Col Crawford Statue at The Carnagie Free Library in Connellsville.
the Plaque States: IN MEMORY OF COLONEL WILLIAM CRAWFORD BORN IN BERKELEY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, IN 1732
FRIEND OF WASHINGTON-PIONEER-PATRIOT. THIS MONUMENT IS SITUATED 1260 YARDS S. 69° E. 16' OF THE SPOT WHERE HE BUILT HIS LOG CABIN IN 1765 ON THE WEST BANK OF THE YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER, AT THE HISTORIC STEWART'S CROSSINGS.
HE FIRST VISITED THE REGION WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS IN 1758, AS AN OFFICER IN THE EXPEDITION OF GENERAL FORBES AGAINST FORT DUQUESNE. AS COLONEL OF THE SEVENTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT, HE CROSSED THE DELAWARE WITH WASHINGTON IN 1777, AND SHARED IN THE VICTORY AT TRENTON. FIGHTING IN DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIER, AS COMMANDER OF THE SANDUSKY EXPEDITION, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS AND BURNED AT THE STAKE NEAR CRAWFORDSVILLE, OHIO, JUNE, 11,1782,
ERECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION THE CITY OF CONNELLSVILLE, AND GRATEFUL CITIZENS 1917.
SOCIETY OFFICERS
The Current Officers and Board of Directors are as follows:
OFFICERS
President Karen Hechler
1st Vice-President Debbie Mullaney
2nd Vice President OPEN
Recording Secretary Cloey Anderson
Corresponding Secretary Karen Hechler
Treasurer Ralph Prinkey
Membership Darcy Gates
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William "Bill" Sechler
Benjamin Hoffman
Glenna Hughes
Harry Porter (Emeritus)
Other positions that were not elected in April, 2024 but are functioning now.
●Professional Archivist - Sarah Reedy
●Media Committee – Ben Hoffman
●Correspondence Committee – Karen Hechler
●Newletter – Pastor Ralph Prinkey, Karen Hechler
●Living Historians – Ben Hoffman
●Genealogy – Susan Lewis
●Maintenance - Bill Sechler, Debby Mullaney, Ben Hoffman
MEMBERSHIP
Society membership is open to all who have an interest in Connellsville and local area history.
Yearly dues are payable in April at the annual meeting.
Dues are payable in person at a member meeting or by mail via check or money order made payable to:
CONNELLSVILLE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
217 WEST PATTERSON AVENUE
CONNELLSVILLE, PA 15425
Dues are as follows:
$15.00 - Individual per year
$25.00 - Family dues including children under 18 yrs. of age.
$50.00 - Business per year
$150.00 - Lifetime membership for anyone over 55 yrs. old
Click on the above "MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION" link to open a new PDF window and print the application.
MAINTAIN THE CONNELLSVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Any successful organization needs the efforts and talents of its membership to maintain a high
excellence in the community that it serves. Most of the work cannot fall on the shoulders of just a few members, or they soon get weary of the many jobs. There is much talent in the membership of the Connellsville Area Historical Society. Perhaps no one has ever asked you to participate, and you feel that your skills are not appreciated. Perhaps, you are engaged fully into an organization that you value very much, and your time is limited. We all set our priorities, But, if you see anything in the following list that appeals to you, please contact me at 724-628-5344 or khistory@zoominternet.net. Here goes, if I have missed your interest also let me know.
1. Cleaning is always a need. The Gibson House gets dusty and dirty just like your own home. Dusting, sweeping, mopping, bathroom, counter tops, windows (inside), etc.
2. Writing articles for the newsletter. It comes out 2 times a year, spring and fall. The articles should have something to do with the Society or the history of Connellsville. You may have pictures of an insight into some special aspect of Connellsville history that should be shared with our readers.
3. Helping find informative history related programs for July, September, and October. June is our Covered Dish Picnic, August is our Corn Roast, November is the Pride in Connellsville Area reception.
4. Selling items that we have to the public on Saturday which is the day that we are open to the public. We have no place to set up a display of our items in town. We need the revenue that they will provide.
5. Cleaning the inside of our display cases and changing displays for the public to see our collections.
6. Providing refreshments for our meetings. We also need cookies for our Christmas Open House during It's a Connellsville Christmas.
7. There is lawn work to do. Planting in the spring, pulling weeds, maintaining plants, Taking care of removing leaves, keeping the back area free of snow so that people can enter.
8. Or if you are unable to do any of the above, perhaps you will help with the expense of
keeping our treasures, the Gibson House and the Col. Crawford Site, available to the public
and maintaining these structures. It is very costly to pay all the expenses of maintaining and
insuring what the Connellsville Historical Society owns.
We don't want people to say like they have in the past. "Why did you allow the B&O Station to be torn down?" Like we could have stopped that! But we do own the Gibson House and the Crawford site, and we are responsible to maintain this prime Connellsville history. This option is open to all.
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At the Gibson House 217 West Patterson Avenue Connellsville
The Gibson House Christmas Gift Shop Will Be Open Saturday December 7th at 11am For Connellsville Christmas
The Gibson House will be decorated for Christmas
Light Refreshments will be available
Name: Jeff Reagan
Date: 03/20/2016 Message: I just found this site. It looks to be a good resource to learn more about my ancestors, who lived in this area in the 1800s and early 1900s.
Name: john's grandma
Date: 03/08/2016 Message: I am an old lady
Name: Cool Kids
Date: 02/08/2016 Message: this is good
Name: Kimberly Rummer-Farley
Date: 01/12/2016 Message: So glad to have found your site. I have relatives from Connellsville.
Name: Thomas Lieb
Date: 08/10/2015 Message: Related in some ways to the Soisson Family that settled in Connellsville. Joseph, I believe, was in the brick industry.
Name: Hank Stansbury
Date: 07/11/2015 Message: Am looking for data on Henry Logan, mother's family. 1900 census has his family at 508 W Gibson Av. He's buried at St. Joseph's Cemetery with wife Elizabeth and son. Very nice site you have here.
Name: Janet Brooks Koozer
Date: 09/29/2014 Message: I am interested in any information of the Brooks/Seltzer families.
Also- Burch/Gray, Burch/Cole
and Cole/Shuff families.
Janet Brooks Koozer
redduck38@yahoo.com
Name: Beverly Critchfield Moschetti
Date: 09/29/2013 Message: Thank you for writing this book. I can't wait to order it.
Name: Pat Bittinger
Date: 04/28/2013 Message: I lived in So.Connellsville and graduated from CAHS in 1971. Love the history of our towns. I'll have to stop in my next visit to Connellsville.
