Jul 15, 2014 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – Rea Redd, Waynesburg University librarian, told members of Cornerstone Genealogical Society that in 1837 the Abolitionist Society, the first such society, was formed in Philadelphia, but the building burned down the next day.

Philadelphia would not tolerate any abolitionists and in 1851 there was a riot near Harrisburg were some slaves were being hidden by a free black man. The slave master and his son from Maryland were killed in the melee, creating hard feelings between people of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Redd said the Underground Railroad ran through Greene County. Mt Morris, Waynesburg, Jefferson and Rices Landing were part of the eastern route and Holbrook and Graysville, the western route.

The Greene County men who volunteered for the Civil War would enlist in companies from Cameron, Wheeling and the eastern panhandle of Maryland.

When President Lincoln won the 1860 election, Redd said, the Republican Party was only five years old. He won with 41 percent of the popular vote, meaning two out of three people did not vote for Lincoln. In 1862, Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtin organized the northern governors with a meeting at Altoona to support the Civil War and this was a great help to President Lincoln, Redd said.

Greene County riverboat captains serving on the Monongahela were put into service taking steamboats down the Ohio River into Kentucky and all the way to Tennessee.

Redd said Greene County wool played a major part in the uniforms for the Civil War soldiers.

At Allegheny Arsenal in Pittsburgh, young women made paper cartridges for the soldiers. On Sept. 17, 1862 there was an explosion and 78 young women were killed.

The 8th PA Reserve Corps, also known as the 37th PA Volunteers, was formed in May 1861 and included men from Greene County. The men were trained and then sent home to be called up at a future time. In July 1861 they were called up and fought at Bull Run.

Comany F from Greene County and Comany G from Greene and Fayette counties were part of the 85th PA Volunteers. William Leonard, a Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Greene County and served with Company F, 85th PA Volunteers. He captured a battle flag at Deep Bottom, Va.

140th PA Volunteers included the Greene County Rifles and six companies from Washington County. They fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania.

Company F, 1st PA Cavalry, also known as 44th Regiment PA Volunteers, had men from Carmichaels. The 77th, 160th PA Volunteer Infantries, 15th Pennsylvania Volunteer Calvary, 163rd Company A, which fought at North Carolina, South Carolina and Petersburg, all had Greene County men in them, Redd said.