Surrounded by Family
I grew up surrounded by family. Sharon was settled in the valley formed by the Shenango River. The downtown was divided by the river, and the main street crossed it in the middle of town. The west hill led to Ohio. The east hill led to Hickory Township—now Hermitage, Pa.—and acres of flat land that was filled with small farms. One was the Baker farm, which stood right along the city limits on top of the east hill. Its western border was a creek that separated Sharon from Hickory. In the 1920s, Mr. Baker decided to sell his farm and broke it into a series of home lots on new streets. My Grandmother and her brothers and sisters all bought lots on first street in the new development, which ran parallel to the creek. Her brothers Harry and McClelland, bought lots and built houses at the bottom of the street. Her sisters bought lots nearer the top of the street. In some cases, their in-laws also decided to settle on the street. Gra