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

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Local History Notes:

NORTHUMBERLAND, a county in the E. central part of Pennsylvania, has an area of 500 square miles. The West branch of Susquehanna river washes its W. border, and the North branch of that river flows through the middle; these two, uniting at Northumberland, form the Susquehanna proper. It is also drained by Shamokin, Mahanoy, and Mahantango creeks. The southern part of the county is traversed by barren mountain ridges, named Shamokin Hill, Mahanoy and Line mountains. Some of the valleys are highly productive. Wheat, Indian corn, oats, hay, and butter are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 289,522 bushels of wheat; 282,087 of corn; 194,676 of oats; 20,310 tons of hay; and 501,619 pounds of butter. There were 26 flour and grist mills, 16 limekilns, 1 manufactory of fire-engines, 4 iron foundries, 2 furnaces, 1 forge, and 15 tanneries. It contained 52 churches, 4 newspaper offices; 3900 pupils attending public schools, and 927 attending academies and other schools. Extensive beds of anthracite coal are worked near Shamokin, in the S.E. part. Iron ore and limestone are abundant. The North Branch canal passes through the county, and connects near the county seat with the West Branch canal. A railroad extends from the coal mines of Shamokin to Sunbury; and a railroad is now in progress of construction from Sunbury to Erie on one hand, and to Philadelphia on the other. Organized in 1772, and named from Northumberland, a county in England. Capital, Sunbury. Pop., 28,272.

Biographies:

William Nicholson Grier, soldier, was born in Northumberland, Pa., in 1812. He was graduated at the U.S. military academy in 1835 and was assigned to the 1st dragoons. He was promoted 2d lieutenant; was on duty in the Choctaw nation, 1839-40; at the military academy as assistant instructor of infantry and cavalry tactics, 1841; and on frontier duty in the west, 1842-46. Having been promoted 1st lieutenant the was ordered to Mexico in 1846 and was made captain, April 23, 1846, and brevetted major for gallant and meritorious conduct, March 16, 1848. He was then on frontier duty, took part in the expedition against the Apache Indians, and was wounded in battle, Nov. 17, 1849. He continued in the service on the Pacific coast till 1861, when he was ordered to Washington, D.C., and made acting inspector-general of the army of the Potomac with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He commanded the 1st U.S. cavalry in the McClellan campaign on the peninsula and led a charge on the rear guard of the Confederate army, May 6, 1862, at Williamsburg, in which he engaged two of the enemy in a personal combat, wounding one and himself receiving a wound. For this action he was brevetted colonel. He was in the 2d brigade of the cavalry reserve under Gen. P. St. G. Cooke at Gaines's Mill, June 27, 1862, and saved the batteries posted on the slope of the hill by a gallant charge. At the close of the Peninsular campaign he was ordered to St. Louis, Mo., where the was on court-martial duty, 1862-63; was superintendent of recruiting and mustering, and disbursing officer for Ohio, Iowa and Pennsylvania, 1863-66. On March 13, 1865, he was brevetted brigadier general U.S. army, for faithful service during the war; on Aug. 31, 1866, he Was promoted colonel of the 3d U.S. cavalry and on Dec. 15, 1870, was retired at his own request. He died at Napa Springs, Cal., July 9, 1885.

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