Trestle under construction for Harmony Short Line Interurban in North Sewickley.
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North Sewickley Township lies in the northern part of Beaver County and is bounded on the north by Lawrence County and on the south by Franklin, Marion, New Sewickley and Pulaski Townships in Beaver County.
It wa sformed in 1801 by the Allegheny courts from the original Sewickley Township which covered a large portion of the county lying east of the Beaver River.
The charter for the county had stipulated that court-related actions should be taken to Allegheny County courts until 1804 when Beaver County was organized to properly take care of legal matters.
In the January sessions of Beaver County court in 1824, a petition was presented asking for further division of the two Sewickley townships. Viewers appointed were Samuel Peirsol, Esq.; Stephen Runyon, Esq.; and James Stockman, Esq. They reported at the April session that they had formed three townships from the two other Sewickley townships.
In October, 1824, another petition was presented to the court asking for a division and the viewers appointed were Andrew Jenkins, James Sholes and William Cairns, Esq.
Several waterways flow through the township. The Big Beaver River forms the western border and the Connoquenessing flows along the northwestern border. Brush Creek runs along the eastern line and empties into the Connoquenessing. Bennett's Run is a small stream in the southern part of the township which empties into the Beaver River. These streams add to the beauty of the area and the scenery is very wild and picturesque. Beaver County officials have recognized this fact and have made a county park out of the area along Brush Creek to preserve the scenic area for future generations.
The first post office, established in 1837, was located about a mile and a half from the little village of North Sewickley. On May 27, 1845, the name of this office was changed to Wurtemburg but the old name was restored in 1849.
The list of early postmasters and the dates of their appointments are Absolom S. Stevens, Dec. 13, 1837; Absolom Severns, July 19,1839; Nathaniel Hazen, May 10, 1841; Jonathon L. Leet, Nov. 8, 1849; James W. Taylor, March 19, 1851; Melvin Nye, April 2, 1856; James Patton, Jan. 26,1860; James M. Runyon, Feb. 1, 1866; Milton A. Clow, March 7, 1867; Archibald M. Mecklem, May 12, 1869; Millard F. Mecklem, April 9, 1874; Robert C. Criswell, Jan. 7, 1875; Edward W. Liebendorfer, Dec. 21, 1882; Marcus E. Caven, Jan. 10, 1888; J. Ellis Ewing, July 23, 1897; Moses C. Swick, March 30, 1898; and J.E. Ewing, 1898.
The earliest settlers in North Sewickley Township appear to have been Ezekiel Jones and his wife Hannah who came here from New Jersey in 1801. The Joneses settled near the present location of the Riverside Junior-Senior High School. Jones served as the first county coroner in 1804-05. David Johnston served as the first clerk of courts and William Henry as the first sheriff.
The members of the Providence Baptist Church first met on Nov. 14,1801, in the home of Ezekiel Jones.
Elder Henry Speer was present and preached a sermon. About 20 persons attended the service. They met in the Jones home for sometime and then decided to build a log church which was used until 1848 when a frame building was built near by and the old building torn down.
In 1856 the building was destroyed by a storm and was again restored in 1849. It was remodeled in 1898. A marker has been placed at the church by the Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation, recording this church to have been the first Baptist Church in Beaver County.
The Providence Baptist Church was incorporated Nov. 1, 1884, by a committee composed of Joseph Hazen, N.U. Hazen, John C. Johnston, Nathan Hazen and James E. Jones.
The Concord Methodist Church was organized in the home of Thomas B. Elliott, Edmund Boats, Eliza Boats, Nancy Elliott and the Revs. John Boats and Samuel Boats and their wives. The first building was erected in 1851, the second on May 30, 1887.
In 1847, a parochial school was organized under the direction of the Baptist Church. The original building cost about $700, In 1853, the Rev. James L. Henderson, pastor, erected a large house for the academy dormitory. The school was then known as the North Sewickley Academy.
A Miss Kildoo was the only teacher. The purpose of the academy was to prepare boys and girls for college. Rev. Henderson was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Weber and a Miss Porter was added to the faculty. Following the Civil War, the academy was turned into an orphanage for children of soldiers killed in the war. The children were later sent to Phillipsburg, now Monaca, and the academy was closed.