20th Century History of New Castle and
Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens

FRANK G. MORROW,

[p. 563] a well known resident of Wampum, Lawrence County, Pa., where he has been engaged in blacksmithing for more than eighteen years, has been a lifelong resident of the county. He was born on the old McConahy homestead near Moravia, in North Beaver Township, September 19, 1854, and is a son of Charles and Matilda (McConahy) Morrow.

The paternal grandfather of Mr. Morrow was of German extraction and became one of the pioneers of Lawrence County. He settled on 130 acres of land in the woods and this place still remains in the Morrow name. He married Cathe- it a period of nearly thirty years. [sic] He and bore him the following children: Adam, Jesse, Charles and George V., who are the only ones of the family now living, and Nicholas and Catherine Jane.

Charles Morrow was born in the old log cabin on his father's farm in Wayne Township, Lawrence County, February 7, 1825, and has a distinct remembrance of going up a ladder, on the outside, to the second story of this building, to sleep at nights during his boyhood days, often to find the snow drifting through and partially covering the bed. He helped to clear the home farm, and as he was quite young when his father died it was necessary for him, as well as the other children, to shift for himself at an early age. He learned the blacksmith trade at an early age, and followed it for a period of nearly thirty years. He did the blacksmithing in the construction of the dam at Hardscrabble. He had his shop near West Moravia, in an old log building on the farm of William McConahy, the latter being his father-in-law. He was joined in marriage with Matilda McConahy, who died in 1880, at the age of sixty-two years. Seven children were born to them, namely: Catherine, who died at the age of two years; Frank G., Susan, wife of Walter Hopper; Lydia, whose death resulted from a stroke of lightning at the age of twenty-two years, had a twin sister who died in infancy; Rose is the wife of Robert Jackson, and Margaret is the wife of Samuel Crawford. Mr. Morrow spent the late years of his active career in farming, owning two farms, consisting of 176 acres in all, but he has disposed of seventy-six acres.

Frank G. Morrow attended the district schools of his native township and worked on the farm during his youth. At the age of twenty-one years he went to Taylor Township and operated a stone quarry for David McAllister for ten years. In 1885 he came to Wampum and for three years was in the service of the Wampum Cement Company, at the end of which time he went to Chewton and worked at blacksmithing for George Hennon for fifteen months. In October, 1890, he returned to Wampum and purchased the shop of A. W. Reed, on the corner of Beaver and Church Streets, and there he has since continued. He does all kinds of work in the line of blacksmithing and general repairing, and has an established patronage throughout this section of the county.

In 1875 Mr. Morrow was united in marriage with Emeline Ritchie, a daughter of David Ritchie, who came here from County Down, Ireland, in the early days. Three children were born to them: David J., who married Catherine Duggan and lives in Pittsburg; Matilda, and Charles. Mr. Morrow owns real estate in Wampum, and has his residence across the street from his shop. He is a Democrat in politics, and is at the present time serving in the village council. He also served on the election board. Fraternally, he is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, at Wampum.


20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908

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