic Pittsburgh Project shows, gives the date as September 23, 1932.

Suzanne M. Johnston,
Researcher Library and Archives
Senator John Heinz History Center

adds that Arsenal Middle School was once a High School. I am uncertain when it became a Junior High and later a Middle School.

Also, if you go to our catalog at: http://207.67.203.74/S92015Staff/OPAC/Search/SimpleSearch.asp and search for Arsenal High School, you will see that we have several yearbooks, handbooks, etc. but nothing from 1948. The minutes of the City Historic Review Commission say that the school was built in 1931. See http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/assets/historic_review_commission/2006/06_Jan4_minutes.pdf .

Anyone with additional information on where he can get the old yearbooks can contact Fred at shirleycopeland@embarqmail.com.

This information was added on December 6, 2009.

Q: Linda asked, ” When did Allegheny Cemetery become a landmark?”

A: The Bulter Street Gatehouse was entered into the Register of Historic Places in 1974. This honor was later extended to include the entire cemetery in 1980. Placement in this register shows the status of achieving State recognition as a landmark. We have been informed that other entities such as the City or the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation have their own lists of landmarks.

Q: Susanne Parks asks, “Just wondering if you could tell me what the population was in Lawrenceville in the year 1898, when the library branch opened. “

A: We’re quite positive that we read or heard somewhere that Lawrenceville's population was 30,000 in 1900, which would have been the closest census to the opening of the Lawrenceville Branch in 1898. While we spent several hours searching for a legitimate source that gives a more exact number, we didn't find anything even with the help of three librarians. We found all kinds of statistics, but not the number of people living in Lawrenceville.

Q: Laurie Flynn writes, “I am looking for more information on the Smolder family that resided in Lawrenceville, PA. They resided on Davidson Street in a white house which I believe still stands to this day. What I do know is that Jacob and Catherine Smolder resided there and were parents to Leo, Laura, Clara, Alberta, Irene, Rosella, and Regina. The last of their children, Alberta passed away two years ago. She was born in 1903. They attended St. Augustine Church and school. Rosella and Regina died of smallpox when they were just babies. After some time, Jacob abandoned the family and Catherine was left to raise the children on her own. We never knew what became of him. Catherine supported the family by cleaning at St. Augustine's. Jacob had a twin brother, who was kind to the family, and had a vegetable cart. Often times he would come by and give them the leftovers of the day that had not sold, and apparently, at times, it was all they had to eat. They had a difficult life, but were a wonderful family. My childhood is rich with memories of them, and the stories they told about growing up in Lawrenceville. I'd give anything to tour the inside of that house, given the stories I've been told about every nook and cranny of it. Can you provide any further information about my family? I'd be most grateful for any new information.”

A: Using the city directories listed on the Historic Pittsburgh Project, we can find out the following facts. Jacob Smolder first appeared in Lawrenceville in 1907 as living at 166 - 42nd Street. The following year he was still at 166 - 42nd Street and listed as a laborer. His wife Katherine (spelled with a "K") first appeared in 1915. The family seems to have lived that house up to 1916.

However, in 1917 Laura appeared as the only Smolder listed as living in Lawrenceville. She worked as a stogie maker and was boarding at 156 - 42nd Street. In 1918 Leo was the only one that appeared in the city directory. He was living at 174 - 42nd Street. It is not until 1919 that we find Catherine (spelled with a "C") living at 4301 Davison Street. She is the only member of the family that is listed. In 1922 Catherine is listed as Jacob's widow. The children are listed as living in the same house on Davison Street. Their occupations are as follows:

Alberta - phone operator
Clara - cigar roller
Irene - clerk at Columbia Phonograph
Laura – clerk
Leo - Laborer

In 1923 things were pretty much the same, except Alberta was working as a stenographer, and in 1924 her employer was listed as Westinghouse Electric Company. Also, in 1924, the mother was listed as Kate, Irene was a dictaphone operator at Columbia, and Laura was a cigar maker. In 1925 Alberta was a stenographer for Quaker Oats Company. In 1926 Laura was a factory worker but all the other family members still had the same positions.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Laurie Flyn at emailcoachflynn@aol.com.

Q: Rachel Furmanski asks, “I'm looking for information and photographs of Murray's Candy Store on Butler Street. My Grandmother says the store was located next to McCandless School between McCandless and 53rd Street (Currently next to Tex's Auto lot). I've done several searches at the library and online for information on the store or even McCandless School but haven't found much.

We aren't sure when the store initially opened but my Grandmother remembers it being there until she was 14, so it may have opened in the late 20's or early 30's, we know the store closed in 1946. The original building was torn down.

If you have any information or can point me in a better direction I would appreciate it.

A: Unforfunately, the Lawrenceville Historical Society has very few photographs of the neighborhood, although we have an ongoing campaign to obtain whatever photographic history of the neighborhood we can for research, educational, and/or fund raising, we have found that very few individuals are willing to share their photos with us. Murray's Confectionary is not among them.

From information on the Historic Pittsburgh Project website we were able to deduce that Margaret Murray, the widow of Michael, bought the store at 5258 Butler Street, from Andrew Smith probably in 1923.

You might also want to read the following http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09149/973542-294.stm. It is an article that appeared not long ago on candy stores in Lawrenceville. It was written by Gene Scott, whose e-mail address is given in the article. If your family lived in that part of Lawrenceville, then I highly that everyone in your family read The Scotts From the Hill in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a wonderful book centered mostly in Lawrenceville's Tenth Ward. It was written by Pat Scott, who is Gene's sister. I don't believe that Murray's was mention by either of the Scott siblings, but the article and the book are both excellent reading.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Rachel at rfurmans@gmail.com .

Q: Beth Lepire writes, “I am researching an article from February 26, 2008 regarding the shooting death of Lori Robinson, who was believed to be shot by her husband William Harold Bowcock. They lived in a 2nd floor apartment on 46th street. I Googled their names and came to your webpage, but I cannot seem to locate the specific article. I was just wondering if you could help me with this.”

A: Go to http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08057/860389-52.stm.

This information was added on October 23, 2009.

Q: Lisa Stolarski is looking for the location of a foundry owned by and operated as a cooperative by the the Iron Moulders International Union. This coop was started circa 1867-1870 with William Sylvis, the famous union leader acting as the chief orchestrator. She states that Charles McCollister, the noted historian, believes it was located in Lawrenceville.

A: This inquiry led to an exchange of e-mails among Lisa, Charles McCollister, house historian Carol Peterson, and the Lawrenceville Historian Society.

Collectively, here’s what we determined. According to the book Allegheny County: A Sesquicentennial Reiew, 1788-1938 by George E. Kelly, the actual name of the union was the International Molders Union. Kelly's book states that the union, started the cooperative in 1867 and manufactured stoves. It goes on to say that "this enterprise did not succeed."' (See page 137.)

William H. Sylvis died on July 27, 1869, due to severe inflammation of the bowels. (See http://www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Sylvis__William_H.html.) He was a founder of the Iron Molders International Union/Iron Moulders’ International Union in 1863. He was a stove moulder, so there is little wonder that he started a company that manufactured stoves.

His death shortly after the start of the foundry may have contributed to its short lifespan.

Lisa tells us that in William Sylvis: Pioneer of American Labor, author Jonathan P. Grossman states, "Ground was broken on a very ‘eligible’ site just outside the Pittsburgh city limits and on the line of the Allegheny Railroad.

The National Co-operative Foundry appears in the 1868 Directory of Pittsburgh and Allegheny City. It was located at Allegheny Valley Railroad and Boundary Street in Lawrenceville. Boundary Street was so named because it marked the boundary between the City of Pittsburgh and the community of Lawrenceville. It is now called 33rd Street.

The 1876 Platt map shows the Union Iron Works in that vicinity. The Union Iron Works was one of Andrew Carnegie’s early business ventures. The Union Iron Works may have absorbed the Cooperative Foundry, as there are two buildings that show up on the 1876 map that may have the same dimensions as the co-op building.

As the National co-op doesn't show up in any later city directories, and matches the description for the location of our elusive co-op, we think it's a good guess that they may be one and the same. Furthermore, Charles McCollister tells us that he seems to remember reading somewhere that Sylvis’s co-op grew up in the shadow of Carnegie’s mill.

According to Grossman the measurements of Sylvis’s foundry were “thirty feet wide and one hundred and twenty feet long, containing the office, mounting room and cleaning room; a molding floor twelve thousand feet square without a single obstruction---the first in America; a fifteen-ton capacity cupola and machinery and patterns of the latest type including a Sturtevant Number 7 pressure blower! ...".

A greatly modified building sits at 33rd Street and AVRR. It is constructed of an odd sized brick and the largest portion of the building closely matches the dimensions given by Grossman for Sylvis’s foundry. Today it serves as the Terminal Leasing Building for Pitt Ohio and according to a couple of Pitt Ohio employees it was the “shop building” for the Exxon facility that was located there during the 1940’s and 1950’s. But nothing more is known about this building.

House Historian Carol Peterson feels that this structure is not the old cooperative foundry of yesteryear. Nor does it appear on the 1876 Platt map of the area.

If anyone has any information on the National Cooperative Foundry, Sylvis’s cooperative foundry, or Pitt Ohio’s Terminal Leasing Building, please contact us or Lisa Stolarski at lisa.stolarski@gmail.com.

Q: Jim Wudarczyk asks, “In what year was the book Beautiful Dreamer: The Life of Stephen Collins Foster written, and what is the name of its author?”

A: Ellen Hunter Ulken wrote the book. It was published in 2005 by Xlibris Corporation.

Q: Patricia J. MacDonald writes, “My late husband Mabon S. MacDonald was the grandson of George Willard MacDonald the Pastor of the Seventh Presbyterian Church who died in 1925. I have been unable to find any information relative to the church or pastor. Could you please assist me here? I would be most grateful for any help. “

A: The Lawrenceville Historical Society has a webpage on the Seventh United Presbyterian Church, which the locals affectionately called the 7 UP Church. You can read about it at http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=59.

We know very little about Rev. MacDonald, however, he does show up in the 1897 and 1898 city directories as the pastor of the 7th United Presbyterian Church in Allegheny, now Pittsburgh's North Side. It was located on California Avenue, near McDonald. By 1899 the church's location was listed as on California near Halsey Place. He was there until at least 1909.

Q: Donna Booth asks, ” Can you tell me if any portion of Lawrenceville was ever referred to as "Briarstown"?” .

A: There are those that refer to Pittsburgh’s Strip District as part of Lawrenceville. One of the old names for the Strip was Bayardstown, but we’ve never heard of any part of Lawrenceville being referred to as “Briarstown.” Joseph Borkowski wrote about Bayardstown in his manuscript Miscellaneous History of Lawrenceville. On page 9 he says:

“The first Borough of record in the Pittsburgh area was Northern Liberties which was organized and laid out in 1816 and existed until March 1837, when it was annexed by the City of Pittsburgh. It was located on the southern bank of the Allegheny River bounded by Pennsylvania Canal (present Eleventh St.), [and it] extended to Grant Blvd. (presently Bigelow), followed eastward to a point midway between 25th and 26th Streets hence along Allegheny westward to Eleventh Street.

“Later it became popularly known as Bayardstown for George A. Bayard, who owned several substantial tracts of land.

“Recently, it has been referred to as ‘The Strip,’ whose boundaries are limited to present 27th Street.”

Q: I wondered if you have a marriage record for the years 1935-1939? I am also trying to find the marriage record for Harry Clay Moreland and Helen Jean Keating during that time frame there.

Suzanne

A: The Lawrenceville Historical Society has no marriage certificates. There is a "Marriage Notice Index" at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, but it only runs up to 1910. Do you know whether or not they were married in a church? If they were, then you should contact that church.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Suzanne at suzif@comcast.net.

Q: My genelogical lineage has strong ties in Pittsburgh. I am trying to find more information on my grgrgr grandfather John T. Rees' business that he owned along Penn Ave in the mid to late 1800's. He owned a stone/ MONUMENT business called John T. Rees and Sons, then Rees and Sons.

I also wondered what resources you have available and if you do research there. I also have the Moreland Family that I have strong ties with Allegheny Co. My great-great-great uncle was a police officer - Nathan Moreland. I wondered if there is a police roster from the mid to late 1800's available as well...have not found one yet.

Can you also tell me what CHURCHES were in the Allegheny County/area-around 1870-1900? Which churches would have used the Allegheny cemetery and which would have used St. Mary's?

A: There is a small write up about John Rees in a book titled History and Commerce of Pittsburgh and Environs : Consisting of Allegheny, McKeesport, Braddock and Homestead, 1893-4.

This book mentions that the stone cutting business had two locations one being at 1684 Penn Avenue and the other at 4620 Penn Avenue.

A John Rees also appears as a donor of $40.00 to the Relief Fund for those that suffered in the 1845 Pittsburgh Fire. (See Report of the Committee of Distribution of the Relief Fund Contributed for the Relief of the Sufferers by the Fire at Pittsburgh, April 10, 1845.) The 1896 City Directory has John living at 5405 Camelia Street. Earlier directories have him living at 54th Street near Butler Street.

We do only research related to Lawrenceville. There is no fee, but donations to the Lawrenceville Historical Society are greatly appreciated.

The 1879-1880 City Directory gives a Nathan Moreland as living on Butler Street near the Standard Station on the Allegheny Valley Railroad. He was a boiler maker by trade. He apparently changed occupations in 1887 becoming a teamster. It's not until 1898 that he finally appears as a policeman. By 1915 he's living at 5644 Harrison Street.

A listing of the cemeteries that were located in Allegheny County should appear in the city directory of a given year. Many of the older directories are available on line via the "Historic Pittsburgh Project."

We know of no police rosters of old.

Q: Daren Stanchak asks, “What was the name of the gentleman that spoke at the Lawrenceville Historical Society on the history of the streetcar lines in Lawrenceville?”

A:George Gula of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.

Q: Phil Evans writes, “I am writing in regards to William Woolslair (Woolslayer) who lived in Lawrenceville in the mid to late 1880’s. He was born around 1812. I was wondering if you have any records of his early life, specifically the name of his first wife who must have died around the 1840’s. His second wife’s name was Eliza, and I think this William Woolslayer may have dedicated the land for the Woolslair School.

Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. “

A: The Lawrenceville Historical Society has received previous requests on the Woolslair/Woolsalyer family of Lawrenceville and the reader is directed to Ask A Historian and Ask A Historian page 2, which can be found on our website.

Also, according to the Pittsburgh School Bulletin by the Pittsburgh Teachers Association found on the Historic Pittsburgh Project website, William Woolslair did donate the land for Woolslayer School. See page 26.

The "Twentieth anniversary manual of the Forty-Third Street Presbyterian Church" says that a William Woolslair was ordained as one of the elders of the 43rd Street Presbyterian Church on July 25, 1886, but died on March 3, 1887. This church building still stands today and serves as the New Bethel Baptist Church.

A William Woolslayer served as a director of the Arsenal Bank, which was located at the corner of 43rd and Butler Streets. Unfortunately, we did not find any additional information on early life of William Woolslair.

Anyone with additional information can reach Phillip at pevans@alliancelibrarysystem.com .

Q: There’s a new store on Butler Street called Wild Cards. What used to be in that location? They remodeled the building and I can’t seem to remember.

A: It was Pete’s Place. Before that it was Nova Cafe. However, most long time Lawrenceville residents will remember it as the old Isaly’s.

This information was added on July 17, 2009.

Q: Frank Kohler asks, “What was the name of James Wiley Welsh’s dog? Welsh was Stephen Foster’s grandson, and he lived at 3600 Penn Avenue.

When I was growing up, we kids would cut across the lawn, and he would sick his dog on us.

A: We have no information on the dog’s name. If anyone can help Frank, please contact the Lawrenceville Historical Society.

Q: Jim Clonan writes - I grew up on Home Street below Leslie Park. Anyway, my daughter Courtney forwarded an article written some time ago concerning the tunnels under the 40th St. Bridge.

My mother and father (now deceased) said that during WWII the tunnels were used to house ammunition (for what reason, I'm not sure). I don't know how true the story is but they (Mom & Dad, a WWII Navy vet) seemed pretty convinced about the ammunition storage. I don't know if this tidbit could help your research, but there it is.

Best wishes! I would enjoy touring the tunnels myself, if that possibility ever presents itself.

A: Our research shows that the tunnels were used for the construction of the bridge, which is mentioned in the article. Allan Becer found out this information for us.

We heard that the tunnel was used for storing munitions during the Civil War, but the bridge didn't even exist at that time. If you, or any of our readers, know of any documentation to support the theory of storing munitions, please share it with us.

The entrance to the tunnels is welded shut. It was opened especially for the Lawrenceville Historical Society, so that we could explore them, report our findings to the public, and try to dispel any myths surrounding them.

Those interested in reading about the tunnel are directed to http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=10.

Q: Paul Roth writes - I obtained this address from the Lawrenceville website.

I hope you can help me with my research on the Penn Theater.

My grandfather, Israel Roth, owned the theater and I remember many pleasant Saturday afternoons in the late 1930s-early 1940s being "baby-sat" there.

I recently donated a 1942 diary/schedule to the Heinz Museum. This document, in my Grandfather's handwriting, listed day-by-day every film, short subject, cartoon, etc. for the Penn and also for the competing theaters, the Arsenal and Model. They have asked for more detail on the theater and the family, which is hard to obtain from family sources. At 77, probably have the most familiarity, but no documentation.

What I would like to uncover is a picture of the theater as it was. It is now some kind of a warehouse.

I would be happy to purchase any periodical or printed material which you may offer on the subject.

Thanks for your attention.

A: It's unfortunate that we do not have an old photo of the Penn Theater. The old Penn Theater is a topic of much interest, and you are the third person to ask your historian about it. There is a chapter on Lawrenceville Theaters in the book Monster on the Allegheny . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories. It only makes brief mention of the Penn Theater as the author assures us that he could find precious little information available on it at the time of writing.

There is an Israel Roth mentioned in the 1912 and 1914 Homestead Directories. He and his brother Abraham ran Roth Bros. Groceries at 490 Seventh Avenue in West Homestead. Whether this is your grandfather or not, we don't know. We do know that he lived at 1004 Portland Street. Beyond that we don't have any information to share.

However, if you check the Historic Pittsburgh Project website on a regular basis, you'll find that they keep adding to the site every year or two. Hopefully, a photo of the theater will show up sooner or later.

Anyone able to help Paul is asked to contact him at tinpanalley01@msn.com.

Update: Paul Roth contacted us again to tell us, "Thanks for the response.

"The Roth brothers you made reference to were my grandfather and his brother, Abe, who founded Roth Rug Cleaners, later Roth Carpet.

"A third brother, Morris, independently owned four theaters (Duquesne -2; Swissvale and Brushton).

"I remember 1004 Portland St. well, and even lived there for short periods of time: started first grade at Fulton School.

"Grandma Mary died in 1949, Grandpa around 1980-82. Both buried in B'Nai Israel Cemetery in Homewood.

"As to the Penn Theater, my recollection is that the manager was "Walter" and the projectionist, engineer, etc.,was known to me as "Mr. McCloskey," ( maybe "Mikeloski?") for as long as I attended the theater (probably until 1943 or 44).

"I also recollect trips with Grandpa to "Film Row" on Blvd. of the Allies, where he rented movies from the distributors located in a strip of offices there."

Q: Rosemarie Perla inquired about Mr. Winter, who has the impressive Egyptian mausoleum near the Penn Avenue Entrance of Allegheny Cemetery. She wanted to know what we could tell her about him.

A: This mausoleum belonged to Emil Winter, who served as President of the Workman's Savings and Trust Company. He was also head of numerous metals related companies. He died in 1935.

Q: Tracy Mincher writes - I grew up in Lawrenceville and attended St. Kieran Grade School back in the 70's/80's. It was a wonderful school in which I made lifelong friends. Unfortunately, the school was closed many years ago and actually was torn down.

I am organizing a grade school reunion for my former schoolmates.

We are trying to get a hold of copies of any old photos, documents, etc from St. Kieran's. As the school is not there anymore, I am trying to find out who would have any of these old documents. Someone suggested contacting your office to see if you have anything on file that could help.

Anything you can do for us is appreciated!

A: Unfortunately, the Lawrenceville Historical Society does not have any photos of the old St. Kieran Grade School.

The parish has a centennial book titled Hundredth Anniversary 1887 - 1987: St. Kieran Parish.

On October 30, 1993, St. Mary Assumption and St. Kieran Parishes merged to form the new St. Matthew Parish. Father Joe, the pastor of the new parish, might be able to help. You should contact him at:

St Matthew Parish
5322 Carnegie St
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
Phone: (412) 781-6701
Fax: (412) 781-1331

Q: I am now a resident of Ohio and I would be interested in securing a copy of the book “Hundredth Anniversary 1887-1987: St. Kieran Parish” . Please advise if the book can be purchased by mail and at what cost. Thank you for your assistance, Thomas M. Costello 5455 Echodell Ave.NW North Canton, Ohio 44720-7476

A: St. Kieran parish merged with St. Mary Assumption parish about a dozen or so years ago. The new parish is called St. Matthew's. You might have some luck by contacting the pastor, Father Joe at the parish office. Father Joe Pastor St. Matthew Parish 5322 Carnegie Street Pittsburgh, PA 15201 You should ask how much he wants for the book, and if he says nothing, make a donation anyway. Such parish histories generally run about $15.00 to $20.00, plus postage and handling.

Q: Isn’t there a Catholic priest who lives or used to live in Lawrenceville that writes books?

A: Both Fr. Scott Seethaler and Fr. Christopher Rengers live at St. Augustine Monastery. Both have written multiple books. Also, Fr. Zygmunt V. Szarnicki, who used to serve at Holy Family on 44th Street, wrote several books. For a complete listing of the works of these fine authors, see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=9.

Q: What was the name of the bakery that used to be on Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville not that long ago?

A: There are a couple that come to mind. As you don’t give us a clue as to which year or block to which you are referring, we’ll list both.

Pasty’s was a very short lived bakery in the early or mid-1970’s or thereabouts. It was across the street from where the new Children’s Hospital is today.

Millie’s lasted much longer, and was known to your historian in the 1960’s. Some people said that she was there as early as the 1940’s.

We have also heard of a bakery in the 3800 block of Penn Avenue during the 1940’s, but we don’t know the name of that one.

Can anyone out provide additional information?

Q: Dr. Alvin Kinsel asks – What was the name of the bakery on Butler Street that was on the left hand side of the street, near McCandless Avenue, that was open in the evenings and at nights.

A: That would be Frank’s Bakery, which was located at 5227 Butler Street.

This establishment drew people from far and wide. Frank Tereszkiewicz, a Polish immigrant, brought the recipes he used in the bakery with him from Europe. He opened late to give the men from the mills a chance to get fresh baked goods on their way home from work. Also, it gave overworked housewives a chance to send their children to the bakeshop after school, instead of forcing them to go shopping there themselves. The idea was a fantastic one, as the bakery was always packed.

After his children took over the operations, his son Walt added a whole wheat bread that was out of this world delicious. There is a story in the neighborhood’s lore that goes something like this - In the 1970’s one student in a New York college returned home to tell everyone that one of his professors, upon learning that he was from Pittsburgh told the young man to be sure to check out Frank’s Bakery. He, the professor, was a chrusciki (Polish doughnut) fanatic, and he thought that Frank’s had the best chrusciki that he had ever tasted.

The owners were known for their willingness to go out of their way for their customers and would bake lambs, piglets, and the like for special occasions. As the children aged, their children in turn sought employment in other fields, and the bakery closed in the early 1990’s.

New owners bought the establishment, fixed it up really nice and changed the name to Artisan Harvest. Unfortunately, there were problems for the new owners. While everyone agreed that the baked goods were delicious, the prices were so high that most of the previous customers rarely if ever shopped there. Also, the store kept very irregular hours, and was closed much more often than they were open.

Artisan Harvest’s website (see http://artisanharvest.com/index.htm) gives hope for a 2009 opening. However, many such promises were made previously, but the business remains closed. Hope does burn eternal within the human breast, and we wish the new owners the best of luck in getting a much needed bakery off the ground within our community.

This information was added on February 24, 2009.

Q: Donna Booth asks: Have you ever heard about a large, fatal fire at possibly a roofing tar paper company in Lawrenceville, after 1920? My cousin's maternal grandfather died from burns in such a fire. He doesn't have a lot of information. His mother and grandmother didn't talk about it much. His grandmother remarried later.

The man who died was Earl T. Osborne. I don't know the brother's name, but he was apparently baddly injured too.

A: Here's what we found so far.

There was only one company that sold tar paper in Lawrenceville around 1920. That was the J. F. Young Company on 34th and AVRR.

Earl T. Osborne appears in the 1923 city directory as a fireman. He was married to Bertha, and they lived at 905 Bedford Avenue.

Neither Earl T. nor the J. F. Young Company show up after 1923. However, there is an Earl E. also living at 905 Bedford, who is shown as being a chauffer (1924), cab driver (1927), and an Earl E. living at 4304 Butler Street who worked as a salesman for Reliance Machinery in 1925. No wife is listed for Earl E.

In 1925 there is a J. F. Young Company. It is in Carrick. It is a pretty good guess that this is the company that burned down in 1923 or 1924. They probably reopened in Carrick.

Earl T. probably died, and his son is Earl E.

If anyone has more information, please contact Donna at djbooth1@verizon.net.

Q: Karen Maloney writes: We have just started tracing our family ancestry, and we were wondering if you have any info on our great grandfather Timothy D. Maloney and his son Joseph C. Maloney. They owned the TD Maloney & Son Coal and Coke Company that was located in various parts of downtown Pittsburgh in the early 1920's. T. D. also was supposed to have owned a livery stable and a funeral parlor in Lawrenceville around that time as well. Any info would be great.

A: Previously, we listed an inquiry about the Maloney family of Lawrenceville. It read: “Many of my Maloney ancestors lived, worked and owned businesses in Lawrenceville. I am looking for family history information about them.

“I live in California but have visited the Carnegie Library in Oakland and the Heinz History Center on Smallman. I have also spent considerable time on the internet gathering census information, looking at Social Security records and researching The Historic Pittsburgh Project web site. I have looked extensively at the Pittsburgh City directories. With all of this effort, I have found a lot of informa-tion but still lack good information about how various Maloney families were related.

“My great grandfather was T.D. Maloney who lived at 4404 Butler Street from 1892 to 1906. Some of his children continued to live there for many years after. He was in the coke and coal business from the mid 1880's until 1930. His business was located at the end of 44th Street, near the river. He also owned a livery business at 3706 Butler Street in the late 1880's and early 1890's. His business name in the later years was T.D. Maloney and Son (the "Son" was my grandfather Joseph Maloney). He had a number of business names but T.D. Maloney was usually in all names. His son, Wilbert Maloney, owned a men's clothing store at 4519 Butler Street from 1904 and was in business there for many years.

“If you can put me in touch with anyone how knows anything about any Maloney's from Lawrenceville or can direct me to additional resources, I would be greatly appreciative.”

Since that time we have found the following information:

Timothy D. Maloney owed Timothy D Maloney & Co., which was located at 17th and Merriman Streets on the South Side in 1903. Later it became the TD Maloney & Son Coal and Coke Company. The phone number was South 113-2. Daniel Maloney lived at 1722 Merriman Street. Timothy lived at 4404 Butler Street, which is in Lawrenceville.

There is a nice write up about T. D. and J. Maloney Livery and Funeral Directors appearing in Industries and Wealth of Pittsburgh and Environs. c. 1890. See page 146. They were apparently quite the business for their day. In this write up we find that the Livery and Funeral Home was located at 3706 and 3708 Butler Street. The business provided every sort of casket available. The stables housed three carriages and six buggies. The owners were honest and held in very high esteem.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Karen at: karen.maloney@pnc.com.

Q: Owen Lampe asks: I need some advice. Where does Lawrenceville start and the Strip end?

Some say dough boy square, some say 30th Street, some the 31st Street Bridge.

Is there an official designation?

A: Nobody seems to agree where Lawrenceville begins and the Strip District ends. We have heard many people over the course of the years insist that the Strip District is actually part of Lawrenceville. Even LHS's, Honorary President of yore, the late Joseph Borkowski, listed Strip District landmarks in his manuscript "Miscellaneous History of Lawrenceville".

However, the city of Pittsburgh does have an official map that shows 33rd Street as the boundary between the two. (See http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/strip_district.html.) Also, this is historically the border between the two neighborhoods. In fact, 33rd Street used to be called Boundary Street, because it marked the boundary between the city of Pittsburgh and the borough of Lawrenceville.

Update: Our old friend Karen at KarenTKC@aol.com is still looking for information on her family from Lawrenceville. She sent us the following message.

Would anyone be able to lend some information on any members of the Murray (Murry), Dorris and Dawson families? I believe they are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery as they were Catholics and Isabella Dorris Murray lived on Herron Hill in 1900 census. I’m also looking for any Yeamans burried in Pittsburgh in early 1800's. Isabella Dorris' mother was a Yeaman (Jane -- daughter of James Yeaman). Jane married William Dorris around 1830 and they left for Illinois in 1850's. But some Dorris family members stayed in Lawrenceville. Isabelle Dorris married James Murray and lived in Lawrenceville. The Dorris' and Murray's were blacksmiths. Murray's had a number of children but I am particularly interested in John Murray and another son, James Murray. I am most interested in finding the name of James Murray's wife who died between 1894 and 1900. Their children are Charles, Estella, and a son, John Edmund Murray, is our Grandfather who married Winifred Dawson.

John (James) Murray Sr. was born about 1825, and died around 1880-1900. Isabella was born in 1830 and died between 1900 and 1910. Their son, James Jr. was born in 1855 and died after 1920. James' son, John Edmund was born in 1894 and died in Pittsburgh after 1926.

We were able to tell Karen - Be sure to check out the Historic Pittsburgh Project website. Since your initial inquiry, they have greatly expanded this site and it is now even better than ever.

There are numerous hits for the names Golden and Murray, so you'll have to go through them yourself to see which if any apply to your family history. There are two Finneran families listed as living in Lawrenceville in the 1885 City Directory - John and Mary at Davison and 44th, and Michael at 3716 Butler Street. By 1888 they are gone from Lawrenceville.

I'm told that the site managers hope to keep adding to this wonderful website, so keep checking every year or so for more updates.

Update: One of the problems with being a historian is that sometimes you receive conflicting information. Earlier we posted a question from Amanda Johnson, who asked about the cannon in Arsenal Park. In our response we mentioned that the cannon was put there as part of a WPA project.

We just learned that the Civil War Cannon in Arsenal Park was not part of a WPA project. Rather it was moved to its current location in the park as part of the WPA changes in the park. It was originally placed in the park due to efforts of the Lawrenceville Board of Trade during Pittsburgh's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1908. It was dedicated July 4th of that year.

Q: What was the name of the Restaurant that sold homemade pies and cake on Butler Street? I remember going there in the 1980’s. They were in the Tenth Ward somewhere, and I think the name started with a “W”.

A: You might be thinking of Walsh’s, which was located at 5321 Butler Street.

Q: My name is Gail Dowle. I have been doing genealogy research on my family for over 20 years and would like to ask if you could help me regarding information about churches or other religious institutions in the Pittsburgh area.

My GG Grandfather, Anthony Iske came to America in 1853 and helped to build St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

He did not actually help erect the church but carved the pulpits and altars within the church. It was also noted in a biographical history of Lancaster that he was also commissioned to do some further carving for a church in Pittsburgh called St August's or St Augustine's. I see that there are several religious institutions with that name in and around your city. Is there any way you could tell me what churches and the like with that name were built in the 1860s to 1900?

I have so very little info to go on aside from the biographical history. I was told that most of the information in the books was supplied by the person who was named and that they paid a fee to have this information put into the book. Everything else that I have researched from the history has been spot on, but there is so little there about the church. Anthony was an inventor who held over 200 patents during his lifetime. He was known as "the Edison of Lancaster" at the time of his death in 1920.

If you have any suggestions to offer to help me solve this puzzle, I would appreciate it greatly. If you could give me some email addresses where I might ask about this, it would be most helpful. As I live in the UK, it is most difficult to do research unless it is through the internet.

A: To provide you with the entire history of St. Augustine Church in Lawrenceville would require us to write a book and then a lot more.

Very briefly, as far as we can tell our St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church here in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh is the only church that bears that name, although there is also a St. Augustine Monastary and a St. Augustine Cemetery. Both of these institutions have ties with the parish.

The corner stone of the original parish church was laid on June 22, 1862. It stood on the corner of 37th and Butler Streets.

A new, larger edifice was constructed and opened in 1901 on the corner of 37th and Bandera Streets. At that point in time, Bandera was known as Bank Street. It was on October 23, 1899, that Bishop Phelan dedicated the cornerstone of the "new" St. Augustine Church. It was fashioned after St. Benno Church in Munich and was originally a parish built by and for German immigrants to the area. Even today many of the attendees have German names.

One of the largest benefactor families of the parish during the turn of the last century was the Frauheims, who donated $100,000.00 in land and money. This family was associated with Pittsburgh Brewing Company.

Unfortunately, the old altars and the original pulpit were destroyed when the old church was razed.

Due to declining membership and income the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh deemed that St. Augustine parish should merge with St. John the Baptist, Holy Family, and St. Mary parishes to form one new parish called Our Lady of the Angels. The merger became effective on October 30, 1993, and St. Augustine parish ceased to exist. The edifice is still used as a worship site, and by the end of this year will be the last of the four parishes named above to still be in use.

If you have specific questions about the parish, please feel free to ask them. However, as we stated previously we can't provide you with the entire history of the church as this would require much too much work. Our website has a brief history of the church. See http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=77.

The following has been added on December 21, 2008.

Q: Dan Simkins asks, “What’s the name of the owner of Church Brew works? “

A: Sean Casey.

Q: In your < http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=18> , you refer to a s mall paper mill: "Aside from the military establishment at the Allegheny Arsenal, some breweries, a small paper mill, and some boat building establishments, there was very little industry in the region in the early days of the community."

Do you have anything more on this small paper mill? I'm curious if it was George Hirst's mill (or successor).

(Ancestor) George Hirst Sr. had earlier been foreman at Patterson's mill (e .g. < http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/PA/penn1810.htm> ) then 1825-ish was building his own mill: "A new steam paper mill will be erected this summer, by Messrs. George Hirst & Co. near the United States' Arsenal. Mr. Belknap is now engaged on the engine." (per: "Pittsburgh in the year eighteen hundred and twenty-six : containing sketches topographical, historical and statistical ; together with a directory of the city and a view of its various manufactures population, improvements, &c., embellished with an engraving of the Episcopal Church" publ. in 1826.)

Geo. Hirst Sr. died 1832, and his property was sold to satisfy debts: [[Deeds for Pitt TWP, Allegheny Co, PA.: “4 acre lease between Hirst & Ewalt. Release of property signed by both George and wife Cynthia, 1826 & 1828. for 1/2 of property to James Brown. On 29 Oct 1833, Allegheny County High Sheriff, sells, by order Court of Pleas, George Hirst, dec'd goods, chatels land & tenements at auction for $3810.87 to satisfy debts to James Brown. Included house, paper manufactory, & steam engine presses. Property bought by George Gossin.]]

Anything you might have on the mill (location??!!!) or otherwise on this Hirst (1772-1832) would be very much appreciated.

Thanks much, and all the best,

Doug Holaday
COLONIAL HOMES of CONNECTICUT™
at Keller Williams Realty
404 Main St., Ridgefield, CT 06877
Main: 203-438-9494
Cell: 203-984-3659

A: If anyone has additional information, please contact Doug. .

Q: My great-grandfather, Paul Pollom lived most of his life in Lawrenceville. He was a janitor for St. Stanislaus Kostka church. I am interested if any information exists about buildings on 4015 Foster Street in the 1920's, the place the census lists his residence. I know it is near the old, original Holy Family Church and I believe the property was owned by the Catholic Diocese at that time. Maps of 1923 lists the owner as Richard Phelan (Bishop of Pittsburgh....) Was this housing for the indigent? Or could it have been for Church workers? I know the building no longer exists, but would anyone have any photos of that block? Any information on it would be most appreciated.

I live in Tallahassee, FL so journeying there is currently impossible. – John Carroll

A: Unfortunately, the LHS has no photos of this block or the house.

It is not likely that the diocese provided the house as living quarters for indigent people. As your ancestor was working at the St. Stanislaus and the property was attached to the Holy Family, it is unlikely t hat he got the house as living quarters. He probably just rented it from Holy Family parish.

The house was eventually torn down and incorporated into Holy Family School’s playground. Following the closing of the school in 1964 and the opening of the new school on 44th Street, the playground was sold to White Eagle Linen Company and used as a parking lot ever since. Jim Wudarczyk shared this information, which would explain how the bishop’s name came to be attached to the property. “Holy Family like the other Roman Catholic parishes in the diocese was started by an ‘association’ of men. They would have raised funding for the parish, purchased a lot of land which may or may not have had one or more buildings on it, and then presented their case to the bishop. If the bishop approved the plans for a new parish, the association had to sell the land and buildings to the bishop for $1.00. That is how Bishop Phelan became a landlord.”

Q: Nina Trappen writes, “In the Tribune Review, Aug 8th, printed a photograph of St. Mary's Lyceum on 46th Street in Lawrenceville. I would like to know if you have photographs of the Church and School. I went to St. Mary's School from 1945 thru 1948. I made my Communion in 1947. Also, we had group pictures in the Lyceum. Is there any possibility of copies still around? Mine was taken when I was in the first grade, 1945-46. I was in the first row almost in the middle. My older brother noticed I was the only girl whose knees were showing. If you could help me, could you let me know as well as the fee? My phone number is 412-884-5937, my e-mail is cha86crs26@comcast.net. “

A: Unfortunately, the Lawrenceville Historical Society does not have any photos of the St. Mary's Church/School complex to share. Currently, the old parish photos are being stored at Our Lady of the Angels Parish. Fr. John might be able to help you. The contact information is:

Our Lady of the Angels Parish
225 37th Street
Pittsburgh PA 15201
Phone: (412) 682-0929

If I am thinking of the same article as you are thinking of that appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, then the edifice was the old Academy Building that appeared in the article, not the Lyceum.

While there are no photos of the Church or School in the book, the Rev. Raymond Conway wrote an excellent history of the parish titled History of St. Mary's. It span the first 100 years from 1853 to 1953.

Q: Yesterday, I was able to pick up an article in reference to my ggggreat uncle John M. Riddle. I cannot find the article. He was a prisoner during the Civil War. Can you help? - Nancy Akers

A: See http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=8.

Q: Can you tell me where the 6th Ward was? And what is its location now? My 3xgreat grandfather is listed in the 1900 census as living in the 6th Ward. His name was Michael Curran, and his wife was Bridget. They had two daughters, named Mary and Agnes. I would like to find his address, because we have been unable to find anything else on him

A: Today's Sixth Ward encompasses part of Lawrenceville, part of the Strip District, and Polish Hill.

According to the Lewis Pittsburgh Guide of 1923 the boundaries are Allegheny River and 27th Street to 40th Street to Penn Avenue to Ewing Street to Lorigan Street to Cayuga to the Pennsylvania Railroad to Gold Way to Ridgeway Street to Humbold Street to Bigelow Blvd. to 27th Street to the Allegheny River.

However, in 1907 the wards were changed to accomodate the annexation of Allegheny City (now the North Side) by Pittsburgh. The wards had also been changed throughout the years. In 1900 the Sixth Ward was not in Lawrenceville it ranged from the Mon River along Try Street to Fifth Avenue to Miltonberger Street to the Mon River to Try Street.

As your ancestor was not in our area of interest, you should contact the Pennsylvania Dept. at Carnegie Library for information on how to track him down.

Q: On August 1, 2008, Maureen Crowley wrote, “I have been told that in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago, there was an article that Lawrenceville has 2 Mail Pouch signs/paintings. Can you help me and tell me where they are?”

A: The whole buzz about Mail Pouch ads that appear on old buildings was started by an article in the Post Gazette (see http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08206/898898-57.stm) that states that an old Mail Pouch ad spanning two buildings in Carnegie was discovered by a demolotion crew.

According to the official Mail Pouch website the Lawrenceville structures that have such ads are at 45th and Butler Street and the 5200 block of Butler Street. Both photos were taken by Bill Plack in 2003. I'm not sure if they are still there today or not. I hope so, but who knows. If I think of it, I'll check it out next time I'm down that way. If you get there first, let me know.

So far we haven't found any such article that mentions these Lawrenceville buildings.

(editor’s note – Maureen responded immediately to let us know that both ads are still visible.)

Q: I recently got into genealogy, and I have traced some of my Dougherty ancestors back as far as the Civil War. The family had a lot of history in Lawrenceville and the entire family is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery. My question is this: Do you know where the records would be for the Jerry T. O'Shea's Funeral Home, which was located at Penn and Main?

Any information you could give me would be appreciated.

A: Unfortunately, we have no information on this establishment. If anyone can help, please send your answer to Avs345@aol.com. This person did not leave a name.

Q: Good evening. I may not be writing the right person, but maybe you can direct me to the proper research site. I am trying to find some information about my ancestors from PA. The earliest document I have is a marriage certificate (all in German) and it seems to be from Lawrenceville PA. Casper Baumann (from Zurich Switzerland) married Sophia Pielh (that's what the name looks like--from Rostock Germany) on either 4 or 6 Dec 1866. The pastor's name is not readable. Casper served in the civil war and then owned a "Stoves, Tin & Hardware" store on Penn Ave (I believe it is 2805 Penn--I have a photo of the family standing in front of the store).

I have attempted to find information on the web to no avail. I live in Idaho, therefore I'm not able to do footwork in PA. Can you guide me in the right direction?! Thank you.

Diane Baumann Gines
r303@netzero.com
(208)431-7577

A: After further research using the address 2805 Penn Avenue in the Historic Pittsburgh Project we find the following information in:

Title: Pittsburgh and Allegheny directory 1898.
Author: R.L. Polk & Co.
Publication Info: Pittsburgh, Pa.: R. L. Polk & Co. and R. L. Dudley, -1907.

p. 155 - Jacob Baumann appears as the owner of a hardware store at this site, and Caspar lives at 227 Taylor Street. Taylor Street is in the Bloomfield section of the city.

However, on page 315 of the next source:

Title: Polk's Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) city directory 1930.
Author: R.L. Polk & Co.
Publication Info: Pittsburgh, Pa. : R.L. Polk & Co., 1927-1939

we find that Catherine, the widow of Jacob Bauman (spelled with one "n"), still lives at 2805 Penn Avenue, while Caspar and his wife Nellie are residing at 206 Taylor Street. This may or may not have been Caspar, Jr.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Diane at the e-mail or phone listed above.

The following has been added on December 18, 2008.

Q: Ed Zullo writes, “I remember a big fire at the oil depot in Lawrenceville. Probably 1970s. Any info on that? “

This fire was not at an oil depot, but rather at a warehouse. There were concerns that the fire would spread to one of the oil depots. It never did.

Jim Wudarczyk describes the Beacon Warehouse on pages 177-178 in the book Monster on the Allegheny . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories. It occurred on January 11, 1973. An eerie orange glow filled much of the sky over Lawrenceville.

In addition to the information found in the book, John Gombita, author of "The Atlantic Refinery Fire of January 21, 1924" (see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=53 ) adds the following account.

After reviewing with Lt. Dan Herr, who lived on Oglethorpe St. at the time, Ed is referring to the Beacon Warehouse fire. In addition to the main fire, several homes in Stanton Heights were set afire by firebrands floating into the neighborhood. Power was lost in Stanton Heights for a few days because all the power lines burnt down; buildings along Berlin Way fronting Butler Street also burned down. The fire burned from McCandless Street to 54th Street a two block area.

No.9 Engine, stationed nearby, reported on the scene and radioed to all the other responding units to return as it was "a small fire in the corner of the warehouse and they could handle it." They actually drove right into the original fire building. The fire went to 6 alarms and even volunteer companies responded from across the river.

Jude Wudarczyk, member of the LHS adds his recollections. I was in high school at the time of the fire. The following day about a fourth of the school was absent, so I thought that the flu had hit school pretty hard. About lunch time kids began to drift into school. They were all telling me that Butler Street was a sheet of ice where the fire had occurred. I didn’t want to believe it; I thought it was a big hoax. The next day my mother and I went down to the bakery in that part of Lawrenceville. Just as everyone had said the streets were covered with ice and you could see where there were hundreds of marks from ice skates.

The damage from the fire was very extensive. There would be three or four houses burned down, then a house that was unmarred. This would be followed by two or three more buildings totally ruined and then the next suffered slight damage. The next four were wrecked. This is how it continued for about three blocks.

Q: Vaughn H. Ament asks, “What is the approximate cost of the stained glass windows in the Temple of Memories in Allegheny Cemetery?”

A: According to information supplied to us by Barbara Held of Allegheny Cemetery, the windows were designed by Dr. Henry Lee Willet of Philadelphia. Each has its own religious theme and is valued at a different amount. They were never valued individually, but collectively they are valued at $1,000,000.00.

Q: Who paid for the stain glass windows in the Temple of Memories? Were they paid for by a donation or a grant? – brown.lamar@comcast.net

A: Again Barbara Held supplied us with the answer. Allegheny Cemetery paid for the windows and the entire construction of the Temple of Memories with its own funds. The expenses were offset by sales of vaults in the Temple.

Q: Soupy says, “You mention on your website that the Sadowski brothers all played professional baseball, but you don’t tell us what their first names are or when they played.

A: Good catch! All three brothers started in the majors in 1960. Eddy Sadowski, played for Red Sox in 1960, the Angels from 1961 to 1963, and with the Braves in 1966.

Teddy played as a rookie with the Senators, but moved to the Twins for the 1961 and 1962 seasons.

Bobby started with the Cardinals in 1960, moved to the Phillies in 1961, then to the White Sox in 1962, and ended his career with the Angels in 1963.

Q: Dick Garboski of Thousand Oaks, California asks about a picture of the Allegheny Arsenal Gatehouse. He wanted to know its location.

A: The Allegheny Arsenal Gatehouse was located on Butler Street between 39th and 40th Streets. It was torn down late 1947. We have not been able to find an exact date this sad event occurred.

Update: Carolyn Burger writes: I noticed the question re. Olive Turney. She was an artist and part of the Scalp Level School (a group of artists from Western PA that did landscape & some still life painting). She also attended the Pittsburgh School of Design for Women .

The following link may be helpful.
(www.cambriacountyhistorical.com/newsletters/heritageqtrly/summer2007.htm ).

Q: My name is Carrieann Pijanowski and I am researching Lawrenceville for a history paper. Is there anywhere you can direct me to find a timeline of Lawrenceville? Can you tell me who was the first person to step on this land?

A: For the closest thing to a time line of Lawrenceville History, see
http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=19.

While we don't know exactly who was the first person to walk in Lawrenceville, we believe it was the Delaware Indians that were the first to settle in the area. We also believe that George Croghan was the first European to live here.

Q: Kim Bellora, a member of the Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers (www.pgh-h3.com), wanted to tour of our community and wanted to find out about sites of interest.

A: If you're looking for interesting places to see in Lawrenceville we would strongly recommend that you read Jim Wudarczyk's books, especially Historic Sites and Lost Landmarks of Lawrenceville's Sixth Ward, call number at Carnegie Library is r F159.P66 L379 1994x and Pittsburgh's Forgotten Allegheny Arsenal, call number - rUF543.A5 W86 1999x.

Also purchase a copy of the following books about Lawrenceville

1. Monster on the Allegheny . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories
2. A Doughboy's Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories
3. In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories.

#3 has several chapters on various people buried in Allegheny and St. Mary's Cemeteries as well as chapters on the overall features and history of both cemeteries. It also has the stories behind the Doughboy statue and the Goddess Victory statue. All three books have lots of good info for developing a tour.

We do provide docents for our tours of the neighborhood, but we generally charge $5.00 per person for these tours and use the money to help fund the Society's activities.

While Allegheny Cemetery is an excellent place to tour, don't overlook St. Mary's Cemetery. There are a lot of people of note and other interesting facts there. For more info see http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~njm1/tourind.htm.

The following has been added on December 16, 2008.

Q: We had two inquires about the ragman that serviced the streets of Lawrenceville for many long years. Steve asked us if we knew his name, and JoAnn Jodar asked if there were any pictures of him and his horse.

A: Don Di Marco immortalized Old Jim, the ragman, and his horse Dobbin with his poem “Rags, Ol’ Iron” in his book On Cobblestone Streets. Both Jim and Dobbin are drawn in the book. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find Jim’s last name or where he called home. If anyone can answer these questions for us, please contact us, and let us know.

Steve can be reached at (412) 580-3244. Anyone with photos can reach JoAnn at joannjodar@yahoo.com.

Q: Rosemarie Perla asks, “How can I get a copy of Beautiful Dreamer, the book about Stephen Foster.

A: This book can be purchased through Xlibris.com, barnesandnoble.com, amazon.com, at any Borders, or Barnes & Nobles store. You can also purchase it from the author by e-mailing her at ellen@ulken.com. Cost from the author is $11.00, including postage.

Q: Amanda Johnson asks, “I have read a little bit about the Allegheny Arsenal, but cannot specifically place it. Did it occupy the block where Arsenal Middle School and the Park is today? Also, what is the significance of the cannon that sits at the bottom of the park? Was it a real working cannon at one point? Or is it a monument? How long has it been there? “

A: Very briefly stated the Allegheny Arsenal at its height was bounded by 39th and 40th Streets, Penn Avenue, and the Allegheny River. Butler Street sliced the arsenal grounds in two. It was one of the most important military arsenals in America during the Civil War.

James Wudarczyk, wrote the most complete history of this site of which I am aware. The book is titled Pittsburgh’s Forgotten Allegheny Arsenal and is available through Closson Press. By 1900 or so, the U. S. government felt the facility was outdated and within the next few decades divested itself of the facility. Today not only is Arsenal School on the site, but also the Allegheny County Health Department's Frank Clack Center, a Rite-Aid Pharmacy, UPMC St. Margaret Family Care Center, the Arsenal Terminal Buildings, a stretch of railroad tracks, and a few buildings below the tracks share the grounds of the old arsenal.

The gun is actually an authentic Columbiad cannon, and was placed in the park as part of the WPA (Works Project Act) during the Great Depression of the 1930's. The cannon signifies the military importance of the site.

Jim Wudarczyk, who is mentioned above, adds the following information. “I believe this cannon was cast at the Tredegar Foundry in Richmond, Virginia. If memory serves me correct, the two smaller cannon in front of Arsenal School along Butler Street were cast at the Fort Pitt Foundry in New York. “

Q: Liz Radall writes, “I was looking for my ancestor George D. Kaufman and sent away for some civil war enlistments papers. They state that he was born in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania about 1839. I looked online for the census for 1850, and there was a family listed with a Geo D. Kaufman, Washington Kaufman and Nancy Kaufman look to be the elders on the census and presumable his parents. He is 11 on the census. There are also others listed, Catharine and William H. Kaufman. I looked on the 1860 census and there are additional family members, John A, Edith, Ellen, Kaufman there is also a Samuel Richey. I think this might be my Kaufman family! Are you able to send me copies of census records of the Kaufmans that lived in Lawrenceville and Allegheny City, PA? Anything you could send me would certainly help, and would be very much appreciated as I have been looking for George D. Kaufman’s family for many years. George D. Kaufman married Mary Ellen Witherspoon in 1861 Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. I have the news article. Mary Ellen Witherspoon's Great-Uncle, John Witherspoon, was one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence."

A: Unfortunately, the Lawrenceville Historical Society does not have these records on file. As we are a very small neighborhood organization with a very small archives, smaller treasury, and no place to call home, we cannot afford to gather too many materials. However, you might be able to obtain copies of the sheets with Kaufman family information by contacting the Pennsylvania Department of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh at padept@carnegielibrary.org. You'll need to ask them whether or not this is possible, and how much such a venture would cost.

The only George D. Kaufman about whom I could find any information appeared in the book, History of Hampton battery F, by William Clark in 1865. The author lists Kaufman as "missing in action after the Battle of Antietem, and has not been heard from since."

The few family histories that the LHS does possess have been consulted and no additional information has been found. If anyone can help Liz, she can be reached by writing:

Liz McDowell Randall
172 North Country Road
Miller Place, NY 11764

She can be reached by phone at (631) 473-0713 or by e-mailing her at lizrandall@optonline.net.

Q: Liz Randall asks, “Which newspapers would have been read in Lawrenceville from 1830 to 1870?”

A: There were several newspapers that serviced Lawrenceville during this time. The following are the titles and the dates of these papers that are available at Carnegie Library for your perusal.

Gazette Statesman (1830-34)
Christian Herald (1831-35)
Pittsburgh Mercury (1835-45)
Pittsburgh Times (1837-38)
Pittsburgh Chronicle Post (1842-70)
Pittsburgh Leader (1866-70)

The following has been added on December 15, 2008.

Q: Lisa asks for any information on Slovenski Dom, which used to be at 115 – 57th Street. She also tells us that there was a full theater on the second floor.

A: Unfortunately, we can find very little information on Slovenski Dom.

In Joseph A. Borkowski’s “Miscellaneous History of Lawrenceville” (page 80) we read:

“Plans were begun in 1910 to build the first Slovenski Dom as a central meeting place and communications center to promote brotherhood and preserve the culture and traditions. A group of Lawrenceville Slovenes met on December 4 of that year under the leadership of Ferdinand Volk and Andrej Coghe and organized for this purpose. On May 30, 1911, they dedicated the first Slovenian auditorium at 57th Street, above Butler. The first officers were Volk (1861-1912, and inventor and co-founder of the Pittsburgh Safety Devices Company), Rudolf Pozek, Louis Zalar, Peter Rogina, France Mohar, and Jozef Starcevic. The Slovenski Dom has well served the Slovenian community and its neighbors. It was here that in May, 1911, the fame Preseren Singing Society was formed, the choir at that time being under the direction of Milutin Jankovich.

“The annual American Slovene Day had its inception in the Slovenski Dom in Lawrenceville, and its first function was held on July 8, 1939 at West View Park. Since then it has been a “must” for Americans of Slovenian descent, and their friends.”

James Wudarczyk writes in his booklet “Historical Sites and Lost Landmarks of Lawrenceville’s Ninth and Tenth Wards” (edited by Cynthia A. Wudarczyk):

”SLOVENE HALL

Located on 57th Street, Slovene Hall was founded in 1910 and served as a social club for nearly eight years before being forced to close its doors because of escalating costs and declining membership. The club once had a bowling alley, bar and dance hall. This facility served the various lodges of KSKJ, SNPJ and other Slovenian fraternal and insurance organizations.”

However, I seem to remember the reason for its closure as being something else. I remember being told that the hall had only one entrance/exit, and the Fire Marshal closed it for that reason. If a fire broke out near that door, many people could burn to death or be injured while jumping out of windows. From what people told me the place was hopping throughout the 1960’s and possibly into the 1970’s.

The words Slovenski Dom translate into English as Slovenian National Hall. “Dom” is common among the East European languages. It can mean a “hall” as it does in this case or a “home”. It is my understanding that it has the same roots as the English words “dome,” “domicile,” and “domestic.”

About 2002 or so ago we heard that it was being converted into a skateboard arena, but have never heard anything more on this. Perhaps the plans fell through.

Your note says that there is a full theater on the 2nd floor. Are you sure about this? We never heard this before. Perhaps you are thinking of the “Dome Theater,” which was located 5133 ½ Butler Street. This neighborhood theater had no connection to Slovenski Dom other than a similar name.

Q: Sandy De Temple asks, “For what purpose was the house at 233 – 37th Street used? “

A: Several people have informed us that it was originally used as the parsonage for the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is located on the corner of 37th and Bandera Streets. Today it is the residence of the church’s caretaker.

Q: Sandy and Jim asked what was the name of the bakery on the corner of 42nd and Butler Streets?

A: Guentert’s. They served the community for many decades before selling the business to Jenny Lee’s around the turn of the new millennium. Jenny Lee’s closed the site about five years later, and it has been vacant ever since.

Q: Lisa Javornick, Director of Photography at javostudios has indicated that she purchased the old club on Holmes Street. She asks, what can you tell me about this old club and the German writing over the door?

A: Dr. Thorsten Stefan, who was born in Germany, was the first person to tell us that the writing on the front of the building is Swedish, not German. The word Forwerk means "Forward". He told me that the Forward movement in Germany was a precursor of the Nazi movement. However, Donald Bergmark, whose family belonged to the club assured us that our Ferwork Hall was strictly a Benefical Society for the Swedes living in Lawrenceville. He insisted that it had no connections to political beliefs of any kind.

Mr. Bergmark told us that the club owned a boat and a camp and took members for outings on the boat up river to their camp.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Lisa Javornick at (714) 404-8368 or e-mail her at Lisa@javostudios.com.

Q: Jerry Johns, Allegheny County Director of Social Services of the Salvation Army writes: I noticed on your web site a reference to "an accidental poisoning at the Lawrenceville Salvation Army kills twelve men and hospitalizes 45 more." Do you have more information or any other information concerning The Salvation Army in Lawrenceville?

A: When we indicated that we did not, Mr. Johns was kind enough to donate copies of newspaper articles and annual reports about the Salvation Army’s activities in Lawrenceville. If anyone has additional information, please share it with us and Mr. Johns. He can be reached at (412) 394-4880 or via e-mail at Gerald_Johns@use.salvationarmy.org.

Update: Some time ago Lu Donelley of Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh asked , who was the architect of the PNC Bank on Butler Street. Jim Wudarczyk supplied with an answer. This edifice was designed by Beezer Brothers. They also did St. John, the Baptist Church on Liberty Avenue, which is now the Church Brew Works.

The following has been added on May 11, 2008.

Q: Frank Harnett writes, “Are there any written descriptions or pictures relative to the Junction Coal Co. yards behind the Iron City Brewery in the 1940s? I am in the process of planning a model RR layout of the 1942 era and would like to include same in the modeling.”

A: Unfortunately, we have no information on or photos of this company. If anyone can help Frank, please contact him at th_wvb2@verizon.net.

Q: I am working on a journal article about one of the Heppenstalls -- with his grand-neice -- who is one of my students. We are on Spring Break, and I won't see her for a week -- and I am not sure she would have the answer I need without hunting. Thus, I will do the hunting.

1) Is there a book about the Heppenstall Steel Company or a magazine article? I only have internet web addresses, and I am definitely not going to use them as sources for an academic article. If so, could I ask for all the information needed for an entry in my endnotes -- author, article or book name, magazine, publisher, place published, year, and pages (if this is a magazine article)?

2) Do you have any records on either George R.M. Heppenstall or George T. Heppenstall? If so, how would I cite your records?

Thank you for any assistance you can offer me -- we have been fussing with this article for over a year, and I would love to get it to print before I am 100 !!!

A: The only book of which we know on the Heppenstall Company is found in the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania Library. The information on this book is listed as follows:

Author: Heppenstall Company.
Title: The history of Heppenstall Company : Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Alternate Titles: Fifty years of service.
Imprint: Pittsburgh : Heppenstall Company, 1943.

WorldCat tells us that the University of Pittsburgh and Iowa Wesleyan College also have copies, and also lists several items that were published by Heppenstall's.

You might be able to get a copy of this book via an interlibrary loan from your local library. Ask you librarian how this is done.

Finally, there is a small (24 page) history written by Jim Wudarczyk, who is the world's foremost authority on just about anything dealing with the history of Lawrenceville. Also, you'll want to buy a copy of A Doughboy's Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories, which has several pages on the Heppenstall Company strike of 1937.

This book can be purchased directly from the Lawrenceville Historical Society by sending $22.00 post-paid to:

Lawrenceville Historical Society
P. O. Box 4015
Arsenal Station
Pittsburgh, PA 15201-0015

We know that the Heppenstalls lived on 45th Street in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, but we can't locate the exact address.

Q: Soupy asks, “Wasn’t there a bunch of brothers from Lawrenceville that played professional baseball?”

A: Three of the Sadowski brothers played professional baseball .

The following has been added on March 9, 2008.

Q: Daren Stanchak asked which cemetery the parishioners of St. Mary Assumption Parish used, and if the parishioners had any cultural or benevolent societies.

A: Suzanne Johnston of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society informs us that approximately 80 per cent of the parishioners of St. Mary Assumption Church were buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery on 46th Street up to 1920. After 1920 almost all of them were buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Sharpsburg.

According to a booklet titled “Saint Mary Assumption Parish: August 15, 1897 to October 29, 1993” some parishioners belonged to KSKJ (American Slovenian Catholic Union) and AFU (American Fraternal Union).

Q: Daren Stanchak asked if anyone had information on the vandalism of the Church of God, which occurred in 1946. This church was on the corner of 44th and Sherrod Streets.

A: We have no information on the vandalism other than the May 4, 1946 article from the Pittsburgh Courier that Daren provided. This building was originally used as the Zion Lutheran Church and became the Sacred Heart of Jesus Polish National Catholic Church in 1929.

Q: Donna Maloy writes, “I was told recently that a relative of mine owned a linen supply company in Lawrenceville near the 40th Street Bridge. I would like to verify the name of the company. I was told it was White Star or White Eagle. I also would like to verify that it indeed it was owned by Billy Fuchs.”

A: Yes, White Eagle Linen was once located near the 40th Street Bridge. If my memory serves me correctly it is the building that is now occupied by Vynex Window Company and may have taken up several other buildings as well. Unfortunately, we do not have any information on who owned the laundry, but there were Fuchs' living in Lawrenceville during the 1930's and 1940's. "Papa" Fuchs ran a small mom and pop grocery store somewhere around 37th Street. He was a German immigrant and spoke with a thick accent. There may have been other families with this name.

The laundry went out of business in the 1970’s or 1980’s. If anyone has additional information, Donna can be reached at rmaloy@verizon.net.

Update: Ken Holmes who previously inquired about a Swedish Church in Lawrenceville wrote again. He states, “was wondering if you could confirm something for me. I found the site of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Gustavus Adolphus Church at the corner of Cotton Way and Plummer St in Lawrenceville in the 1880s. The site is occupied now by Radiant Hall. Can you tell me anything about this building? Was this originally the Swedish church and then converted to a hall.”

A: No, this building was not the Swedish Church. Radiant Hall was a Polish social club operated by the Polish National Alliance. It served as place for weddings, parties and teen dances. It earned the nickname “Bucket of Blood”, because of the many fights that broke out during the weddings.

As Polish Americans drifted away from their ethnic roots, the club was closed and sold. Various tenants including the Hare Krishnas, Merlot’s Awnings and Pittsburgh Gateways have since occupied the site.

Q: Joann Jodar writes, “I was looking at photos of Heppenstall Steel yesterday. I saw a photo that said Heppenstall Steel Demolition...The Sun sets on Heppenstall Steel. Do you know what they are doing with that large property? When I was in Pittsburgh in February 2004, my grandmother’s house at the end of 44th St had been torn down and a small park put there. Are they renovating the whole area?”

A: The word on the street is that the entire Heppenstall Steel works will eventually be demolished. However, we have no official word to confirm or deny this rumor.

Update: Kathleen Freker previously inquired about the construction going on at 3800 block of Butler Street. We have it on good authority that townhouses are being constructed there. The cluster will be called Shanopin’s Village in honor of the Indian village that was nearby during the 18th Century.

This information was added on January 1, 2008.

Q: Kelly Shissler has written asking if anyone knows the whereabouts of her great-grandfather's grave. She tells us, “In talking to aunts about our family history, I was told a story about my great-grandfather in a "poorhouse" as they referred to it where he died. I was also told this had some relationship to the Kane hospital and the Allegheny Cemetery. The date would probably have been somewhere between 1920 and 1940. Do you have any information of what and where this place may have been? My grandparents are of Polish decent and a name of reference would probably be Bobak. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated.”

A: There was a "workhouse/poorhouse" located in/around Blawnox where people who were indigent or unable to pay their bills were sent. If you're not from Pittsburgh, Blawnox is a community just outside Pittsburgh. This facility was still standing up to the 1960's or thereabout. People who committed minor crimes such as public drunkenness were also sent there.

This facility was run by Allegheny County, not Allegheny Cemetery.

Is this what your aunts were referring to?

Most Polish-Americans were Catholic during the time in question. The Catholic Church did not allow their followers to be buried in Allegheny Cemetery until Vatican II, as it was not consecrated by the Church.

Did you know that St. Mary's Cemetery in Lawrenceville has a pauper's section? He may be buried there. The graves in the "Pauper's section" of St. Mary's Cemetery are not marked. The cemetery officials felt that if the family could afford a tombstone, then they could afford to pay for a grave.

Also, many Polish-Americans from Lawrenceville were buried in St. Stanislaw Cemetery in Millvale. They too buried paupers. A fire destroyed their records, but the staff have gone through the grounds and documented the graves that have tombstones. Contact the office. They might be able to help.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Kelly at flamingomama52@yahoo.com.

Q: My name is Andrew Prymak, and I am a graduate student in the History Department at Penn State's University Park Campus. This summer, I am assisting a faculty member in compiling a list of repositories in Pennsylvania that contain information pertaining to that state's rich agricultural history. I am curious to know if you can recall any primary sources at your institution that relate to agriculture.

Such material can include photographs, records of farm organizations like agricultural societies, oral histories, local publications, family papers, individual farm records, records of firms that worked with or provided materiel to farmers, and architectural surveys. Should you recall any such material existing within your holdings, I may pay a visit later in the summer for further investigation.

A: Unfortunately, the Lawrenceville Historical Society does not have agricultural information about the community. If you find some, please share it with us.

Q: Marty Ressler asks, “During a recent tour of Allegheny Cemetery the docent mentioned that a particular industrialist was the only member of his company’s board that took a stock option in Carnegie Steel instead of cash. He became extremely wealthy as a result. What was his name?”

A: William H. Singer of Singer, Nimick & Company.

Q: Ken Holmes writes, “Hello, I am doing some research on my family that lived in Lawrenceville from about 1886-1906. Do you have information on a Swedish community that existed in Lawrenceville at that time? Do you have any information on a church there that they all belonged to called the Evangelical Lutheran Gustavus Adolphus Church at the corner of Plummer and Cotton. They lived at 6 Sloan Way and 46th Street then. I cant seem to find this Sloan Way either?”

A: Jim Wudarczyk, provided the information below:

Swedish-American Lutheran Church of Greater Pittsburgh

Although very little exists on the Swedish community in Lawrenceville, we know that there were enough of a population to support three churches, and at the turn of the twentieth century the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh issued an eight-page catalog of books and magazines in Swedish that were available at the Lawrenceville branch. One of the few references to this religious institution reads:

“The Swedish-American Lutheran Church of Greater Pittsburgh worshipped in this little church on Plummer Street for 20 years. The ever growing stream of immigrants has made it necessary to get a larger and better located church. The need such a church as you see pictured on the first page. The contrast between these buildings is indicative of the contrast between Pittsburgh of 1888 and of to-day; the Church should grow with the city. The Lutherans from the land of Gustavus Adolphus are working hard to secure a church that will meet their present needs. This church will be on the beautiful and centrally located lot, cor(sic) Friendship Ave. and Evaline St., recently bought. The building will be 54 x 73 ft and have an auditorium seating a little over 500 persons. The basement will have necessary rooms for the Sunday School and other organizations of the congregation. The cost will be about $35,000.00. We are doing our very best to raise this sum but we need the generous support of all who are interest in the uplift of our city. We are here to stay, and we want to be useful citizens of our adopted land. But we need the Gospel, and nowhere can we git it better than in our own church. Here all our people should be gathered. Will you help us?

“All contributions will be thankfully received by the pastor,

Rev. Julius Hulteen”

Material provided by Mr. Donald Bergmark of the North Hills Genealogical Society.

It's your historian again. There were two other Swedish Churches in Lawrenceville. We believe that the one on 45th Street was the old Swedish Congregation Church. Today it is an AM-Vet club.

The Swedish Mission Church was on 43rd and Butler Streets.

The neighborhood Swedes started a beneficial society called "Ferwerk" or something like that. This translates as "Forward". It was located on Holmes Street. The German Forward Societies of the day were forerunners of the NAZI's. However, Mr. Bergmark assured us that the Swedish group was strictly a beneficial society/social club with no political agendas. The club bought a fishing lodge up the Allegheny River and a boat. Every summer they would go back and forth to the lodge and the docks on 62nd Street. The Swedes sold the club and it became known as the "Boom-boom". Today it is used as storage. The insides were gutted, windows are boarded up, etc.

The Lawrenceville Branch of Carnegie Library kept posting lists of newly acquired books written in Swedish through WWI.

We have no information on Sloan Way.

Q: Tom asks, “In your Doo Dah Days Tour your docents mention that Charles Lockhart was the second richest man in Pittsburgh at the time of his death. Who was the richest?”

A: In 1902 Forbes Magazine ranked Henry Clay Frick as the richest man in the world. They ranked him with $11,000,000.00 more than Carnegie. Most likely he would still have been richer than anyone else in Pittsburgh in January 1905 when Charles Lockhart died. Carnegie might have passed them up, but Carnegie had moved to New York by then. However, he made frequent trips back here.

Q: Do you have or can you refer me to a history of the Holy Family R.C. Church in Lawrenceville?

I read on your web site the original Holy Family Church was established on 10 Oct 1902 by Bishop Phelan with Father Anthony Smelez as the first pastor. Where was this church located?

I also read that on 8 October 1939 ground was broken for the new Holy Family R. C. Church on 44th Street. What happened to the original church?

A: The only history of Holy Family Church that comes to mind is Holy Family Church, which was published by Customed Book, Inc. in 1978. I have seen another book written in Polish, which was published in the 1920's or 1930's. However, I can't read Polish, so I didn't pay much attention to it. Consequently, I can't recall the title.

The original church was on the second floor of the school building, which was on the corner of 41st and Foster Streets. When the new church opened on 44th Street the old church was absorbed by the school.

In 1964 a new school was built on 44th Street next to the church building and the old school building was closed. It remained vacant until about four or five years ago. At that time it was refurbished and renamed the Catalyst Building. The new owner tried to use it as an incubator building for small businesses, but he was not successful. He wanted to rent the building for a new school, but the city closed it down. At the time of this writing the building is being converted into condominiums.

This information was added on December 31, 2007.

Q: Maximilian Fuchs asks, “I read at your page, that Stephen Foster's wife died January 6. Where did you get that date, and where can I find "Mrs. Matthew D. Wiley" at the Cemetery now?

If you have any other information about the last years of Mrs. Matthew D. Wiley I would be glad to hear from you.

A: Jane Foster's/Jane Wiley's obituary was noted in one of the newspapers of the time, which can be found in the Microfilm Department at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. (This is in the Main Library in Oakland.)

Her grave can be found in her parent's family plot in Allegheny Cemetery. The best way I can describe the location is to start at the Butler Street Entrance. Follow the green line until you pass the General Alexander Hays' grave. This is the grave that has the inverted cannons. It will be on your left. Once you pass Hays' grave make the first left. Jane's grave is on the right just a little piece down the road. It is near a very large tree.

For more information on Jane go to http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/text-idx?c=pitttext;page=simple. Type in "Jane McDowell" and click "Search".

You'll get a number of hits, but some have nothing to do with our Jane.

If anyone has additional information, Maximilian Fuchs can be reached at max_fux@yahoo.de.

Q: Marty Ressler writes, “ I can’t find anything on Matthew Wiley, Jane McDowell Foster’s second husband.” Any suggestions?

A: Go to http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/text-idx?c=pitttext;page=simple and do a search on his name.

Q: Several people have asked, who did the beautiful stain glass windows in the Temple of Memories in Allegheny Cemetery?

A: Barbara Held of Allegheny Cemetery informs us that they were done by Willet Studios of Philadelphia.

Q: Marty Ressler asks whether John Chislett designed the receiving vault in Allegheny Cemetery, and in which year was it completed?

A: Chislett actually did design the first Receiving Vault in 1858. The one that is now in use was done in 1905. (I think. I believe it's marked on a sign near the site.) The annex was built in 1960.

Q: I'm trying to put together a family tree. I have little information to go on, but here goes. My father's name was Steve Majetich. He had three brothers, Mike, Andy & George. The only one still living was Mike, but I have not been able to get in touch with him to get any information about their parents. George spelled his name different, Myatich. As for Mike & Andy I'm not sure how they spelled their last names. George owned a grocery store/deli, either on 47th St., or Home St., below Plummer St. Steve, Mike & Andy all lived in Lawrenceville at one time or another. I have no information at all about their parents. The big hangout for them was The Metropalitan Resturant in the 4200 block of Butler St., and The Rxall drug store at the corner of 43rd & Butler St. We lived in Pearson Way, next to Holy Family Church, Can you help at all. I can be reached at: mmajetich2@comcast.net or by phone at: 412-537-1379. Timothy Majetich

A: Jane Pokorski gave us the address of J. C. Majetich's store. It was located at 4701 Hatfield Street. The telephone number was Fisk-2977 or 34-2977. Note that in those days there were only six digits to a phone number. She found the information in the 1931-32 Schenley High School Yearbook. They had taken out an ad to help the students pay for the yearbook.

Q: “Who puts the little flags on veterans graves around Memorial Day? “

A: Nobody puts the flags there. They are self-seeding plants. Their growing season starts in May.

Actually, many people ask us that same question. LHS member, Bill Reynolds, provided the answer.

They are placed by the Allegheny County Bureau of Veteran Affairs out of Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland. They are paid for by Allegheny County. The volunteers come from the AMVETS on 45th Street and Saint John Neumann School.

Q: Pat Scott, author of the beloved Lawrenceville saga The Scotts from a Hill in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, writes, “I am looking for photographs of two mansions that once stood in Lawrenceville.

Jane Holmes Mansion on Butler Street (demolished in 1980s) and the Croghan-Schenley Mansion (demolished in 1960s?) in Stanton Heights.

Can you tell me where I will find these?”

A: Can anyone help Pat? If so, she can be reached at scotquinn@thesafety.net. However, some folks, including local historian Jim Wudarczyk, claim that the Croghan-Schenley home was in Lawrenceville, not Stanton Heights. (See “That Disobedient Girl From Pittsburgh” in the book A Doughboy’s Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories.)

This information was added on December 30, 2007.

Q: Neal McKown asks: “Was there ever an armory in or around Lawrenceville? Years ago I lived in Aspinwall and used to take Stanton Ave down to Butler Street. I was told by a parent that there was a Civil War armory somewhere in the vicinity of Lawrenceville. This would have been almost 60 years age so my memory is probably faulty. Many thanks.”

A: Your parent was referring to the Allegheny Arsenal, which was located between 39th and 40th Streets, Penn Avenue and the Allegheny River. For more information read the book Pittsburgh’s Forgotten Allegheny Arsenal by James Wudarczyk. It is available through Closson Press, and is well worth the price.

Q: Rose Hoover writes: You have kindly helped me in the past during my genealogy research, so I thought I would try again.

One thing that has troubled me now that my search to learn more about my ancestors is over is this.

In 1880, two very young ancestors of mine were brave enough to sacrifice everything, leave the safety and security of their family and home in Scotland and make the perilous journey across the ocean searching for a better life. They ended up in Lawrenceville. They likely died believing their journey was in vain and that they had failed their children and all future generations because they were buried in unmarked paupers’ graves in Allegheny Cemetery. The irony is their journey was not in vain. Like so many others, I am who I am and I am where I am because they were brave enough to make that journey. I am not sure many of us today would have the guts to leave it all and take the risks that they did.

I want to pay tribute to my ancestors (and others like them) by putting an appropriate marker on their graves in Allegheny Cemetery. What I have in mind is more than just names and dates – my ideal would be more like a paragraph similar in sentiment to the paragraph above but much shorter – something that will remind all of us that the choices we make may indeed have an impact on future generations. I suspect erecting markers for this husband and wife with extended verbiage will be very costly.

Therefore, I thought it was worth a try to see if you and/or the Lawrenceville Historical Society might have a connection/contact that would help me do what I want at a price I can afford. If so, I would appreciate you emailing me.

A: Unfortunately, we personally don't know of anyone that would put a marker on your ancestors' graves or how much such a marker would cost. There are professional services that do this sort of thing listed in the yellow pages. They would be able to give you exact prices.

If you would like to do so, our Society offers a free Memorial Page on our website. You can even include one picture. The text has to be submitted via e-mail or on a disk. Best of all it's free. The text shouldn't be a book, but you can submit whatever you like. We might have to edit it, if it's too long or has errors. See http://www.lhs15201.org/memorial.asp for some examples.

Q: Tracy Mammarelli asks, “I was just wondering if you knew where I could find a copy of St John the Baptist High School yearbook for 1956. My Mother lost hers and she talks a lot about her high school years and always says she wishes she could find her book. She has talked about it for at least 20 years when she told me when I graduated to hold on to my yearbook and all my memories from high school. If you know of a way to get a hold of a copy even just to borrow it, it would make her very happy. Thanks in advance for your help.”

A: If anyone can help Tracy, she can be reached at sansuefarms@yahoo.com.

Q: Jim McLaughlin writes, “I am attempting to locate Chaplain William Henry Locke's civil war diaries who was the regimental chaplain/Historian for the 11th PA Infantry. Chaplain Locke wrote a couple books, one titled "The Story of the Regiment, 11th PA Infantry" from his diaries which I have located but I am interested in viewing the original diaries in regards to my research. It is believed Chaplain Locke resided in/near Pittsburgh.

“Chaplain Locke wrote the following book : The Profound Inquiry, a funeral discourse delivered in the Methodist Episcopal Church, Lawrenceville, Sabbath morning, June 28,1858: on the death of John Garrett, who was killed on the Pennsylvania Railroad, May 22,1858. Imprint; Pittsburg; W.S. Haven, 1858. Hence has a connection to Lawrenceville.”

A: Unfortunately, we have no information on Chaplain Locke. If anyone can help, please contact Jim at chiefshut@aol.com.

Q: Joe MacKrell wrote, “ I am interested in information surrounding the Allegheny Arsenal Explosion. I am interested in information about the Arsenal, the people who worked there and interesting details. I am especially interested in the daily lives of the civilian and military personnel, where the women lived (names of famous or notorious boarding houses), where the people socialized (bars, taverns, social events) and insights into how they viewed their work at the arsenal. I have also become aware that at the time of the explosion Lawrenceville was not a part of Pittsburgh. Information about transportation, roads and the ground between Pittsburgh and Lawrenceville would also be of help.”

A: The most comprehensive book on the Allegheny Arsenal is Pittsburgh's Forgotten Allegheny Arsenal by Jim Wudarczyk. If you live in Pittsburgh, the only store that I know of that sells the book is Jay's Soap Design on Butler Street. Otherwise you can buy a copy directly from Closson Press.

Unfortunately, we don't have information on the taverns, boarding houses, etc. of the time. Don Di Marco wrote a poem about Mean's Tavern, which probably is a good representation of the times. You might want to contact John Carnprobst, who is the arguably the world's foremost authority on the Allegheny Arsenal. John can be reached at lieutbob13@yahoo.com.

The primary roads to Lawrenceville from Pittsburgh were Penn Avenue, (also known by various other names such as the Greensburg Pike and the Philadelphia Turnpike) and Liberty Street (now called Liberty Avenue). I believe that the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Allegheny Railroad were in service at the time, and the Allegheny River provided the area with river transport. Early Lawrenceville had two river landings, but we were not yet able to find the location of these landings.

The Ewing Street Bridge (later called the 43rd Street Bridge) connected the community to the north shore of Allegheny River. At that time the River was a lot shallower and could be forded with a horse and wagon during dry spells. However, this was very risky business and many drivers lost their wagons or their loads attempting to do so.

Anyone with additional information can contact Joe at sleepyjoe2@verizon.net.

Q: Pat Scott asks, could you tell me quickly the name of the jewelry store that stood on the northern corner of either 43rd or 44th and Butler Street for decades?

A: The jeweler near 43rd and Butler Street was Carlson's. He had a big clock in front of his shop.

This information was added on December 29, 2007.

Q: Jim McKenzie writes - I am a writer, who once lived in Lawrenceville (1961, Percy Way; worked at Saint Francis Hospital). Can you tell me if Carnegie's first mill was in fact in Lawrenceville? I read somewhere that the nation's first iron district was there. What does that mean exactly?

Is there any resource I could consult about the steel industry as it relates to Lawrenceville, especially Carnegie.

Which of your three books would have the best info about steel in Lawrenceville history?

Which, if any, has good info on Saint Francis Hospital?

A: As far as we know both Carnegie brothers, Andrew and Thomas, got their start in the iron industry in Lawrenceville. (Actually, some people argue that it was the Strip District. Others say that area is Lawrenceville. Still others claim the entire Strip as being part of Lawrenceville.)

It would take too long to explain all the details in an e-mail, but a very condensed version of how the Carnegies got started in the metals industry follows. In 1863 Thomas bought into the Iron City Forge at 29th and Allegheny Valley Railroad. His brother Andrew loaned him the money to do so with the goal of getting his hand in the business.

Andrew's friend, Henry "Harry" Phipps, got voted out of the enterprise and was very upset. In 1864 he and Andrew then opened up Cyclops Iron Company, only four blocks up the river on 33rd and Allegheny Valley Railroad. Although the two companies were competitors Andrew negotiated a merger between them shortly after opening Cyclops and the new company became known as Union Mills.

There are a few good books out there that talk about Carnegie's enterprises in Lawrenceville. I would start with Carnegie by Peter Krass and The Inside History of Carnegie Steel Company by James Howard Bridge. Pittsburgh the Powerful also has some information.

The Lawrenceville Historical Society also has a couple books that you would want to buy. The book In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories has a chapter on Lucy Furnace and A Doughboy's Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories has a chapter that deals with the labor dispute at Heppenstal's in the 1930's. (To purchase these books see http://www.lhs15201.org/publications.htm.)

We have never heard of Lawrenceville as being the nation's first iron district.

Also, check http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=41, http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=42, http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=43, http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=44, and http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=45.

We have not yet dealt with the history of St. Francis Hospital. However, our book In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories does have a chapter about St. Margaret Hospital. For information on St. Francis see Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit - The History of St. Francis Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Carolyn Leonard Carson. Our book A Doughboy's Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories has a chapter about a possible miracle experienced by Liberace while he was a patient at St. Francis.

Anyone with additional information can contact Jim at:

Jim McKenzie 1598 Berkeley Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105 651-698-4968 Or james_mckenzie@und.nodak.edu

Q:JoAnn Jodar writes - I would be interested in any school pictures of my sister and I. I don't think the school had a year book at that time but I was thinking possibly school records. I know it was a long time ago. We attended there around 1953 to 1957. Our names were Rita and JoAnn Cappellano.

Also, do you have any information about the Heppenstall’s wall falling. It might have been around 1947 or 1950. I'm sorry I can't be more specific about the date. If it is possible to look that up, I would be so grateful. My sister and I had not been in Pittsburgh for fifty years. We visited there in 2001 and 2003. We were so happy to see Butler Street and 44th almost the same. I will pay for any photos if I can get some of the general neighborhood during that time.

A: Unfortunately, we do not have any information on Heppenstall’s wall falling. We would need to have an exact date to check the newspapers. We just don’t have enough volunteers to research the papers over a four year time span. However, if someone responds, we will let you know.

Regarding old Lawrenceville photos - go to http://digital.library.pitt.edu/p/pitttext/. Click "IMAGES". Click "Search". Type in "Butler Street", and search. You'll get 56 hits. You can do the same for "Lawrenceville" or "44th Street" instead of "Butler Street".

Happy hunting.

Anyone with additional information can contact JoAnn directly at joannjodar@yahoo.com.

Q: Jana Zander writes - The Pittsburgh Gazette mentioned in an article the year of (the former) Ms. Stephen Foster's remarriage. Unfortunately, it's only something black on the paper or on the photocopy. What causes this?

A: The black spot is on the microfilm. When you deal with old papers they crumble and the flecks of paper will appear on the film as black spots.

Q:For whom was the name given Leslie Park. Or better who was it named after.

Grant Leslie Hopkins
abwehr@comcast.net

A: Leslie Park was named in honor of Malachi Leslie, who was better known as Max Leslie. He was a political king maker of the Republican Party during the early years of the twentieth century.

When the park first opened it was originally called Lawrence Park in honor of Captain Lawrence, who became famous for the phrase, "Don't give up the ship." It was this same Captain Lawrence for whom the neighborhood of Lawrenceville was named. (See the book Monster on the Allegheny . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories.)

We don't know the exact date as to when the name of the park was changed. However, many senior citizens still call the park by its original name.

Q: Paula Tomlinson writes: I've done research on Fritzie Zivic and am interested in purchasing a book titled, Champ, Fritzie Zivic, Life and Times of the Croat Comet by Timpav. Do you know if this is available for sale? I have only found 1 copy on-line, priced at $145.00.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

A: Champ Fritzi Zivic . . . The Life and Times of the Croat Comet is an excellent book, and we highly recommend it. Our President, Dan Simkins, has informed us that the book is available from time to time at auction on ebay.com. I also found it listed on another site awhile back. The author's real name is Joseph Pavlak, but he writes by the name Timpav.

We’re rather surprise at the $145.00 price. This type of book should be selling for $15.00 or thereabout. I would recommend that you contact the seller and ask if he/she hit two keys at once and meant to type $14.00 or $15.00. If the seller is actually selling the book for $145.00, avoid him/her like the plague.

Did you read Lawrenceville Historical Society's book In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories? In this book we have a chapter titled, "The Fight That Rocked Pittsburgh". It is about the Fritzie Zivic/Billy Conn fight. It has a lot of information about Fritzie. (See http://www.lhs15201.org/publications.htm for more information. Or you can let us know where you live and work, and we’ll be sure to tell you about the store that is closest to you that sells the book.)

Q: I’m doing research on my family. I know that my ggggparents lived at 3808 Butler street and that they owned a grocery store. I was also told that there was a place called Freker Hall. They were involved in the St Augustine Parish. I have two old copies of newspaper clippings. One is where they are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and the other is of my ggggrandfather’s death notice. I’d like to know what paper these came from. I was curious whether St Augustine had a catholic paper. Do you have any info on this family or of any local papers that might have carried this obit? I have gone down passed 3808 Butler Street and notice that they are building something right where my ggggrandparents lived. It used to be an old used car lot. Any idea what they are putting in there?

I can be reach at kgarland@pennhills.org

Thanks,

Kathleen Freker Garland

A: Please provide us with any additional information that you might have on the Frekers. We will need the first names and the dates that they had the store at 3808 Butler Street.

Yes, St. Augustine's Church did have a little paper/newsletter called the Augustine or Augustiner or something similar. However, we’re not sure as to when the publication was in existance.

Is there anyone out there that can provide additional information to Kathleen on this topic?



Q: Soupy asks – Where can I find information about Matt Cvetic?

A: Read the books A Doughboy's Tale . . . and More Lawrenceville Stories, I Was A Communist For The FBI by Matt Cvetic, I Was a Communist for the FBI: Matt Cvetic: The true life and times of undercover agent Matt Cvetic by Gus Payne, and I Was a Communist for the FBI by Matthew Leab.

This information was added on October 21, 2007.

Q: Mary Hager writes:

My great grandfather, John Costello came over from Abbeydorney, Ireland in the late 1880s or early 1890s. He was married to Katherine Kelleher (or Catherine Kelihar) from Lixnaw, Ireland on September 22, 1892 at St. John the Baptist Church by Rev. E. M. McKeever. I believe John Costello passed away in 1936 in Pittsburgh. Any ideas on how I can get more information?

A: Check out the following sources:

PA DEPARTMENT CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412) 622-315
{This facility has a complete collection of HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS.}

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
4400 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 687-6811

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 454-6000
{There is a fee for non-members}

THE HISTORIC PITTSBURGH PROJECT
[This is a digital collection, and I use it extensively.}
digitallibrary.pitt.edu

THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Mormons)
46 School Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
(412) 921-2115
{This Church maintains an extensive digital collection, called "Family Search Internet Genealogy Service at www.familysearch.org.)

LAWRENCEVILLE BRANCH OF CARNEGIE LIBRARY
279 Fisk Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15201
(412) 682-3668
{This site has no genealogical collection.}

ARCHIVES AND RECORDS CENTER/CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH
Cardinal Dearden Center
4721 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Tel: (412) 456-3158
Fax: (412) 621-6237
Email: archives@diopitt.org

For more information on St. John's R. C. Church see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=1 and read the book A City Parish Grows and Changes by Sr. Martina Abbott, S. C.

Those with more information about John Costello can reach Mary at apr1916@ncwcom.com.

Q: My name is Richard Huff. I am looking for any information on the Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of Pgh. As far as I know it was or is on 45th st. I am looking for the records that may have been kept by the church. And or pictures. My Grandparents came from Sweden and were members of that church. They lived on McCandless from 1896 to 1905 then the corner of Stanton & McCandless till 1906. Then on Morningside Rd. between Vilsack St. and Vetter St. till 1917. Then to a farm in Springdale.

My mother was born there in 1897 and I was hoping to maybe get some birth record of her from the church. The city,county or state has nothing.

My Great Uncle helped to build the basement of that church.

And when my Grandfather Edward Peterson passed away he was buried in Allegheny Cemetery.

Any information you may have would be a great help.

A: The Evangelical Mission Covenant Church of Pittsburgh is new to us. Are you sure you got the right name. We know of three Swedish churches in Lawrenceville. The Swedish Mission Church on 43rd and Butler Streets, the Swedish Congregational Church on 45th Street (now the Amvets), and the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church that used to be on Plummer Street and Cotton Way.

Anyone with additional information can reach Richard at apr1916@ncwcom.com.

Q: I wanted to first tell you that your information on the fictional town of Hadleyville and the subsequent information which followed about the movie Gung Ho is well written and very informative, Mr. James Wudarczyk did a super job with this very insightful article!

I have the movie Gung Ho and I never get tired of watching it. I have often wondered if the town of Hadleyville was real or not and thanks to your excellent web site I am now a well informed fan! The town of Lawrenceville thanks to you is a town I hope to someday get to visit, I feel like I have always been a citizen I guess because of watching the movie so much, the town looks like a beautiful town.

I come from a very small town, 6600 pop., called Du Quoin Illinois. We are just 90 miles S/W of St. Louis Missouri. To give you an even closer idea to where I am from we are just 20 miles north of S.I.U. (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale) in Carbondale, Illinois.

I like to write to people such as yourselves, because I have an interest in movie history and where movies were filmed. The Movie in the Heat of the Night that was filmed back in the 60's a lot of which was filmed in our neighboring Randolph county in Sparta, Illinois due to the turbulent environment down in Mississippi at the time. The old train depot where Mr. Poitier and Mr. Steiger were shown at the beginning and at the end of the movie still stands to this day.

I have tried to get my kids involved in the excitement but I guess because the movie is so old, like dad, they just don’t have the same passion as I do for movie locations.

I just wanted to share some of my comments and thoughts with you and once again kudos on a well maintained web site!

A: Thanks for the kind words. We'll pass them along to Jim. When you come to visit us, bear in mind that only small portions of the movie were filmed in Lawrenceville. For a list of other movies filmed in part in Lawrenceville, please see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=9.

We hope to post more movie related articles in the near future.

Q: What can you tell me about the Club that was on 43rd Street (a little below Butler St.) I remember going there on Sunday afternoons with my parents in the late 1950's or early 1960's. I remember it was one of the first places in Lawrenceville that was air-conditioned. I think it was called Foresters or Fosters or something like that. I think of that often when we have these hot, humid days - that was my first encounter with air conditioning! Sitting here in front of the fan, just blowing hot air around, I long for those days again!

Also, have you ever heard of a place called Twin Willows? It was not in Lawrenceville but I can't remember where it was. They had either skating, bowling, or something like that.

Any information will be appreciated. Nancy

A: It was the Foresters Club, and was located at 188 - 43rd Street. It is now the Omega Federal Credit Union. Unfortunately, we have no additional information about this club.

If anyone can help, please contact Nancy at njz1947@verizon.net.

We cannot answer any questions about the Twin Willows as we only answer questions about Lawrenceville.

The following has been added on April 15, 2007.

Q: David Boyles asks, "How can I find out about restoring houses in Lawrenceville? I need information on how to obtain grant money, which are reputable contractors and which are not."

A: If anyone can help, David can be reached at (412) 683-5603.

The following has been added on March 11, 2007.

Q: I’m doing family research. My grandmother, Margaret Page, of 238 – 39th St, (Lawrenceville), who died February 21, 1920.

Her obituary from The Pittsburgh Post Gazette said, “Friends of the family and members of Branch 699, St. Kerns L.C.B.A. are respectfully invited to attend.”

Can you shed any light on what is meant by the above. I would appreciate any information. Thanks, Evelyn Petrucci epetrucci@bellsouth.net

A: St. Kerns should read St. Kieran's. This was a very large Catholic parish in Lawrenceville's Tenth Ward. It was largely an Irish parish. About eleven years ago the parish merged with St. Mary Assumption Church on 57th Street. The two parishes are now known as St. Matthew's Parish. The merger was due to declining membership in both churches.

L.C.B.A.'s were very popular about 100 years ago. The initials stand for Ladies Catholic Benevolent Association. They have since changed to be Loyal Christian Benefit Association, and membership is no longer restricted to women. See http://www.lcba.com/about/about.htm for more information.

Q: Dave Pardoe writes, “I live in Maryland outside Baltimore, and I am tracking down my Pittsburgh family from the late 1800's.

I am now looking for a set of Pittsburgh church records, those of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church listed in the 1884 Pittsburgh City Directory as located at the corner of Thirty-eighth and Bank Streets with a pastor Rev. M. Hein. Do you know if those records still exist, if, where, and are they on microfilm. I am interested particularly in the period 1881-1890. I believe the records for that time are in German.

A: The Zion Evangelical Church is still an active parish. It is located on the corner of 37th and Bandera Streets. Banks Street is now called Bandera Street.

Send your enquiries to:

Rebekah Johnston
Zion Evangelical Church
37th and Bandera Streets
Pittsburgh, PA 15201

Or e-mail Rebekah at johnstonrebekah@hotmail.com.

Q: I was hoping maybe you'd be able to help me. I recently moved into 5209 Dresden Way, and I would love to learn more about its history and the history of the buildings to which it is connected. I believe their addresses are 5206 and 5208 Butler St. Mostly, I would like to know who owned them, and who lived and died in them.

I don't suppose you could point me in the right direction. I don't have the slightest idea how to start looking these things up. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Aaren

A: Welcome to Lawrenceville. Your request would require much too much research for us to look into it for you. There are, however, ways to find this information.

Here is a little bit to get you started. The 16:62 Design Zone lists Marcy Hawk as the new owner of both 5206 and 5208 Butler Streets - the web page is dated October 31, 2005. However, the Allegheny County Accessment website lists David Kotovsky as the owner of both. They may be husband and wife, or business partners. You could go into Hawk Gallery and introduce yourself. Marcy is a great gal. Her Native American art is beatiful. She might know some info she could share with you.

I believe that both buildings used to belong to Mary Davis, who had a craft shop in there as well as in 5210 Butler Street.

If I'm correct about these belonging to Mary, her's was a true success story. If I remember correctly, she started in a one room store and expanded to the back, expanded to the next building, then the next, and then started having classes in the upper floor of one of the buildings. She was a very hard working business woman and was respected by the people of Lawrenceville. When she passed away a few years ago, the Lawrenceville Corporation created the Mary Davis Award, which is given to one business owner per year that does an extraordinary job helping the community.

Here are a few tips on how you can learn more.

1. You could hire a professional to do the work for you. The only person we know who does this sort of thing is Carol Peterson. She can reached at cpeterson155@yahoo.com. If you decide to contact Carol, please let her know that you heard about her through the Lawrenceville Historical Society.

2. You could do the work yourself. Start by going to the Microfilm Department on the third floor of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of the city. In case if you are new to the city, the address is 4400 Forbes Avenue. Look at the old city directories. They list the residents of whatever address you are researching.

3. To find out who owned the buildings, you'll need to go to the Recorder of Deeds in the County Office Building on Ross Street. They have that information on file.

Doing this research can be a long and tedious process, so be prepared to spend quite a bit of time working at it.

Q: Hello: I'm working on a tour for the Society of Architectural Historians April 14, 2007, and I have two quick questions for you that will help me answer anticipated questions on the bus.

1) Do you know or can you determine which architect designed the bank building (PNC) at 4100 Butler Street? It's such a large limestone facade, and it would be nice to be able to tell our guests the name of the architect who designed it.

2) I understand that the only remaining Arsenal building from Latrobe's time is on 39th Street below Butler Street. A 2-story, red brick building with arched windows in the gable ends. Is this correct?

Thanks for your help with these details. They aren't crucial, but I know they will interest this group.

A: Unfortunately, we have no information on who designed the old Metropolitan National Bank (now PNC) on Butler Street. We contacted PNC several times, but were told that nobody at the branch or the main office knows who the architect was.

Regarding the Arsenal buildings. Things get a bit complicated. There are two original Arsenal buildings below Butler Street. One is owned by the Penn-Hursky Company. The other is owned (or rented by) the architect Keith Cochoran. Lawrenceville’s most informed historian, Jim Wudarczyk, believes that the first building is the older of the two. He thinks that Keith's building was built in 1866, long after Benjamin Henry Latrobe's death.

To the best of our understanding, Latrobe did the original design for the Arsenal, but his designs were too expensive and modifications were made very early on. Latrobe died in 1820. It is suspect as to which buildings he did or didn't do. There have been so many modifications to the buildings over the years that it is difficult to tell which were designed by Latrobe.

We believe that the powder magazine is the oldest building in Lawrenceville. It may have been built around 1817 - 1820, and was probably a standard military design and not designed by Latrobe.

There are two other original Arsenal buildings still in existence in the Frank Clack Medical Center. They are currently used for storage, but may have originally stored gun powder or been used as stables.

For more information on Latrobe, see http://www.lhs15201.org/articles_b.asp?ID=24.

Anyone with additional information can contact Lu Donnelly at DonnellyL@CarnegieMuseums.Org.

Q: There are so many artists living in Lawrenceville today. Are there any artists of note from the olden days?

A: Yes, there are. Clarence Johns was a very noted artist from nineteenth century Lawrenceville. Zeke Buczynski lived on 45th Street. His painting of the Holy Family is displayed in the vestibule of Holy Family Church on 44th Street. Henry Burstynowicz was scoffed at when he announced his decision to become an artist. Henry won no small amount fame locally. The Lawrenceville Historical Society interviewed this artist and the videotaped interview is available at the Lawrenceville Branch of Carnegie Library.

Q: Dan asks, “Was Independent Brewing ever part of Pittsburgh Brewing Company?”

A: Independent Brewing Company of Pittsburgh had no affiliation with Pittsburgh Brewing Company. The two were major rivals. Pittsburgh Brewing Company was the largest brewery in Allegheny County and Independent was the second largest. It was located in New Kennsington. It was absorbed by Duquesne Brewing. During it’s hey day, it was apparently quite a large enterprise.

It's hard to say when Iron City celebrated its 100th anniversary. Pittsburgh Brewing was founded on February 3, 1899 when 21 breweries merged. However, Iron City Beer was originally manufactured at Iron City Brewery in 1869. The brewery was located at 17th and Liberty Streets. Now 17th Street and Liberty Avenue. Prior to its being called Iron City Brewery, it was called Holver Miller.

The following has been added on January 14, 2007.

Q: William McLaughlin asks: Can you please tell me when Lawrenceville became part of Pittsburgh and why?

A: We have several different dates as to when Lawrenceville was annexed by Pittsburgh.

Our records indicate that Lawrenceville was annexed by the city of Pittsburgh on June 6, 1868.

On page 49 of the “Report on the Pittsburgh transportation problem,” submitted to the Honorable William A. Magee, mayor of the city of Pittsburgh. By Bion J. Arnold, consulting engineer, we find the date as June 30, 1868.

The Historic Pittsburgh Project's Chronology has a different date for the annexation - April 2, 1872.

We believe that Pittsburgh wanted to expand so that it could increase its tax base. Lawrenceville wanted to be annexed, because it was having financial difficulties. It had its own School Board, Burial Ground, Water Authority, etc. All this was very expensive. It seemed like a win-win situation.

Anyone with additional information can contact William at WFMMMG@aol.com.

Q: William McLaughlin asked another question: I also notice in the December, 2006, newsletter that there will be a lecture in September about the "History of Street Cars in Lawrenceville."

Living in Michigan, I, of course, will not be able to be there. I am hoping that you may be able to tell me exactly when the Street Cars came to Lawrenceville.

A: The Citizens' Passenger Railway Company ran its first horse drawn street car on August 6, 1859. The line ended in Lawrenceville. It was hailed as a "rapid transportation system."

Joseph Borkowski writes the following information. It appears on page 93 of Miscellaneous History of Lawrenceville:

Passenger Railway

Pittsburgh's firs street railway the Citizen's Passenger Railway was chartered on March 22, 1859, to run from Fifth and Market, Downtown by way of Cecil's Alley, Penn Street (Avenue) and Butler Street to Sharpsburg. Initially, the Citizen's Passenger Service ran along Penn Avenue from Sixth Street to Twenty-ninth Street where the Fair Grounds were located and during the Civil War when it was a military training camp. Then the line was extened to and through what was known as "Kenny Bottoms" to the intersection of Penn and Butler. Later, it was expanded to Butler and 41st Streets where "a carbarn" was located.

Mr. Borkowski goes on to say, "The line operated four yellowish cars, one being the picture of a black bear, one a white bear, one a golden eagle and one a white swan. Alexander Hays, a West Point graduate and later a Civil War General served for a while as conductor. The first cars were 14 to 16 feet long, and were unheated. In winter, straw was piled on the floor to keep the feet of the passengers from freezing."

Q: William McLaughlin asks: Can you tell me what hospitals would have been in Lawrenceville in 1870? Where would they have been located?

A: The only hospital in Lawrenceville in 1870 was St. Francis Hospital. Originally, located on 37th Street it later moved to 44th Street. According to the book Healing Body, Mind and Spirit by Carolyn Leonard Carson the hospital on 37th Street was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1866. The new facility on 44th Street was opened and dedicated on September 9, 1871.

Q: William McLaughlin asks: I am trying to imagine where my Grandfather, who was 8 in 1870 and lived at 12th and Pike (Smallman), might have gone to school.

A: Twelfth and Smallman Streets are located in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. Some people consider this part of the city as Lawrenceville, but others don’t. We will answer this question for those that do.

If he was German Catholic, it is most likely that his parents would have sent him to the German Catholic School at 14th Street and Penn Avenue. This school was probably associated with St. Philomena Church as the two buildings were next to each other. If he was not Catholic, his parents would have sent him to the Ninth Ward Public School, which was a block away from the German Catholic School and was located on 15th Street and Penn Avenue. (Imagine the fights that took place with two schools at opposite ends of the block.)

However, if he was of Irish Catholic stock, his parents would most likely have made him walk three miles or so to St. Mary's School on 46th Street. Or they would have made him go to the Public School. It was about 1878 or '79 that St. John, the Baptist, parish was founded on 32nd Street and Liberty Avenue. They had a school.

St. Patrick Church, located at 17th Street and Liberty Avenue, was the church of choice for the Irish Catholics living in that part of Pittsburgh. However, we can't find any evidence of them having a school.

Q: Diane Nichols writes: Regarding the transfer of graves from the Lawrenceville Cemetery to Allegheny Cemetery, I wonder if there were names passed along when the bodies were moved to Allegheny Cemetery. Do you have any idea what year the bodies were moved? ,

A: The names of the interned would have been transferred to Allegheny Cemetery if they were known. However, almost all of the tombstones were marble and were worn smooth. Other people were in unmarked graves. We don't have much information on the Lawrenceville Burying Ground, so we can't commit on whether the bodies in the unmarked graves were identifiable or not through the borough records.

Technically speaking, a burying ground is not a cemetery. A burying ground is run by a municipality, while a cemetery is run by a board of directors. Otherwise it is pretty much the same thing. Ours closed in December 1881.

Anyone with additional information can contact Diane Nichols at 150atf@salsgiver.com.

Q: My great grandparents used to live on Sherman Street in Lawrenceville. I did a Google Map search, but couldn’t find any such street. Where was this street?

A: While computers are excellent research tools, they are not the alpha and omega of research. Some street names have changed through out the years. Following the Civil War many municipalities in this area named new streets or renamed old streets after individuals associated with the Union. This is particularly true in Millvale where many streets bear the names of Union Generals. In Lawrenceville we got Grant Street (now Post), Rosecrans Way (which still bears this name), and Sherman Street (which was later changed to Sherrod).

Q: Soupy asks, “I read your fascinating book Monster on the Allegheny . . . and other Lawrenceville Stories. I was really interested in the part about the tombstone in the library. What happened to the other tombstones?”

A: We suspect that the they were moved to Allegheny Cemetery or other cemeteries with the remains of the people to whose graves they belonged or were buried during construction of the library and school.

Q: Didn’t the old Boys’ Club catch on fire accidentally about ten or twelve years ago from some kid smoking?

A: The old Boys’ and Girls’ Club did in fact catch fire on October 25, 1989. It was not an accident. The fire was started in three separate places. Damages amounted to $700,000.00 and the facility was closed for quite a long time.

Q: Beverly Pfeil Paquet writes, “Could you please let me know if you have hours of operation that you are open? I am looking for some yearbooks for the 1932-1936 timeframe from Arsenal High School. Do you know if you have any for these years?

A: Unfortunately, we have no yearbooks. Each school used to be responsible for keeping their own yearbooks. I would advise you to contact Arsenal School directly to see if they still have their yearbooks. If not, try the Board of Public Education or the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania.

The following has been added on January 7, 2007.

Q: Dominic D. Salvatori writes, “I recently came across a group photograph of President Taft in my wife's late aunt's effects. In researching this, I learned that he visited Arsenal Park in 1909. Any assistance you could provide would be most welcome.”

A: You are not the first person to ask about Taft's visist to Arsenal Park. Our "Ask A Historian" page has the following information:

Tippi Comden asked, “Which president came to Arsenal Park to unveil the fountain?“

We responed that it was on May 29, 1909 that President William Howard Taft came to Lawrenceville. It was estimated that 10,000 people jammed Arsenal Park to see the President dedicate a drinking fountain which was presented to the City by the Dolly Madison Chapter of the Daughters of the War of 1812.

Taft came a second time to Lawrenceville for the funeral of his wife's brother-in-law, Thomas Laughlin, who is buried in Allegheny Cemetery. The funeral was very quiet and sparsely attended.

Q: Janet Rattay writes, “I was hoping you could tell me or direct me to the source to inquire as to why a name is omitted from the World War II Doughboy Monument in Lawrenceville.

“The family of which I speak were Lawrenceville residents and at the time of war all six sons of the Rattay family went into the military. The name omitted is John Rattay.

“The nieces and nephews now are trying to figure out what happened. Any information will be most appreciated.”

A: Many people believe that the Doughboy Statue has the names of all the Lawrenceville vets from WWII. However, this is not true. The list was supposed to include the names of the veterans from the Sixth Ward. This includes parts of the Strip District and Polish Hill as well as about one third of Lawrenceville.

We were told that the names of the WWI veterans of the Sixth Ward were also on this monument. The WWII vets were added due to the efforts of John "Kiddo" Fiorucci and Joe Dobbs. In the 1960’s or 70’s the names were covered with bronze plaques that were supposed to show the names in a bolder, easier to read format. However, some of the names were apparently left off. We think that this was done accidentally. However, we have never been able to find out who was responsible for this alteration to the statue. The City apparently threw away their records.

Also, much depends upon in which branch of the service an individual served. For example, Merchant Marines were not considered veterans, and their contributions were overlooked until about a year or so ago. This is despite the fact that Merchant Marines had suffered the highest per capita rate of casualties.

This leads to the questions - where in Lawrenceville did John live and in which branch did he serve?

Update: Janet immediately responded, “In checking with my husband the Rattay family lived on a side street near 37th and Penn Ave near St. Augustine's. Later John took up residence on 45th Street and had a hand in starting the AMVETS, which is located on 45th St. John was in the Army/Air Corps, as was his brother August.

“I'm beginning to think that his name was one of the names left off accidentally. Do you happen to know how many others are missing? I'm thinking of contacting someone in government to see how this could possibly be rectified. There were six sons from one family. Their names should be together on the monument.”

To this we responded: “Being in the Army, he should certainly have been included unless he was already living on 45th Street at the time of his induction. The Sixth Ward ends at 40th Street, so those living near 37th Street should have been included.

“The other omitted names appear in our book A Doughboy’s Tale . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories. They are Russell Forsythe, Louis Swiatkiewicz and Joseph Kruczewski. Forsythe actually lived on Main Street when he enlisted, so his name should not have been on this monument.”

Anyone with additional information for Janet, please contact her at janet1946@comcast.net.

Q: My grandmother told me that she used to live on Third Street in Lawrenceville. I think she’s mixed up. There’s no Third Street in Lawrenceville, is there?

A: There used to be. First through Eighth Streets were torn down to make way for expansion for Pittsburgh Brewing Company and the Railroad.

Q: My mother said that they used to meet their dates by the clock on Butler Street. Where was there a clock on Butler Street?

A: There may have been others. I remember a big clock in front of Carlson’s Watch Repair Shop. It was located in the 4300 block of Butler Street. It seems to me that the clock was destroyed by vandals or a storm in the 1970’s.

Q: Is it true that one of the Lawrenceville Tigers wrote a book about the team?

A: Robert Germaux, who played for the Tigers, wrote the book Disk Drive, which is a mystery, and has nothing to do with the Tigers.

Q: Soupy asks, how old was Fritzie Zivic when he died?

A: Fritzie was born May 8, 1913. He died from Alzheimer’s on May 16, 1984. This means that he died only 8 days after his 71st birthday.

Q: Soupy asked another one. Didn’t Fritzie Zivic have a nickname?

A: He had several. First his real first name was Ferdinand, which means that Fritzie was a nickname. He was also called “The Nose” because his nose was broken. He had an unsuccessful operation, which left his schnozula looking like a misshapen blob. He was also called the Lawrenceville Larruper and the Croat Comet.

Q: Soupy gave us one more. Didn’t Fritzie Zivic have a brother or two that followed him into the ring.

A: Actually, Fritzie had four brothers that were boxers. They were Jack, Pete, Joe, and Eddie. Fritzie followed his brothers into the ring, not the other way around.

The following has been added on January 1, 2007.

Q: I am hoping that you might be able to give me some leads as to how I might find information on my ancestors who lived in Lawrenceville, My great-great-grandfather, Robert Armstrong and his 2nd wife Jane and 2 sons-William Henry and John are listed on the 1860 census in Lawrenceville.

There was apparently a daughter, Hannah, who died in 1854 and is buried in Allegheny Cemetery. I do not know Jane's maiden name, but there is a chance that it might have been Maxwell. All I know is that both were from Ireland and that Robert was a carpenter. I cannot find graves on any of them. Robert shows up again in the 1880 census living with my greatgrandfather,Andrew Jackson Armstrong (from his first marriage)in Mason County WV, and is listed as a widower. I can find nothing on him between 1860 and 1880. Where else can I look? They are not buried in Allegheny Cemetery.

I really have reached a brick wall and would appreciate any help. Are there listing for cemeteries or people in occupations or school?

Thank you for any suggestions. – Martha Warrick

A: There are several good sources for doing family research. We always recommend that people start with the Historic Pittsburgh Project, an on-line digital database of over 500 books, plus maps and photos. A trip to the Pennsylvania Department of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society are good starting points. The Mormon Library in Greentree is another good place to go.

If anyone has information to share with Martha, you can reach her at mwar1007@insightbb.com.

Q: Lisa Pilewski writes that the Lawrenceville Corporation was asked, “about the year that Lawrenceville was founded? Our thinking has been that if we go with the earlier date (1814), we have an opportunity to celebrate a bicentennial in a few years. The later date (183?) is probably the date of annexation in Pittsburgh. In any case, it would probably be good for us to have the "official" date designated by those who know the history best.

A: The LHS has the following dates -

April 5, 1814 - William Barclay Foster purchased 121 acres from Alexander Hill with the intent of laying out a town, which he later named Lawrenceville.

February 18, 1834 - Lawrenceville is incorporated as a borough.

June 6, 1868 - Lawrenceville is annexed by the city of Pittsburgh.

On page 49 of the Report on the Pittsburgh transportation problem, submitted to the Honorable William A. Magee, mayor of the city of Pittsburgh. By Bion J. Arnold, consulting engineer, we find the date as June 30, 1868.

The Historic Pittsburgh Project's Chronology has a different date for the annexation - April 2, 1872.

I would recommend going with April 5, 1814, as that was the date that officially started the ball rolling.

Q: I live in San Mateo, CA and have not been in Pittsburgh for many years. I am planning a trip there to visit places associated with my youth and my family. My great-grandfather, Nicholas Henry Wagner, lived in Lawrenceville. He served in the Civil War in Company F, 107th PA Infantry. He is buried in St. Mary's Cemetery. I would like to visit his gravesite (thanks to a link on your site, I have located the section and lot of his grave). I am in my late sixties and worry about safety in unfamiliar cities. Is the area around St. Mary's Cemetery safe for a daytime visit? Please forgive me if my question seems insulting. I mean no offense but would like to know what I'm getting into. Thanks! Paula Wagner Schlichter

A: You are right to be concerned about safety in a strange surrounding. I have lived in Lawrenceville my entire life and I never heard of any incidents in St. Mary's Cemetery, but there is always a first time.

The only advice I can give you is that you come with a companion, if possible. Come during the daytime, because the cemetery is locked at sundown. (They actually close at 5:00 prior to Memorial Day.)

Anyone with additional information about Nicholas Henry Wagner can contact Paula at woof2u@msn.com.

Q: Paula wrote again with the following question: Do you know if the Carnegie Library has any info on citizenship papers?

A: The following was gleaned from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's website. (See http://www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/pennsylvania/genealogy/parecords.html.)

Naturalization Records
Early provincial and state records can be found in the published "Pennsylvania Archives" series. Naturalizations through the county court are held in the courthouse records and many are being published. Federal court naturalizations and their indexes are available on microfilm. Early "oaths of allegiance" required of many "foreign" immigrants are in published form. Since Philadelphia was a center for immigration, numerous oaths and naturalizations of persons who later moved westward may be found there. County naturalizations are often held in the office of the "prothonotary" who is simply a county official who functions as a clerk of courts.

The Prothonotary's website is http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/protho/. Their contact information is as follows:
Michael E. Lamb, Prothonotary
City-County Building
414 Grant Street First Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2469
Phone: (412) 350-4200 Fax: (412) 350-5260

Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Q: If anyone has some time to do a little light research, could you please let me know if you have anything anywhere on Byingtonin Lawrenceville, PA in the early 19th C.??

We've hit a brick wall with ancestor MARY ANN BYINGTON, and would love any info at all on her parents, siblings or other family.

What we do have is:

Mary Ann BYINGTON (HIRST)

She was: b. 9 Mar 1807, Lawrenceville, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania
d. 17 Jun 1849, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio
She married on 27 Oct 1824:
George HIRST Jr.,
He was: b. 27 Oct 1797, Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co., Pennsylvania
d. 22 Jun 1872, Pennsylvania

They had the following children:

William Mortimer (1825-1891)
Samuel Byington (1827-1861)
Elizabeth Rudolph (1829-1928) [[My ancestor; she married John Wesley Swallow]]
Mary Ann (1829-1829)
Jacob Gossin (1832-1890)
George Briton (1834-1835)
Mary Georgette Martin (1836-1921)
Augustine Chester (1839-1902)
Albert Fernando (1843-1876)
Cynthia Olivia (1846-1885)

Doug Holaday

A: Samuel Byington was a blacksmith in Lawrenceville who appears in the 1815 city directory. He married Mary Ann Negley. They had four children. I'm guessing that their daughter is your Mary Ann Byington. If you go to http://digital.library.pitt.edu/pittsburgh/ and do a "Full-Text" search, wait for the next screen, do a "Basic Search", and then type in the word Byington this will give you a number of hits. Most are concerned with Margaret F. Byington. You'll need to sift through the information to determine what pertains to your family and what doesn't. However, I find this website to be an excellent tool.

There are 21 hits for the name Hirst. Again you'll have to sift through them.

Q: I would like to inquire about any available historical information associated with the area at the former Allied Welding and Fabricating Company, located at 38th and 39th Street and Foster Streets in Lawrenceville, PA. Would you please contact me and direct me to a contact person to discuss? Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Sincerely,

Mary Lynn Yurko
SE Technologies, Inc.
98 Vanadium Road, Building D - 2nd Floor
Bridgeville, PA 15017
MYurko@Vanadium.com

A: Unfortunately, we have no information on the former Allied Welding and Fabricating Company. Can anyone out there help?

Q: When did they close the Holmes House?

A: The Holmes House, also called the Protestant Home for Incurables, played an integral part in Lawrenceville History. It was incorporated on December 31, 1883 and started admitting patients in June 1885.

The story of this fine institution can be found in the book In Loving Memory . . . and Still More Lawrenceville Stories. The facility closed in December, 1980.

Q: Several people claimed to have seen an interesting tunnel like structure at the northern end of the Children’s Hospital construction site during the month of May, 2006. They asked us what it was.

A: According to a spokesman from the Dick Corporation, who opted not to be identified, the structure was part of the foundation of a massive smoke stack that was in place in the old St. Francis Hospital Laundry facility that stood in that location.

Q: Wayne McGovern tells us that he is “looking for a picture of my uncle, Patrick J. McGovern, born 1906 in Lawrenceville. His parents, Michael and Delia owned a store on the corner of McCandless Avenue and Holmes Street.”

A: If any one can help, please contact Wayne at waynemcgovern@comcast.net.

Q: Mary Kraszczak asks, “What did the official death certificate of Stephan Foster give as his cause of death?”

A: We asked Kathy Miller Haines of the Center for American Music at the University of Pittsburgh if she could help on this one. They are the Stephen Foster experts.

Here is her reply, “I don't believe there is an official death certificate for Stephen Foster. (I think his death predated the practice in the U.S.). The only official record of his death is the hospital registrar, which states:

”Disease: Injuries Accidentally Received.
Result: Died.”

We would be very interested in hearing from anyone with additional information.

Q: Jennifer Ferone writes, “I am doing some research for my grandmother who is looking into finding out more about her parents. I have some basic information and wondered if you could assist me with anything or give me any leads that you may have. I thought the historical society would be a good starting point. My great-grandmother's name was Margaret Catherine Conley (spelling my grandmother gave me, but maybe Connelly, Connolly??). She came from Ireland and arrived in the states in about 1884 (at the approximate age of 9). The family settled in Lawrenceville and Margaret eventually married a man named George Edward (she thinks this was his middle name) Godfrey (b. in the US -- likely Lawrenceville), who owned a foundry in Lawrenceville.

“If you have any information or anything that might help me, I would greatly appreciate it -- my 85 year old grandmother is taking a trip to Ireland next year and would really like to find her family's hometown and possibly relatives. Thanks so much for your assistance on this!”

A: We have nothing on these people. Can anyone help? If so, Jennifer can be reached at jferone@stanhywet.org.

Q: Jon Pearlman has recently purchased the old Junction Coal Company (3410 Penn Ave – sign says Turner Detective Agency) is searching for pictures of this site. Can anyone help?

A: Unfortunately, we don’t know any such pictures. If you have such a picture please contact Jon at jlp46@pitt.edu. While you’re at it, why not share the picture with us. We would love to have a copy for our archives.

Q: Andrew Tremel asks if anyone knows of any information on any regarding African American Civil War Soldiers that lived in or are buried in Lawrenceville or Pittsburgh. He is also looking for information on Alexander Kelly, an African-American soldier that lived in Pittsburgh and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Civil War.

Andrew can be reached at atremel@kent.edu.

A: We limit our research to Lawrenceville, and can not respond to questions about other neighborhoods in the city. However, with the help of LHS member Bill Reynolds, we were able to learn that Kelly is not buried in Lawrenceville. He is buried in Richmond Cemetery on Highland Drive.

Q: Dr. Sean Madden writes, “My name is Sean Madden and I am writing a piece on amateur baseball teams in Pennsylvania from roughly 1850-1950, the great barnstorming period. Specifically I am looking for teams with local company, or church or community affiliations and I am looking to share the important role these baseball teams played in these communities.”

”For example, one team I discovered in a small community 25 miles from Pittsburgh in a borough called Boston. This Boston team was one of the most important sources of identity for the local residents who now, as then, proudly claim they are from Boston, Pennsylvania, not Pittsburgh and they discuss the role, place, greatness of the local ball team as one indicator of pride.

”So, I am canvassing the historical societies around the state to see what gems are out there, what stories you might have in your archives that might fit into this work.

”If you have material to contribute please consider forwarding it to me electronically or via hard. It will be a great story and I will keep all contributors in the loop.”

A: There were several sandlot teams in our neighborhood, however, we are having a devil of time getting any information on them. A few that I heard of include the Lawrenceville Mohawks, the Lawrenceville Tigers (which I remember watching in the 1960's), and the Lawrenceville Yahoos (which played sometime around WWI or the 1920's). However, we have no stories to share at this time. If you learn of any, please share them with us.

Anyone with additional information can reach Dr. Madden at madden@cup.edu .

Q: I have accessed records from the St. John's German Evangelical Lutheran Church for my Henrich and Rau families. Although the microfilm at AIS is very faint, I did find some of the people I was searching for. However, one burial entry mentions the Borough cemetery. Did the borough have a cemetery that has been dismantled, or did Allegheny Cemetery have this connotation? I would like to find out if there was another cemetery used for the general population or for the church before searching at Allegheny Cemetery.

A: Yes, there was a borough cemetery. The story of this cemetery is documented in our book Monster on the Allegheny . . . and Other Lawrenceville Stories.

The chapter was written by Allan Becer. It is a fascinating story, and I highly recommend purchasing the book. (See http://www.lhs15201.org/publications.htm.)

The "Old Borough Cemetery" was called "The Washington Burial Ground" or the "Lawrenceville Burying Ground". It was formed around 1814 or thereabouts when William Foster, Stephen Foster's father and founder of Lawrenceville, donated some ground for the dead soldiers from the Allegheny Arsenal and residents of the new community. It was bounded by Fisk and Main Streets and Government Way. The fourth side was bordered by a private residence. Today, the Lawrenceville Branch of Carnegie Library and Stephen Foster Community Center sit upon the land.

Some of the graves still exist on the grounds, but most were removed with the majority going to Allegheny Cemetery.

Unfortunately, we have never been able to find the cemetery records and fear that the City of Pittsburgh or the Pittsburgh Board of Education have disposed of them.

Anyone with additional information on the Henrich and Rau families please contact Diane Nicols at 150atf@salsgiver.com].

Also, anyone with additional information on the Lawrenceville Burying Ground, please contact us at info@LHS15201.org.

Q: My grandfather, William Davis, owned a stone siding business in Lawrenceville. In 1956, there was apparently a fire and explosion either in his building or in an adjacent building that caused my grandfather's siding business to go up in flames. He was under-insured, and did not rebuild. I'm looking for any information about the fire or his business. Is it likely that an event like this would have been published in the Pittsburgh Press (and could therefore be found in microfilm)? If anyone there has any helpful leads, I'd certainly appreciate it.

The business was in the old Arsenal buildings, which ran along the Allegheny River south from the 40th Street Bridge. The name of the business was Allstone Stone Siding. The fire is believed to have occurred Friday, March 30, 1956 (Good Friday), or possibly sometime that weekend. You may want to search within a few days of this date. The owners of the business were William Davis and Harry Kaufman.

A: The fire made the front page of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on March 31, 1956. Besides destroying Allstone another business was damaged and a third was threatened. The third business stored oxygen tanks and there was a major concerned that the tanks would explode if this business caught fire. The fire chief and two other firemen were injured in the blaze.

Anyone with additional information about Allstone or the fire is asked to contact Eric Davis at ejd@aep.com.