September 1999

Jefferson College Historical Society

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania


The Jefferson College Times is published by the Jefferson College Historical Society; 220 North Central Avenue; Canonsburg, PA 15317. The Jefferson College Historical Society is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to advancing knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of local history. Members receive the Times by mail at least four times yearly. Articles of local historical interest are earnestly solicited. Correspondence should be addressed to

Editor, Jefferson College Times

117 S. Central Avenue, Canonsburg, PA 15317

What follows is the most recent issue of the Jefferson College Times, modified for the electronic medium.

Revised 13 Sept 1999

News and Comments

Next Meeting:

The Jefferson College Historical Society will next meet on September 18, 1999, at 8 p.m. in the rooms of the society, North Central Avenue, Canonsburg, located on the lower floor of the auditorium building. Guests are welcome.

 

Program:

When Jefferson College left Canonsburg in 1868, prospects for the town were not good. The borough was saved and prospered because the railroad between Pittsburgh and Washington came through just in time. In the first half of the century what are now weed-strewn rights of way served the many industries in and around the town.

Bill Metzger has been researching and mapping the railroads of the area for several years. He can tell us about the Chartiers Valley Railroad, P.C.C.& St.L., the Cannonball, the track along Brush Run, into the Transformer, Pottery, Buffalo Mine, and Budke Mill. He is working on a book on the subject and will be quite receptive to first-hand knowledge of the local scene.

 

  

Cover story:

Lloyd Hampson, who lives in North Carolina, first got into contact with the society in July, through the Internet. He had never seen (or heard of) the Jefferson College Times. He inquired as to whether we would be interested in some old Canonsburg pictures for the web site.

Lloyd was encouraged, none too subtly, to write an article to go along with a few dozen of his photographs. In spite of a relatively short deadline, he came through marvelously. The photographs are an embarrassment of riches. He scanned them and every one was transmitted over the Internet. Not a single one of his photographs was physically in Canonsburg. As he mentions in the closing of his article, photography has come a long way in half a century.

There are more pictures and the stories that go along with them, both in Lloyd's archives and in photo albums around town. Eddie Solomon's photo essay in the March Times (see below) was the first. It provided the impetus for Lloyd's marvelous effort. Who's next?

 

Roberts House:

The old stone and brick house on North Central Avenue is the last remaining building that had been owned by Jefferson College.

Article:

Eddie Solomon reminisces about being a teenager at mid-century.

 

 Canonsburg

High School

Faculty

 

Over the years the Canonsburg High School faculty was composed of teachers who taught generations of students. These photographs, mostly from yearbooks, show some of them at various times in their careers. At right is C. A. Mathewson in the early 1920s.

 
The election of officers was held at the March 1999 meeting. The society's president, vice-president, and one director had each served two terms and were replaced by Paul Katrencik, Kathleen Kirr, and Dave Westwater, respectively. Our efficient and unflappable secretary, Lois Ahwesh, graciously consented to reelection. Treasurer and Membership Chairman, Joseph Solobay, has another year to go in his term. Jim Herron joined the Board of Directors in the Immediate Past President slot.

 

Membership in the Jefferson College Historical Society is open to all. An individual active membership is $8; student membership, $5; contributing membership, $15; business or institutional membership, $25; sustaining membership, $50; and life membership, $150. Correspondence concerning membership should be directed to

Joseph A. Solobay, 514 Craighead Street, Canonsburg, PA 15317

 

 

The Jefferson College Historical Society is grateful to Jean Suplick Matuson for undertaking the archiving of past issues of the Jefferson College Times. They will be kept at:

http://www.chartiers.com/jeff/ .

This Internet web site, Genealogy in Washington County Pennsylvania, is a gold mine of historical material for the local historian and genealogist.