Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

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Shenango Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,633 at the 2000 census.

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 63.3 km² (24.4 mi²). 63.2 km² (24.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.

[edit] History

Named for a river in New York state, [[Shenango township]] was incorporated in 1796 as a part of Beaver County, Pennsylvania; since Lawrence county did not yet exist at this time. It later became one of Lawrence County's original townships. It quickly becameone of the most populated areas because the land was suitable for many different purposes. One of the first settlers to live in Shenango was William Carins. He came to this area in 1796 and was the man who gave Shenango its name. Carins was awarded the land after his service in the Revolutionary War, he was paid in 500 acres of land. Carins worked as a cloth weaver, and ran a small store where he sold his goods. William Tindall was another one of Shenango's first settlers. Tindal was paid 400 acres for his service in the Revolutionary War as well. He lived to the age of 93, and was buried in the Tindall family cemetery near the "Turkey Hill" section of the township. The Tindall family cemetery is most famously known as the resting place of Mary Black, a supposed, but never proven witch of around the same time period. Shenango's largest land owner was a Philladelphia lawyer named Benjamin Chew. Chew bought up large portions of the southern extent of the township under assumed names for pennies an acre. He later resold the land for a profit, and the small town of Chewton was later named after him.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 7,633 people, 2,854 households, and 2,171 families residing in the township. The population density was 120.7/km² (312.6/mi²). There were 2,996 housing units at an average density of 47.4/km² (122.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.29% White, 1.72% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.76% of the population.

There were 2,854 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 102.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $39,949, and the median income for a family was $46,933. Males had a median income of $36,387 versus $21,783 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,068. About 4.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

	Municipalities and Communities of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (County Seat: New Castle)
Cities	New Castle
Boroughs	Bessemer | Ellport | Ellwood City | Enon Valley | New Beaver | New Wilmington | S.N.P.J. | South New Castle | Volant | Wampum
Townships	Hickory | Little Beaver | Mahoning | Neshannock | North Beaver | Perry | Plain Grove | Pulaski | Scott | Shenango | Slippery Rock | Taylor | Union | Washington | Wayne | Wilmington
Communities and CDPs	New Castle Northwest | Oakland | Oakwood