Former Justice of the Peace, Mayor Rudolph Antoncic, is shown above being sworn in for another six-year term of office by Pennsylvania's late Supreme Court Justice Michael A. Musmanno. The ceremony took place in the Judge's Chambers in the City-County Building, Pittsburgh. Mayor Antoncic was married to the late Mary Kish and is the father of two sons, Richard F. at home, and Rudolph, Jr., presently enrolled at Duquesne University. The Mayor has been a resident of Port Vue for more than 57 years and for 42 of those years has served the residents of his community together with the citizens of the United States with loyalty and integrity in such capacities as Church trustee, area historian, Scout Commissioner, Counsellor and Lecturer on Citizenship. He was also a former Director of the Board of Health, and a former constable and deputy. He was appointed to the Office of Justice of the Peace in Port Vue in 1941 by the late Governor Arthur H. James and since then has been re-elected for five consecutive six-year terms. Mayor Antoncic was a former County Committeeman, served as Chairman of the American Red Cross drive, was past President of the Port Vue Lions Club, past chairman of the "Be Thankful You Can See" Campaign, participated in the March of Dimes, Polio and Muscular Dystrophy Drives and was honored as the "Man of the Year" for compiling the history of the Borough from colonial times to the present. - - GENERAL HISTORY OF THE AREA BEFORE 1P.92 History, the crystallization of past events, authenticates a narration of facts gathered from reliable sources, written in the simplest language. Thanks to the records or statements of others who have come before us, the history of this area has beer, preserved for a11 times. Port Vue has evolved into a flourishing community where industry, education and progress are enjoyed by all. The forks of the flononqahela and Ycughio?heny Rivers were occupied for thousands of years by the Iroquois and Delaware Indian tribes, who were part of the Allegewi, from whom our County dervies its name Allegheny. The Iroquois' many tribes and tribal arou7s obeyed a social code which granted nomon the rioht to vote, own property and select a Chief along with the male members uf the tribe. The Iroquois, also known as the Five Nations, were composed of the Mohawk, Delaware, Oneida, Gayuga and Seneca tribes. They were also called the Six Nations when the Tuscarora tribe was added to the group. In our Port Vue and EcKeesport areas, the Iroquois overseer was Half- King Scarooyaddy, also known as I'oneccatootha or Skirooniatta. Accompanying Queen Alinuippa's son, Cashuwayon, and Georqe blashington, Scarooyaddy, in 1753, visited the French Forts on the upper Allegheny. Actively taking part in the Braddock campaign, he received public thanks by Governor Morris on Auaust 15, 1755, after finhtinfl in thirty- one combats. A Shawnee Village near West Newton was located, as other Port Vue American Leqion Post 447 presented the Payor with its tribes, west of Scott Haven and north of Gratztown. Their chief, greatest citation for meritorious service. This award was presented Catahecassa, also known as Blackoff, was at Braddock's Defeat, and for outstanding services to soldiers and veterans of Horld Mar I1 and fought in the Ohio wars until the Treaty of Greenville. In 1795, at the Korean War. He was also cited by the United States Secretary of well over the age of one hundred years, he died at Wapakanetta, Allen the Treasury for volunteer service durinq the Second World War and County, Ohio. the United States war bond program. Fr. Antoncic is being extended congratulations by inventor-engineer, John J. Kelmar and Common Pleas Generally speaking, Indians have lived in this area for over Court Judge Nicholas P. Papadakos for beinu selected by the American 10,000 years. Archaeologists have divided their stay into these six Bioaraphical Institute Bicentennial Committee as one of the Notable periods: Americans of the Bicentennial Era, as shown in the p cture below. Pa1 io Indians 8000 B.C. to 3000 B.C. lie received the official historical plaque for contributing to Archaic Indians 3n00 B.C. to 1000 B.C. a better America by building a better community through services during First Burial found Period 1000 B.C. to 300 B.C. this time in our nation's history. Second Burial Mound Period 300 B.C. to 1000 A.D. Late Prehistoric 1000 A.D. to 1600 A.D. lie was cited by I.!,!. Abel, President of the International Steel- Historic 1600 A.D. to Indefinite period workers of America, C.I.O., as an Honorary fember for loyal services rendered and was publicly cited by the late Justice fichael A. flusmanno In Elizabeth Township, which Port Vue was once a part, evidence of for patriotism, loyalty and for combating crime. Palio Indians survive within twenty village sites. Surprisingly, it appears that these villages were abandoned before the advent of the Fayor Antoncic is a qraduate of the Criminal and Civil Law School. white settlers. Hunting and fishing, along with some farming, seem to attended the University of Pittsburgh Class of Leqal Framework for State have occupied these Indians durina their ten-century stay in the valley and Local Governments and was known as "The Dean of the Area's Squires": They made pottery, bone needles, awls, chisels and beads; flint arrow- Director James Slusser and Alleflheny County Police Superintendent, Robert heads and spears; stone axes, tomahawks, Celts and sandstone and clay Kroner, presented Payor Antoncic i-fit!) a nlaoue for his interest in police pipes . training as co-sponsor and his efforts in makina the school a success. Rudolph Antoncic was elected Hayor of the Borough of Port Vue in 1974 and received congratulations and personal best wishes from Congressman Joseph Raydos, Senator Edward P. Zem~relli,Commissioners Leonard C. Staisey and Tom Forrester and State Legislator, John Walsh. The Caleb Edmundson farm, located in Port Vue and acquired about The "pre-El izabeth Township" inhabitants also left their mark on the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, contained prehistoric and the East side of Pigeon Creek. Here was the farm of Mr. Vincent Colvin indian remains and numerous tombs, one of which was in an almost who acquired the land when the present day Elizabeth Township was a perfect state of preservation. Iron hatchets, together with stone part of Orange County, Virginia, and our area was known as Yohogania. implements indicated two different tribes used the site. Smoking When Colvin settled here, the entire valley was densely covered with a pipes and various other relics were also found. primitive forest. A collection of rough stone was noticed on the most commanding promontory, which, with theelevated situation doubtlessly In the 1920is, on the farm of the late Alex Raisner, where West- gave origin to the name "York". As the forest disappeared before the wood Hi 11 s present1 y stands, arrows, cel ts, s tone implements and pioneers' ax, the site became known as "Fort Field" a name it held over weapons were found along with a large indian mound which measured about one hundred years. The early cultivation of the farm caused great eight feet across, six feet high and about twenty feet long. Adjoining accumulations of muscle shel 1, ashes, charcoal, burned stone in piles, this mound was another mound that measured about four feet across and fragments of pottery, flints, stone implements, ornaments and weapons about three feet hiqh and twenty-five feet long for children. to be unearthed. In 1856, the discovery of a human cranium was noticed. Subsequently, other similar discoveries were made and by 1859-60 it On the property of the late Mrs. Meri Becka at Hamilton Crossing, became apparent that the field was an extensive ancient cemetery. clay pipes and figurettes were uncovered. After the grave robbers despoiled the field of its most prized possessions, enough was left for a scientific investigation to assess the composition The late Ralph Whitehead uncovered at the river bottom, near the of 'the former Indian burial ground in seven excavations. Old Tin Mill, a village site, a number of graves and numerous relics. He also uncovered a second village site believed to date back to The First Excavation contained the remains of a child about eight 1000 to 1600 A.D. On the Reynold's farm on Port Vue's Pigeon Hollow years old in good preservation, along with a vase containing some animal Road, Mr. Whitehead uncovered yet another indian mound containing bones and dark particles of animal matter, which had been placed in the arrowheads, a chain with iron cuffs attached and other relics. sepulchre to nourish the departed on his journey to the final resting place. This funeral rite has been observed as a wide-spread custom Mr. Andrew Nemchick of Bettis Road, West Mifflin, found arrow- among many primitive peoples. heads, flint chips, smoking pipes and broken pottery at the junction of the Mononqahela and Youghiogheny Rivers fifty years ago. The Second Excavation also contained the remains of a young person. At the end of Myer Avenue, near the home of the late Squire The Third Excavation contained the remains of a child of six years Joseph Sucha and Michael Kish, several mounds have been found. of age. Ear ornaments of shell, minute copper beads and a copper tube, two inches long, filled with some fibrous substance were discovered. Thus, the remains of prehistoric tribes can still be seen in our Copper was the only metal worked by prehistoric races on this continent district.