Hartstown was incorporated in 1850 and its affairs have been conducted
by the following Burgesses: B. Ewing, 1850; J. R. St. Clair, 1851; A. S.
Throop, 1853; R. R. McKee, 1854; William M. Williams, 1855; James A.
Sheriff, 1856; John Grace, 1857; J. K. St. Clair, 1858; Moses Kilgore,
1859; J. K. St. Clair, 1860; Jason Budd, 1861; Joseph Patton, 1862; B.
Ewing, 1863; J. Patton, 1864; M. Kilgore, Jr., 1865--66; W. Y. Mason,
1867; E. F. Ellis, 1868; David Patton, 1869--70; William Henry, 1871;
E. F. Ellis, 1872; Joseph Patton, 1873, refused to serve and J. J. Morrow
elected; Thomas Getchell, 1874, resigned in favor of J. J. Morrow; R. A.
Snodgrass, 1876; I. C. Miller, 1877; Gibson Nevins, 1878; William Y.
Mason, 1879; C. P. Temple, 1880--81; J. W. Case, 1882; Gibson Nevins,
1883.
The village is located in the north part of West Fallowfield Township. It had
a population of 188 in 1870, and of 167 in 1880. It contains one general
store, a stove and tin store, a grocery, a drug store, a furniture store, a
millinery store, three blacksmith shops, two harness shops, one shoe shop,
a cooper shop, two wagon shops, a steam grist-mill, a school and two
churches.
The village was named from James and William Hart, brothers and early
settlers and land owners in this locality. Dr. Steen built the second cabin in
the place and Thomas Rogers, a blacksmith, the third. John McFawn was
the first merchant. Mr. LeFevre kept the first tavern in a house built by Mr.
Hart. Hartstown owed its start to the construction of the canal and since
this watercourse has been abandoned it has not increased in population.
Hartstown United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1830 as an
Associate Reformed Congregation. Its petitioners to the Presbytery were
mostly disaffected members at Shenango who would not consent to have
the banns of marriage published three Sabbaths. Rev. S. F. Smith, the first
pastor, served until his death in 1846. The next pastor, Rev. William Dalzell,
was installed January 29, 1850, and released October 9 of the same year.
Rev. H. H. Hervey, the present pastor, came as a supply in December, 1852,
and was installed June 15, 1853. The Elders at that time were: James F.
Henry, Alexander Henry and William Patterson. The membership was then
about fifty; it is now 180. The first church edifice was erected in 1830. It was
superseded in 1856 by the present edifice, erected at a cost of $2,500.
Another church edifice, now the property of Zion Church, was erected about
1852 by a Covenanter's or Reformed Presbyterian congregation, which soon
after united with the United Presbyterian Church, and the building was sold
to a congregation of the German Reformed persuasion. This society
languished, and in turn disposed of the house to the Zion Society, which is
now too feeble to maintain services.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Hartstown was organized with fifteen
members, about 1840, in which year a frame meeting-house was erected
on the hill above the village. The second and present edifice was reared in
1882. It is 32x50 in size and cost $2,000. George F. Randolph, James I.
Lewis, Vance Cotton, John Hammel, Samuel Cotton, Bennett Trimble and
James Wright were early leading members. The charge is connected with
Espyville Circuit, and the membership is about 130.
Hartstown Lodge, No. 178, A. O. U. W., was organized July 1, 1880, and
now has about twenty members. J. S. Mitchell was the first M. W.
Meetings are held every Tuesday evening.
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