After reading the letter “History in our backyards” (March 5, TribLive), I was prompted to list a few more things that Westmoreland County is known/little known for.
Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing’s great-great-grandfather is buried near Pleasant Unity in Smith’s Grave Yard; his settlement of Coventry still exists and there is a large log barn on the property, possibly original. A Pershing family member still owns it! Pershing chased Pancho Villa out of Texas and was the commander of American forces in Europe in World War I.
Ulysses Grant’s father, Jesse, was born here in Westmoreland County. Grant says in his memoirs that he was born near Greensburg but possibly Hannastown; maybe a reader has more information.
The Mellon family originally lived in Hannastown and many are buried in Unity Cemetery near Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
George Washington’s “Friendly Fire Incident” took place off Two Mile Run Road (past the ice ponds) in Ligonier; Washington himself recounted that it was “in the most jeopardy it had ever been in before or since.”
The announcer who covered the Hindenburg disaster (oh, the humanity), Herb Morrison, was from Scottdale.
Revisiting Arthur St. Clair: There is a monument on Youngstown Ridge on the site of Arthur’s Tavern. It is on private property but they’re real nice folks!
This county is full of history; all one needs to do is “dig” it up. It is very interesting and fun!
Paul J. Ferry
Unity