Thomas Falls and Sarah Wilson
Husband Thomas Falls 1 2
Born: 29 Oct 1793 - Centre Co, PA 1 3 Christened: Died: 8 Oct 1865 - ? New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 1 4 Buried:
Father: Henry Falls (1760-1847) 3 4 5 6 Mother: Susannah Kennedy ( -Abt 1854) 3 5 6
Marriage: 25 Dec 1818 3 7
Wife Sarah Wilson 2 8
Born: 25 Jan 1794 - near Newville, Cumberland Co, PA 8 Christened: Died: 26 Jun 1870 - Lawrence Co, PA 1 9 Buried: - Greenwood Cemetery, New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA
Father: Adam Wilson ( -1834) 3 4 8 Mother: Sarah Mercer (Abt 1766-1848) 8
Children
1 M Wilson Falls 1 9 10
Born: 23 Dec 1819 - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 1 10 Christened: Died: 1880 - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 10 Buried:Spouse: Elvira Impey ( - ) 1 Marr: 2 Mar 1852 1
2 M Henry C. Falls 1 9
Born: 8 Jul 1822 - New Castle, Lawrence Co, PA 1 9 Christened: Died: 23 Feb 1885 9 Buried:Spouse: Mary A. Wallace (1830-1896) 1 9 Marr: 26 Sep 1854 1 9
3 F Rachel Falls 1 11 12 13
Born: Christened: Died: 7 Sep 1911 13 Buried:Spouse: Hugh Henderson Morehead (1814-1899) 12 13 14 Marr: 26 Jan 1841 14
4 F Maria J. Falls 1 9
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
5 M J. Smith Falls 1 9
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
6 F Susan Falls 1 9
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
7 F Sarah Falls 1 9
Born: Christened: Died: Buried:
8 M Thomas H. Falls 4 15 16
Born: 18 Feb 1839 17 Christened: Died: Buried:Spouse: Rebecca Elizabeth Sankey (1841- ) 18 19 20 Marr: 5 May 1864 18
General Notes: Husband - Thomas Falls
He was born in Ligonier Valley, Centre County, Pennsylvania, and, at the age of about fourteen, was brought, with the family to what is now New Castle, Lawrence County. He remained with his parents until after he became of age, and then went to Mercer and learned the tanning business with Mr. Jonathan Smith. After serving an apprenticeship of three years, he went to Pittsburgh and worked one summer at his trade. In the autumn he returned to New Castle on foot, with seventy-six dollars in his pocket, the savings of his summer's work. With this he founded a tannery, making the vats himself. He then went on horseback to Mercer, and bought a small quantity of leather, which he carried to Hillsville, and placed in a store (no such institution being then in New Castle) to be traded for hides. These he tanned, and thus started a business which prospered in his hands. All the leather produced was sold and traded out in his own shop. His lamp-black and oil were purchased in Pittsburgh, to which town he made frequent visits on foot.
After carrying on business three years, part of that time keeping "bachelor's hall," he married, and commenced keeping house in the Stewart house, where most of his children were born. He continued to carry on the tanning business until 1841, when he resigned it to his oldest son, Wilson Falls.
In 1831, he built the house in which he died, which was about the third brick house built in New Castle. He accumulated a considerable amount of real estate in the borough, and several farms near.
About the year 1853, some twelve years previous to his decease, he retired from all active business, and lived a quiet, unostentatious life, giving just a prudent attention to his affairs, but not attempting to accumulate. His health was remarkably good till within three days of his death, and he retained perfect possession of his mental faculties till the last. [HLC 1877, 184]
At the age of fourteen years he was brought by his parents to what is now the city of New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, where he passed his boyhood days on the farm, helping his father during the spring, summer and fall, and attending the rude schools of that time in the winter. As soon as he became a man, he went to Mercer and learned the tanning trade; after serving an apprenticeship of three years, he went to Pittsburgh, where he labored at his trade one summer. He then returned home to New Castle, and established a tannery, which he conducted with success until 1841, when he resigned the management of it to his eldest son. In 1831 he built there the house which remained his home until his death; this house was the third brick house to be built in New Castle. He accumulated a large amount of real estate in the borough and owned several farms near by; as the country grew up, his large landed possessions gave him a prestige among his less fortunate neighbors as a man of wealth and means. The settlement, which could scarcely be termed a hamlet during his boyhood days, he lived to see become a flourishing young city. In the bringing about of this result, Mr. Falls did his full share; he built twelve house in the city, and always aided in public enterprises.
Prominent among New Castle citizens in the early days was Thomas Falls, who came there with his parents, in 1804. His father located on the tract of "Donation Lands," No. 1951, next east and adjoining Crawford White's tract, the only other residences at that time being the cabins of John Carlysle Stewart, the original proprietor of the town; Joseph Townsend, William Munnel, and probably John Watson. Mr. Falls remained with his parents until he was of age, when he went to Mercer to learn the tanning trade. After serving an apprenticeship of three years he went to Pittsburgh, and worked at his trade there one summer. In the autumn of 1815, he returned to New Castle on foot, with his savings of $76 in his pocket. With this limited capital he founded a tannery which many years afterwards was the property of his son, Thomas Falls. After making the vats himself and getting his tannery ready for business, he went to Mercer on horseback and bought a small quantity of leather, which he carried to Hillsville and placed in a store to be exchanged for hides. These hides he tanned, and thus started a business which grew and prospered in his hands. His manufactured leather was disposed of in his own shop. His lampblack and oil were purchased in Pittsburgh, to which city he made frequent visits on foot. Three years after commencing business for himself, during a portion of which time he kept "bachelor's hall," he married Miss Sarah Wilson, daughter of Adam Wilson; who resided near the Neshannock Church, and began housekeeping in the old John Carlysle Stewart house.
He carried on the tanning business until 1851, when he resigned it to his son, Wilson. In 1831 he built the third brick dwelling in New Castle.
1 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 184.
2 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 30, 90.
3 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 90.
4 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 65.
5 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 183.
6 Emma Siggins White, Genealogical Gleanings of Siggins and Other Pennsylvania Families (Kansas City, MO: Tiernan-Dart Printing Co., 1918), Pg 101.
7 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 175.
8 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 174.
9 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 93.
10 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 973.
11 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 30, 93.
12 Aaron L. Hazen, 20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), Pg 554.
13 George P. Donehoo, Pennsylvania - A History (SW) (New York, NY; Chicago, IL: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1926), Pg 247.
14 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 30.
15 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 166, 184.
16 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 93, 196.
17 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 186.
18 —, History of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1877), Pg 166, 186.
19 —, Book of Biographies, Lawrence County, PA (Buffalo, NY: Biographical Publishing Company, 1897), Pg 196.
20
John W. Jordan, LL.D., Colonial and Revolutionary Families of Pennsylvania (New York, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1911), Pg 1625.
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