Crawford County, Pennsylvania


History
HISTORICAL BOROUGH BOUNDARIES
© Thomas L. Yoset
This compilation details the process by which twenty-two boroughs have been incorporated in the county.1  The incorporation of a borough required a special act of the state legislature, until an 1851 statute (the “1851 Act”) delegated this power to the county courts of quarter sessions.2  The 1851 Act also authorized the burgess and council to alter borough boundaries, but only changes by legislative or judicial action are included here.

Unlike townships, which sprang into existence, boroughs were formed from existing towns and villages.  Their origins, including name changes, are also briefly noted.3  Maps depicting borough boundaries as shown on the 1876 county atlas will eventually (it is hoped) be added to this site.

For genealogists, incorporation means that such records as tax rolls and census returns will be found separate from the parent township, as indicated in the following chart:

borough incorporated annulled parent township(s) first tax roll first census
Blooming Valley 1867   Woodcock.Twp. 1868 1870
Cambridge Springs 1866   Cambridge. Twp. 1867 1870
Centerville 1865   Rome Twp. 1867 1870
Cochranton 1855   East Fairfield Twp. 1856 1860
Conneautville 1844   Spring & Summerhill Twps. 1845 1850
Conneaut Lake 1858   Sadsbury Twp. 1859 1860
Evansburgh  see Conneaut Lake
Geneva 1872 1939 Greenwood Twp. 1873 1880
Hartford / Hartstown 1850 1915 West Fallowfield Twp. 1851 1860
Hydetown 1868   Oil Creek Twp.   1870
Jamestown 1853   South Shenango & Greene Twps.   1860
(Kerrtown) proposed   (Vernon Twp.)
Linesville 1862   Pine Twp. 1865 1870
Meadville 1823   Mead Twp. 1824 1800
Oil Creek  see Hydetown
Riceville 1859   Bloomfield Twp. 1861 1860
Saeger(s)town 1849   Woodcock Twp. 1851 1860
Spartansburg(h) 1855   Sparta Twp. 1856 1860
Spring / Springboro 1866   Spring Twp. 1867 1870
Titusville 1847   Oil Creek Twp. 1849 1850
Townville 1867   Steuben Twp. 1868 1870
Turner(s)ville 1851 1863 South Shenango Twp. 1853 1860
(Tryonville) proposed   (Steuben Twp.)
Val(l)onia 1868 1904 Vernon Twp. 1869 1870
Venango 1852   Venango Twp. __ 1860
Woodcock 1844   Woodcock Twp. 1845 1850

1 Incorporation was effective from the date of recording the court order in the Recorder's Office.  Since many charters were never recorded, however, the date of incorporation given in the compilation is the date of the decree.

2 1851 Pa. Laws 320 (No. 218, &3147;an act regulating boroughs,” approved 3 April 1851).  The incorporation of communities such as Jamestown which straddled county lines still required the intervention of the state legislature.

3 John L. Kay & Charles M. Smith, Jr., Pennsylvania Postal History (Lawrence, Mass., 1976), 139-44 [courtesy of William B. Moore], is the source for dates when, and names under which post offices were established.