The Edna M. Sheary Charitable Trust Project

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Lewisburg, Union County, Pennsylvania: Settlement Through the Civil War

Situated in a fertile valley on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River, surrounded by the high mountains of the Appalachian range, Lewisburg was established on land planted by Ludwig Derr in 1772. Vast forests and rich farmland supported the early German, English, Dutch, and Scotch-Irish settlers who came to the Buffalo Valley. Derr planned the layout of Lewisburg in 1785, and the town soon grew into a thriving center of business, manufacturing, and trade. The community was incorporated as a borough in 1823, and became the seat of Union County in 1855.

The following three interconnected elements comprise a broad historical overview of Lewisburg and the Buffalo Valley:

Published histories sweep across the spectrum of the frontier, advances in river navigation, and national strife.

Civil War resources offer an over-arching perspective on the official and private lives of those governing the state as North clashed with South.

Genealogical data document the lives of the people who shaped this flourishing valley along the Susquehanna.

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