Greensboro, Pennsylvania
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Greensboro is a borough in Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 295 at the 2000 census. http://www.greensboropa.com/
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[edit] Early History of Greensboro
The village of "Delight", as Greensboro was initially known, was so named by the Mingo Indians in recognition of the rich farmland stretching along the banks of the Monongahela River.
As the Mingo Indians guarded their hunting grounds and their heritage, the first white men began to explore this area as early as 1752. Relations between the Indians and the white men began peacefully, but as the white men continued to infringe on the Indians land, fighting ensued as is remembered in the Corbly Family Massacre.
The first white settler of Delight was a lone explorer-trader, John Badolet, who was a close friend of John Minor, the leader of the first group to settle in the area presently known as Mapletown.
In the early 1780's Elias Stone, a wealthy squire, bought Delight and divided it into streets and blocks. The streets still carry the original names given them by Elias Stone.
On February 9, 1790 the growing village was named Greensburgh in honor of the Revolutionary War Hero, Nathanael Greene.
Albert Gallatin, a partner in the Albert Gallatin Company, purchased lots in Greensburgh in 1795. On a trip to Washington, D.C. he met a group of German glass blowers who were heading to Kentucky to form their own company. He urged them to consider settling in Greensburgh. The group settled in New Geneva in 1790 and the plant operated there until 1805 when it moved to the northern section of Greensburgh, later called Old Glassworks.
By 1807 the quality of Glassworks Glass was recognized as superior throughout the country. Old Glassworks did a booming business and prosperity filled the streets of Greensburgh. Albert Gallatin sold his interest in the glass factory to the Kramers, who operated it until 1849.
Although the Glassworks Glass Factory closed in 1849, by 1859 the town, now known as Greensboro, was flourishing with 500 inhabitants. Much of the success of the town was due to river trade and travel and other industries such as the pottery business and the Tile Manufacturing Company which produced roof tile. Souvenirs of both industries are still treasured by many residents in the form of Greensboro Crocks and roof tile with the inscription JBH-Patent 1871.
During this period many of the present churches in the community began to form in the following order: the Greensburgh Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian , the Baptist, the Methodist, and the Catholic Church. Most of these groups began by meeting for worship in a members home until actual buildings could be established. The first church was built by the Presbyterians in 1823, but it burned and was not rebuilt until 1840. The building of other churches followed.
It is apparent that many changes have taken place from the early days of "Delight" to present day Greensboro. The glass factory, the pottery industry , the tile company and the coal mining industry have all disappeared. Only the importance of the winding Monongahela River remains the same. Residents of Greensboro, however, will agree that whatever the changes, Greensboro is still a "DELIGHT'.
Written by:Margaret Kramer and Janice Flynn Taken from the Bi-Centennial Cookbook (1981
 1800 period Salt Glazed Pottery |
 Hamilton Jones Ice Pitcher (very rare) |
[edit] Pottery
Local history gives the honor of establishing the first serious pottery operation to one Alexander Vance who arrived in the early years of the 19th century and, while still in his teens, began a potter's trade in Greensboro.
The ware produced by Alexander and brother James was likely made from local red clay. The Vance brothers introduced others to the joys of pottery making and within a decade several individuals were involved in the manufacture of clay products in this small river town. One of these was Daniel Boughner, an orphan who, according to legend, was given a home and a job by the Vance family.
In 1819, with the Vances' departure to Ohio, young Boughner bought the business and began pottery fabrication in earnest. Boughner appears to be the first area potter to make and fire stoneware in a salt kiln. Boughner pottery is among the earliest stoneware produced in southwestern Pennsylvania.
The Boughner firm may have been the first stoneware operation of significance to establish itself in the Greensboro area, but by no means did it have a corner on the market. The potential for manufacturing and shipping clay goods was wide open when two brothers, James and William 'Leet' Hamilton, arrived from New Brighton, Pennsylvania, around 1850 to start a pottery manufacture of their own. Bringing with them years of experience in the trade, the Hamilton brothers apparently located their business operation on Water Street under the name, James Hamilton and Company.
The history of the Greensboro stoneware industry is fraught with mergers, splits, separations, buy-ins, and sell outs. This is especially true of the original Hamilton company. By 1866, Leet Hamilton had sold whatever business holdings he had to his son, Frank, and a newly acquired son-in-law, John Jones. Jones along with his brother-in-law soon set about the task of producing and selling crockery on a grand scale.
Located on Diamond Street, the firm of Hamilton and Jones was the only real competitor of cross-town rival James Hamilton in the Greensboro district. The company was also known as the Star Pottery and for a while, as the Union works. The business continued to produce pottery for over thirty years and its reputation was widespread. Available records indicate that the Hamilton and Jones company, while a close rival of James Hamilton and Company, never actually surpassed the latter in production. Since records are available only through 1880, it is possible that the Hamilton and Jones Pottery was the major producer of pottery goods in southwestern Pennsylvania during the last decades of the 19th century. However, the sources of competition slowly had their effect, and the company eventually fell upon hard times. The final blow came in 1897, when a fire destroyed the plant and closed down operations. Although the company attempted to move into the Williams and Reppert plant across town, efforts to start anew were futile.
James Hamilton remained in control of his firm until 1880. A share of the business had been sold in 1866, but he continued to hold the majority interest for the next fourteen years until he sold out completely to Thomas Reppert and W.T. Williams. In 1884 Reppert purchased the entire business from Williams, making himself the sole proprietor. Williams was able to buy back into the business once again in 1890. Pottery marked Williams and Reppert is still fairly common today. According to old business records from this company, stoneware was being made during the 1880's and 1890's for dealers in at least four states.
This partnership lasted for twenty years. By the beginning of World War I all significant production had ended and this generally marks the period (~1915-16) end of stoneware manufacturing in Greensboro.
Source of Information: OLD POTS by Phil Schaltenbrand
[edit] Geography
Greensboro is located at (39.792911, -79.912087)[1].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²), of which, 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (26.67%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 295 people, 117 households, and 80 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,699.1 people per square mile (1,035.5/km²). There were 140 housing units at an average density of 1,280.9/sq mi (491.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.64% White, 0.68% Asian, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.
There were 117 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,875, and the median income for a family was $41,786. Males had a median income of $40,833 versus $19,375 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,176. About 13.1% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those sixty five or over.
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Greensboro, Pennsylvania is at coordinates Coordinates:
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