The Upper St. Clair Historical Society has invited the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line to re-enact everyday camp life of the 18th century Revolutionary War soldier. In 100% wool, cotton, or linen uniforms, soldiers’ equipment is accurate right down to the pewter buttons, tin canteens, and lead dice (made from old musket balls). Help cook stew on an open campfire while learning the importance of musket artillery to the survival of the soldiers.
Martika Brown
Dressed in homespun attire, Martika Brown enriches the open house venue. School-age children are enthralled, but quickly learn that mundane chores such as the hand washing of dishes and hanging laundry outside to dry were routine. For fun though, offspring amused themselves with homemade wooden toys along with simple hand sewn dolls. Outdoor amusement included playing the lawn game Croquet (wooden mallets, balls, and wickets) or pencil sketching familiar countryside scenes. Forget the technology of 2006; 1857 blackberries were planted, picked, and preserved!
Youth volunteers (left to right): Martika Brown, Shaun Brown, Tessa Yannetti, Brittany Clifford, and Brendan Brown 8th Pennsylvania Regiment
Mark your calendar for USC Community Day—Saturday, May 20. Education for all by means of spirited participation is the paramount ambition of Jean Brown. From noon to 3 p.m., appreciate our community’s youth volunteers and the legacy of Gilfillan by partaking in the specialty activities of the day, lawn croquet, and tractor drawn hayrides. Handicap accessible, parking is available on site. There is no parking on Orr Road.
Wishing to volunteer or become a member of the Upper St. Clair Historical Society? Contact Jean Brown at 412-833-2323. Side Note: Request for a private tour of ten individuals or less may be made directly to Jean Brown. Weather permitting, tours will be conducted on a limited, first-come first-served basis during the months of December, January, and February.
A History Lesson of the Gilfillan House and Farm
John Gilfillan (1826-1885), the son
Alexander and Annie had three chilof John and the grandson of Alexander dren: John, Margaret, and Alexander. Gilfillan, settled on 400 acres in Upper When Annie died of pneumonia in 1903, St. Clair in the 1770s. following the death of his mother in that John married Eleanor Ewing in 1849 same year, Alexander and his three young and purchased Adam Patterson’s land grant children moved from their home on Orr property of 135 acres. They lived in the Road to the Gilfillan House. The two Patterson’s log house located where the maiden aunts cared for his children. headquarters of Consolidation Coal now John and Alexander, following in their stands. They built the Gilfillan House father and grandfather’s footsteps, bebetween 1855-57, using lumber that came attorneys. Margaret graduated from was cut from this property. The bricks Chatham College and remained at home were hand-molded and fired locally and to care for her brothers after the deaths the window glass was hand-rolled in the of their aunts. None of the three of them area. An addition to the house was added married. when indoor plumbing became available. Margaret shared her wealth of knowlThe springhouse is the only remaining edge and memories of the Gilfillan House Photo by Nancy Barnard structure from the Patterson Farm. and Farm with elementary school stuJohn and Eleanor Gilfillan had five dents each year when she visited USC children: Margaret, Loretta, Jane Lyle schools for a presentation. Margaret (the (who died at age three), Alexander, and Eleanor. Margaret last surviving offspring of Alexander and Annie) died in and Eleanor did not marry and lived their entire lives at the May 2001 at 100 years of age. She left the 15-acre Gilfillan Gilfillan property. Loretta married Robert Frazer, an attorney. Homestead and Farm buildings to the Historical Society of Alexander married Annie Martha Boyd in 1897 and bui1t the Upper St. Clair. home at 123 Orr Road. Summer 2006
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
11