Hookstown is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 147 at the 2010 census. Hookstown is located in western Beaver County with longitude/latitude coordinates of 40°35’56?N 80°28’27 W 40.598869, -80.474150. Pennsylvania Route 168 runs through the community, leading northeast 3 miles to the Ohio River borough of Shippingport and south 1.5 miles to U.S. Route 30, the Lincoln Highway. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.14 square miles, all of it land.
Wikipedia Hookstown Borough History
Hookstown is named after Matthias Hook, early pioneer and Revolutionary War soldier, and his family. The only known surviving relatives are the McCormick family, who still reside in Hookstown and surrounding areas in western Pennsylvania. Through his daughter Catherine Hook who married George Griffey there are many who can trace their roots back to Mathias living throughout the country. There has been a Griffey reunion held annually for more than a hundred years every June in West Springfield, PA. Hookstown was also the birthplace of Robert Justice.
Hookstown Borough History
Hookstown Borough was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature April 18, 1843. The town was named for Matthias Hook, who was an early settler from 1797. He had called the area Hook’s settlement. Land from Hanover and Second Moon townships was taken to form Greene Township in 1812. A small settlement grew near Hook’s settlement in Greene Township, and this eventually became Hookstown. Prior to this, the town also had been called Newton, Niveveh and Moscow.
Fun facts about Hookstown:
In 1818, a post office was started, and Joseph McFerran was the postmaster.
In the early days, the tiny town had a grist mill, saw mill, two tanneries, two smith shops, two tailors, two hatter and a wagon maker.
In 1845, Hookstown fever, possibly typhoid, affected the town. It lasted several months and affected 86 of the 350 residents. Eight died including two doctors.
The United Presbyterian Church was established in 1846 and Hookstown Presbyterian Church opened in 1854.
Dr. Milton Lawrence, who arrived in Hookstown during 1826, had served as Beaver County Prothonotary and associate judge.
Rev. Marcus Ormond, pastor of the Hookstown United Presbyterian Church, raised a company of men from the borough and surrounding communities in August 1862 for Union Army service. They were know as Company H of the 140th Pennsylvania Infantry.
In 1886, the Mill Creek Valley Agricultural Associates was formed to hold annual fairs at Hookstown to be attended by citizens of the county.
In 1975 Little Blue Run Lake, the U.S.’s largest coal slurry waste impound, was built directly west of the town and has caused environmental damage to the surrounding communities.