This ranks third among the boroughs of the county in order of organization. To describe the location in precise mathematical terms, it is in latitude forty degrees thirty-seven seconds north, and in longitude four degrees thirty-nine seconds west, of the meridian of Philadelphia. The following description ppears in an early prospectus of the town, and may convey a more intelligible idea to the ordinary reader: "The town is situated on the Allegheny river and Pennsylvania canal, at the aqueduct and locks near the mouth of Bull creek. It is distant from Pittsburgh twenty-one miles; from Kittanning, twenty-two miles; from Greensburg, twenty-three miles; from Butler, nineteen miles; and on the cross-roads leading from the above places."

The principal features of the place are thus enumerated: "The neighboring hills abound in coal. There is a steam gristmill, a sawmill and fullingmills adjoining the town, also a valuable water-power at the locks. The situation is favorable for the development of manufactures, and well suited for mechanics."

Felix Negley was the first settler in Tarentum. He was of German origin, and arrived in 1796. In 1797 he erected a log cabin about forty rods below the mouth of Bull creek. He was then engaged in building a dam across the creek, and making preparations for building a sawmill and a gristmill. These were soon completed. Three or four years later he erected a larger log house a short distance from the first, on the opposite side of what is now Negley street. In 1812 James Lisley built a log house near where James Ashler’s drugstore stands, on North Canal street, near the railroad station. This has been weather-boarded, and it still stands there. These were the only original houses of the olden time within the limits of the borough. Several log cabins stood near the mouth of the creek as early as 1800. They were occupied by Mr. Negley’s laborers, who were also hunters and fishermen. These were the principal dwellings in the place for the first twenty or thirty years, and the village had no importance beyond what Mr. Negley’s mills gave it. In 1821 Mr. Negley built a carding-mill, and in 1824 placed it in operation, with Alexander McAllister as a partner.

In 1828 water was first let into the canal here, and the place received an impetus. In that year James Miller built a steam sawmill at the mouth of the creek. He had built a house two years before, and he occupied it as a store and tavern during the construction of the canal. In 1828 John Kennedy (now living) built a house near where the viaduct crosses the creek. It was to other persons than these, however, that the town owes its origin.

Hon. Henry M. Brackenridge, the founder of Tarentum, an account of whom will be found elsewhere in this work, was one of the most eminent lawyers of his day in this section of the country. The last years of his life were passed at his residence in Allegheny county. He acquired by marriage a landed estate of several thousand acres, including the site of Tarentum.

The town was surveyed, under the direction of Mr. Brackenridge, by W. Martin in November, 1829. The following streets are indicated upon the original plan; Canal, Randolph, Third and Fourth, above the canal and parallel with it, crossed at right angles by Wood and Lock streets and by Ross street parallel with Bull creek; southeast of the canal and parallel with it, Kennedy and Water streets. The location of the public square is shown at the intersection of Wood street with Third and Fourth, and a school-lot between Wood and Lock above Fourth. The width of Ross is given as fifty feet, that of Wood forty-nine and one-half feet, and of the others about forty feet. In 1857 the borough was regularly laid out between Kittanning street and the Allegheny river, eastward to Porter street. Below the railroad, in order from Bull creek, the streets extending northwest and southeast are known as Brackenridge, Ferry, Boyd, Adams, Wood, Lock, McKee, Worth and Gaines; above the railroad, in the same order, the names are Short, Bntler, Ross, Mill, Wood, Lock, Dickey, Laworth, Corbet and Porter. Parallel with the railroad the streets north of it are known as Canal, Randolph, Third, Fourth and Kittanning; south of the railroad and extending in the same direction the names are South Canal, Kennedy, Vance and Water, the last-named three extending only to Lock, beyond which their contimrations are known as Water, Taylor and Oberly streets. Within recent years the town plot has been extended east and west, within and beyond the borough limits. The population in 1860 was 711; in 1870, 944; in 1880, 1,245; in 1884, 6,200.

The rapid expansion noticeable in the last few years has resulted from the development of the natural gas of the immediate vicinity. Although known to exist as early as 1845, no attempt to utilize it as fuel was made until 1857, when Messrs. Irwin & Peterson applied it at their saltworks. In 1876 Janies E. Karns employed gas from old salt-wells in reducing ores, and in 1877 located the well of Graff, Bennett & Co., in West Tarentum. The advantage of a location at the source of supply has influenced a number of manufacturers to establish themselves here, the most important being the Pittsburgh Plate Glass company, Challinor, Taylor & Co., limited, Richards & Hartley Glass company and C. L. Flaccus. . . . The first plate glass made in the United States was in 1848, at Lenox, Mass., but the enterprise was not a successSome years since, about 1870-71, works were built at New Albany, Ind., by Messrs. Ford & De Pauw. In 1875 Mr. Ford withdrew and established works at Louisville. Attracted by the natural facilities of this section, he removed to Creighton in 1882-83. The works here comprise sixteen acres, and employ a thousand operatives, many of whom are Belgians. The works at Tarentum comprise twelve acres under roof, and were placed in operation in 1886. . . .Tarentum Glass-works, C. L. Flaccus, proprietor, H. C. Barr, superintendent, were the first of the big manufacturing establishments that located at Tarenturn. They were established in 1879, beginning with one seven pot furnace, but the increased demand for their line of goods has necessitated an enlargement of the works, and they have now increased to two twelve-pot furnaces, giving employment to three hundred men and boys. These works make a specialty of manufacturing flint-glass bottles, jars and perfumers’ stoppers, and make their own pots, boxes and molds in their factory. . . . The works of the Richards & Hartley Glass company, comprising a fourteen-pot furnace, were established at Pride and Locust streets, Pittsburgh, in 1861, and removed to Tarentum in 1881. One hundred and sixty-five operatives are employed, the product consisting of pressed goods. . . . The works of Challinor, Taylor & Co., limited, were established in 1884. There are two furnaces, sixteen and eighteen pots respectively, and three hundred and fifty men are employed. Pressed ware is manufactured. . . . The jaaper-mills of Godfrey & Clark employ one hundred operatives. These works were formerly situated in Forward township, on the Monongahela river. Frederick Stevener is the proprietor of the Tarentum foundry, and Kennedy & Sons of the planingmills.

The Allegheny Valley Times was established by J. L. Bosh and P. F. Voight, the first number appearing April 1, 1881. S. G. Barnes became proprietor in 1883, William Kennedy in 1884 and W. E. Kennedy in 1887. The Sun was established in 1884, by E. L. Thompson, publisher, and James H. Jack, editor.

Methodism was planted in this section at an early period. A class of six members met at the house of Thomas Horton in 1810, with Henry Summerville as leader. The society numbered twenty members in 1834. The place of worship was often changed for many years; the first church-edifice, begun in 1842, was dedicated October 27, 1844. The cornerstone of the present church-edifice was laid June 5, 1885, and the dedication occurred May 22, 1887. The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1832, with sixty members. Pastors: Revs. Samuel Caldwell, James M. Smith, William G. Taylor, Samuel Ramsey, Marcus Wishart, George Scott, A. F. Walker. The present church-edifice was built in 1881. The United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1835. Pastors: J. G. Fulton, 1838-39; J. Gilmore, 1842-56; J. H. Timmons, 1860-84; D. R. McDonald, 1885-. The Reformed Presbyterian church was built in 1885; pastor. Rev. J. I. Means.

The Lutheran Church was organized August 1, 1886, with sixteen members. Rev. Scheffer conducted the first services March 21, 1886. The Roman Catholic pastor is Rev. A. H. Farini. This is also a recent organization.

The Tarentum Banking company, organized several years since, greatly facilitates local business transactions. It is a well-established financial institution.