New book documents history of Civil War in Shenango Valley

SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) — Sharon Historical Society’s president has debuted a book on the Shenango Valley during the Civil War.

On Monday, Taylor Galaska sat at a long table in the historical society’s dining room, flipping through his new book, “The Civil War era in the Shenango Valley.”

When the war started in 1861, Sharon was smaller than both Mercer and Greenville, but it was during the war that Sharon grew.

“A lot of the growth in the population and industry really happened within 10 years, from 1860 to 1870 — over 400% population growth in 10 years,” Galaska said.

A few years ago, someone mentioned to Galaska that he should write a book on the Shenango Valley during World War II. As president of the historical society, he saw it as a good idea but thought he should do America’s other great wars, so he settled on the Shenango Valley during the Civil War.

The 240-page book contains close to 100 pictures, including some of the Sharon men who fought in the Civil War — pictures of them as proud veterans. In the years after, Civil War veterans were considered royalty.

“Labor Day, Memorial Day, July 4th — the Civil War veterans were honored exclusively and extensively,” Galaska said.

Galaska discovered that not everyone in the Shenango Valley was pro-Union.

“The agriculture here, which was the major industry before heavy industry, led them to believe that the Confederate side made good points, that slavery was a good thing,” Galaska said.

There are three Civil War monuments in Mercer County, including one in Sharon’s Oakwood Cemetery, located near the graves of Civil War veterans. There’s also one in West Middlesex and one on the grounds of the Mercer County Courthouse.

“That was dedicated in 1894. So, that was for all of the counties’ soldiers and sailors. It’s huge. It’s gorgeous,” Galaska said.

Galaska used old issues of the Sharon Herald, of which the historical society had binders full, for his research.

Before he started, he didn’t think early history was his thing.

“I ended up learning so much, and I think a lot of people will find that there’s so much history in here to learn,” Galaska said.

The only two places to buy “The Civil War in the Shenango Valley” are through the Sharon Historical Society and at Daffin’s Candies in Sharon.