The Kidnaping of Billy Whitla by Hamilton Pearce (1909), revised and expanded edition by the Sharon Historical Society (2023)

“Dead boys are not desirable.”

Those chilling words in a handwritten ransom note sent terror through a prominent family and triggered a nationwide manhunt to find their precious 8-year-old Billy and those who whisked him away from his schoolhouse in Sharon, Pennsylvania, on a spring morning in 1909.“

The Kidnaping of Billy Whitla” — written mere weeks after the story filled newspaper front pages across the country — chronicles the frantic search, attempts to deliver the $10,000 ransom, Billy’s safe return, and the prosecution of the kidnapers.

It includes bonus chapters on two other turn-of-the-century kidnapings, including a first-hand account by Pat Crowe, the reformed outlaw and kidnaper.

This new edition of the book features a 20-page epilogue full of text and photographs chronicling the aftermath and what the fates held for the lives of Billy and his family — and for the perpetrators. The epilogue even includes the piano sheet music for the 1909 song, "Billy-Boy, the Kidnapped Child." Color and black-and-white historical and modern images are throughout the book.

Built by Steel: Frank and Julia Buhl’s Mansion and Legacy by Laura Ackley and Taylor Galaska

“Built by Steel: Frank and Julia Buhl’s Mansion and Legacy” is a comprehensive history of the Buhl family and their grand mansion on Sharon’s East Hill paired with historic and current photography. Built in 1891 as a wedding gift fromindustrialist and philanthropist Frank H. Buhl to his wife Julia, the Buhl mansion islisted on the National Register of Historic Places. One hundred years after the Buhls moved into their home, another entrepreneurial couple rescued the mansion from neglect and abuse. James E. Winner Jr. and his wife Donna (Carey) took on a labor of love when they purchased the estate and began the decades-long mission of being the Buhl mansion caretakers, bringing the home back to its original grandeur. It now is Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa and has served as a boutique hotel, spa and event venue for 25 years and counting.

The story of the Buhls, their mansion, and their everlasting legacy both in the Shenango Valley, America and abroad cannot start without the phrase “Once upon a time...”. Frank H. and Julia F. Buhl were beloved citizens of Sharon and are often credited with much of the growth of industrial, recreational, and cultural institutions here, and rightfully so. Without the Buhls’ generosity, the Shenango Valley would be drastically different, as would other cities in the West, and in Europe. In this book, the reader will discover the inspiring lives of the Buhls as well as the remarkable history of the Frank H. Buhl mansion. We have compiled years of research into a comprehensive text showcasing the most important and critical details to understand Frank H. and Julia F. Buhl. You will also get a glimpse into the lives of Buhl Mansion’s current owner, Donna C. Winner, and her late husband James E. Winner Jr. who paralleled many of the Buhls’ attributes not only in their entrepreneurial spirit but in their philanthropy. We welcome you to sit back and enjoy the fairytale...