History of Mercer, (Mercer County) Pennsylvania United States of America

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Local History Notes:

MERCER, a county in the W.N.W. part of Pennsylvania, bordering on Ohio, has an area of 775 square miles. The Shenango river flows through the county from N. to S.; French creek touches the N. E. part, and other parts are drained by the Neshannoc, Sandy, and Pymatuning creeks. The surface is generally undulating, and in some places nearly level; the soil of the upland is a rich clayey loam. Wheat, and other grains, cattle, pork, wool, and potatoes are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 206,729 bushels of wheat; 263,710 of Indian corn; 385,976 of oats; 101,860 of potatoes; 41,579 tons of hay, and 625,572 pounds of butter. There were 10 iron furnaces, 5 iron foundries, 28 flour and grist mills, 24 saw mills, 4 coal mines, 5 wool-carding mills, 12 tanneries, and 12 pot and pearl asheries. It contained 61 churches, 4 newspaper offices; 8615 pupils attending public schools, and 75 attending academies or other schools. Extensive beds of stone coal and limestone are found, and the county contains valuable iron mines. The Pittsburg and Erie railroad, not yet finished, passes through this county, which is also traversed by the Beaver and Erie canal. Organized in 1800. Capital, Mercer. Population, 33,172.

Biographies:

John A. Bingham, representative, was born at Mercer, Pa., in 1815. He was educated at Franklin college, stndied law, and in 1840 began tO practise. In 1846 he was district attorney for Tuscarawas county, Ohio, holding the office for three years. In 1854 he was elected a representative from Ohio to the 34th Congress and was reelected to the 35th, 36th and 37th congresses. In the impeachment trial of Judge Humphreys for high treason on May 22, 1862, Mr. Bingham acted as chairman of the managers of the house. He failed of election to the 38th Congress, declined an appointment by President Lincoln as United States district judge for the southern district of Florida, and, in 1864, accepted the appointment as judge-advocate in the Federal army, and later in the same year that of solicitor in the court of claims. When the conspirators against the lives of President Lincoln and the members of his cabinet were tried, he was special judge-advocate. In 1864 he was elected a representative to the 39th Congress, and was re-elected to the 40th, 41st and 42d congresses, serving until March 3, 1873. He was one of the managers in the impeachment' trial of President Johnson. He was appointed minister to Japan by President Grant, serving 1873-85. He died at Cadiz, Ohio, March 19, 1900.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor