No doubt it was a bright cheery morning, that second of February, 1756, when in the little suburban settlement of Belfast, the good Scotch Irish mothers pointed out to their children the little cottage where the wee bairn had just come to dwell. In a few days, beneath the holy hands of a Presbyterian preacher, he received the name of William Locke. Had the veil of future activity been lifted at that moment I fear the good man might not have pronounced the name. Little did he dream that those tiny feet would tramp a foreign shore in harmony with a marshal strain destined to rob Great Britain of her fairest colonies, nor when the frosts of many winters had touched his locks with gray, four stalwart sons should follow in his steps. He might have rejoiced to see the day when thirty of his grandsons stepped out to make men free; but not to see full many a descendant bowing among the despicable Methodists or men of other unknown faiths.

As the boy grew to manhood he was sent to Larne to learn the linen weaving trade, which he followed as an occupation most of his life.

Mr. Locke chose for his companion in life Miss Margaret McCoy, who was born and reared in Tyrone County, Ireland. The date and place of their marriage is unknown to their descendants.

In 1776, Mr. Locke embarked for America, and the following February enlisted in the Colonial Army. He was a member of Capt. Nickolson's company of the Pennsylvania line troops commanded by Col. Hartley, and was engaged in the following battles: Brunswick, Brandywine, Germantown and Paolis. Once while walking a few rods from camp, the buckle was shot from the stock he wore about his neck. At another time during an Indian campaign, while cooking breakfast for his comrades who were reaping wheat (lack of supplies made this necessary), he heard the heart-rending cry of the men as they were being killed by the Indians who had hidden in the grain during the night and gotten between them and their guns. As he seized his gun he said to his helper, who lay asleep, "Fly for your life, the Injuns are murdering the men." The reply came back from the sleeper, "Locke, you’re afraid of the day you never saw." Gun in hand he ran for the headquarters and on his return he found his foolhardy comrade scalped where he lay. Of all the forraging party he alone escaped.

Mr. Welker, a son of one of his messmates, related to J. H. Locke an incident worthy of mention here. Mr. Locke himself was never known to mention it. For six months or more none of the soldiers little received their monthly pittance and wives and children were suffering while the husbands were fighting the battles of the young republic. A bundle of letters had just been brought into camp, love of home, wife, and children was soon in the ascendency. One man threw down his gun, saying, "I'll go home." Others followed and mutiny was soon rife. Mr. Locke walked off alone and sat on a log a few minutes; then began to sing a new patriotic song - a eulogy on the new republic. Before the song was ended the guns were picked up and no one thought of leaving. After five years and two months of the hardship of army life, including the Valley Forge campaign, he received an honorable discharge. Upon his discharge, he went to Westmoreland county and settled.

After living a short time in Ligonier Valley, he and his young wife made their home for several years in Chartiers Valley, Washington County, Pa. In this valley were born to them the following children, viz.: John, David, William Hamilton, James, Mary (Polly), Elizabeth, Margaret and Ann. In the year 1794 this hardy pioneer and his elder sons traveled to lands claimed by Dr. Peter Mowry in the then Crawford, subsequently Mercer and now Lawrence county, and purchased a piece of ground one mile Northwest of the present site of the village of Harlansburg. Here they began to hew out a home in the dense wilderness where the woodman's axe had never been heard. Their log cabin was raftered with rib poles, shingled with clapboards, nailed with weight poles, windowed with greased paper, and had mud and sticks for a chimney and mother earth for a floor.

After clearing a few patches and making other preparations, in the spring of 1796, he moved his family to the new home. Here he continued to clear and planted a few fruit trees. Despite all the inconvenience of moving over seventy miles on horseback through bridle paths, Mrs. Locke brought with her a rose root, a lilac root, scions of which still survive on the old farm, and a little bag of apple seeds. The lilac and rose lived about ninety years. The last of the old apple trees died about 35 years ago. Mr. Locke built a double barn of round logs. He also built a weave shop and began his trade in the new settlement. As he wove the warp and woof together, he wove into verse many a song. Here are a few stanzas furnished by J. H. Locke from the recollection of his boyhood days. The circumstances are these: William Nickolson, an English farmer living one mile north of Harlansburg, was engaged in the liquor business and had a good trade. Mr. Mertimus, a German, came to the village and embarked in the same business. As Mr. Nickolson saw the trade going to the competitor he became enraged. Shortly after dark one evening he marshaled his family and friends and came down on his competitor with all the fury of an Englishman's ire.

The twentieth of October, we'll never forget,

Be it ever remembered in Harlansburg town.

Our cruel foe did attack us you know

The night of that instant they on us came down, --

Danger, danger, imminent danger,

Threaten to ruin our German brigade.

The world will wonder to think we came under;

What havoc that night in our city was made.

At the word of command to see them fall on,

Why sure it surprised every person was there;

Such kicking and fighting and scratching and biting

Men, women and boys were fast by the hair.

Thunder, thunder, nothing but thunder,

Thunder itself never made such a sound,

For tables and glasses and chairs and sashes

And doors and partitions came tumbling down.

Lord Sterling so brave, did with courage behave,

With his staff in his hand by the bar he did stand,

He says, "Stand about or I'll give you a clout,

I'll be hanged but I'll thrash you every man,"

But on him they did wheel and soon made him reel,

It surprised me to see such a terrible fall;

And when I looked 'round it did me confound

To see that so many for quarter did call.

Gillespie, it's said, he acted as aid,

With General Mertemus withdrew to the room;

The old lady, too, scarce knew what to do,

And straight she cried out, "Can't you hand me the broom

Or the poker from the open fireside.

Here Sterling, take this; can't you clear the room."

But he was too far back to make an attack,

And dare not advance to handle the broom.

Josh Buck and John Pounds, upon them came round,

And likewise James Taylor, that hero so brave;

But all they could do they could not break through,

The life of their general they scarcely could save.

Now I'll conclude for no more I can sing,

The news of this fight thro' the Union shall ring.

We'll have to send for Perry, I swear by Derry,

If they storm us again, we never can stand.

Although living in a fighting age, Mr. Locke was a non-resistant. For jokes and songs he got many a severe blow; but never was known to resent a blow or allow a son to fight a battle in his behalf. Once at an election he was requested to sing a song he had composed bearing heavily on the conduct of two men there present. One of them struck him a heavy blow with a scrutching [sic] stock. It is said on the authority of a man that stood by that the old gentleman finished the song although the blood ran down his face, and then without hesitation sang the following stanzas suitable to the occasion.

And next at our election, his conduct behold,

He there raised his arm like Don Quixote of old

With an old scutching stock, his arm strengthened by rage,

He there struck a man near twice his own age.

But like a veteran this old man did stand,

Not regarding the weapon he held in his hand;

For a stroke that proceeds from a Federal arm

To a firm Democrat, can do little harm.

Mr. Locke died November 29, 1823, being in his sixty-eighth year. Thus ended the career of an indulgent parent, a kind neighbor, a good citizen, and a brave soldier. Mrs. Locke died January 26, 1827 (age unknown). Their ashes rest in the old Plain Grove Presbyterian graveyard.

WILLIAM LOCKE and MARGARET McCOY

John, David, William Hamilton, James, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret, Ann.

JOHN LOCKE and SARA NELSON

12 Children - David, Thomas, William, Chauncy, John, Mary

DAVID LOCKE and ELIZABETH NELSON

John, William, James P., Margaret, Nancy, Ann.

WILLIAM H. LOCKE and SARA WARNER

John, William, Rebecca, Susan, Elizabeth, Mary.

JAMES LOCKE and ANN McFARLAND

William, Clarissa, James Hamilton, Maria, David, Jessie B., John.

MARY LOCKE and ALEXANDER RODGERS

George A., Mrs. Elijah Johnson.

ELIZABETH LOCKE and PETER STERLING (and WILLIAM GREER)

James S., Alexander R. S., Ann S., Elizabeth S. -- Sara G., Mary G., John S. G.

MARGARET LOCKE and SAMUEL DAVIS (and JAMES TAYLOR)

--- Davis, William T., James Locke T., Matthew T.

ANN and JAMES McCALMONT or McCOMMON

Margaret, William, John, Thomas, Robert, Elizabeth, Sara.

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Mercer County History:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pamercer/PA/PL/Maps/1804map.htm

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pamercer/PA/History/history.htm

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Mercer_County,_Pennsylvania

http://www.greenville-pa.com/history/mc_timeline/mc_timeline_references.htm

http://www.greenville-pa.com/history/mc_timeline/mc_timeline_1800_1850.htm

1800

Mercer County is created by an act of the General Assembly1 (with at least three churches already established: Old Salem United Methodist Church (Sugar Grove Township), established in 1798, and Fairfield (New Vernon Township) and Center (Pine Township) Presbyterian churches established in 1799)

Of note - http://www.mcrpc.com/countyplan/chapter1.pdf - says: March 12 Mercer County is created from Allegheny County; Population 3,228 [Which would fit with the 1790 Census showing a William Lock in Allegheny County]

1801

The four original townships are Neshannock, Salem, Sandy Lake and Cool Spring1

1802

Wolf Creek and Pymatuning townships are created; Sandy Lake is dropped and Sandy Creek Township introduced; a grist and saw-mill is built on the Shenango River within the limits of Hickory Township1

1805

West Salem, French Creek, Delaware, Sandy Lake, Shenango, Lackawannock, Mahoning, Springfield and Slippery Rock townships are added;1

1808

A strip of land on the county's north border is given to Crawford County29

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http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html

http://archive.org/details/1790_census

http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1790i.zip

Pennsylvania - Title Page [PDF], Full Document [ZIP, 94.8 MB]

http://archive.org/details/populationsc17900009unit

http://ia600501.us.archive.org/2/items/populationsc17900009unit/populationsc17900009unit.pdf

Population schedules of the first census of the United States, 1790, Pennsylvania [microform] (1965)

Author: United States. Bureau of the Census; United States. National Archives and Records Service

Volume: Reel 0009 - 1790 Pennsylvania Federal Population Census Schedules - Montgomery, Westmoreland (part), Allegheny, Washington, Bedford, Franklin,York, Northumberland, Mifflin (part) and Philadelphia Counties

Subject: Registers of births, etc; Pennsylvania

Publisher: Washington, [D.C.] : National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration

Language: english-handwritten

Digitizing sponsor: Internet Archive

Book contributor: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center

Collection: 1790_census; microfilm; americana; us_census; genealogy; additional_collections

Notes: Film/Fiche is presented as originally captured.

In 1790, the area including William Locke's location was called Allegheny County.

The Census at that time showed:

Full pdf (William Lock page 16 of pdf, page 18 on page)

Full pdf (William Lock page of 30 of pdf, page 18 on page) - different scan, book published 1908

The above William Locke Graphic lists the following information:

Name of Division: Mercer County

Name of Head of Families: William Lock

Free White Males Under 10 years of age = 1 of 10 and under 16 = 1 of 16 and under 26 including head of families = 2 of 26 and under 45 including head of families = 0 of 45 and upwards including heads of families = 1

Free White Females Under 10 years of age = 1 of 10 and under 16 = 2 of 16 and under 26 including head of families = 1 of 26 and under 45 including head of families = 0 of 45 and upwards including heads of families = 1 All other free persons, except Indians not taxed = 0 Slaves = 0

Total in the Family = 10

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http://www.census.gov/history/pdf/measuringamerica.pdfhttps://googledrive.com/host/0B2XrmPuvY7PRa2tyUGpJZ2w3T2s/MeasuringAmerica_DecennialCensuses_1790-2000.pdf

1800 Questionnaire

From 1800 to 1820, the states provided schedules of varying size and typeface.

The 1800 schedule of inquiries called for the name of the county, parish, township, town, or city where the family resides; the name of the head of the family; a statement for each family of the number of free White males and females under 10 years of age, of 10 and under 16, of 16 and under 26, of 26 and under 45, and 45 years and upward; the number of all other free persons (except Indians not taxed); and the number of slaves.

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There is a typed out version of the above at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/mercer/census/1800/pg432.txt

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1810 Census - Pennsylvania

http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/mercer/census/1810/index/a-l.txt