One hundred twenty-five years ago in 1898, taken directly from the pages of The Youngstown Vindicator:

“The records. Borough of Youngstown was organized June 15, 1850. A certified copy filed found in good condition in the first book indexed by Mr. Welchman.

“A. J. Welchman is progressing finely in his indexing of the city records. He has noticed many interesting reports in the records, which, if published, would make pleasant reading. In the book with the first record of council doings appears the reports of the business transacted in the borough previously to the organization of the city.

“The first book from which Mr. Welchman began to index is marked on the first page, ‘Records of the Borough of Youngstown. Organized June 15, 1850.’ A certified copy of survey and plat of the village of Youngstown follows.

“John Young for the consideration of the prospect of advancing his property laid out and established in the township of Youngstown on the north side of the Mahoning River, a town plat. A description follows in his petition. Federal Street to be 100 feet wide and 1752 feet long. Market, Phelps, Hazel, Champion, Walnut, North Street, now Wood Street, and South Street, now Boardman, are mentioned.

“On the copy appears the signature of Calvin Pease, witness. The plat was recorded August 19, 1802, with John S. Edwards, recorder for Trumbull County. Then follows the incorporation which was made December 1848, is as follows:

“‘Incorporation. At the session of the legislature commencing in December 1848, an act was passed incorporating so much of the town of Youngstown, as was included in the recorded town plat. In accordance with the prayer of a petition from a majority of the legal voters residing within the corporation, the commissioners of Mahoning County, at their regular session in June A. D. 1850, and upon due notice given, extended the limits of the town, so as to include there in, all the territory within the following boundaries, to wit:

“‘Beginning on the east line of the Kyle Farm, so called, and now owned by Wm. J. Edwards, in the township of Youngstown, sixty rods south of the Youngstown and Austintown road, thence east parallel to said road to the north bank of the Mahoning River; then down the north bank of said river to the west back of Crab Creek; thence northerly along the west bank of said Crab Creek to the north line of Wm. Rice’s land; then west along the south line of the Bryson farm, so called, following the several courses of said line to the south-east corner of lands owned by the heirs of Chas. Dutton, thence continuing west along the south line of said Dutton’s land to the Holmes Road, and thence west across the Thomas L. Wick farm, so called, to the east line of the Dabney farm, thence south along the said Dabney’s east line to the center of the said Mahoning River to the northeast corner of the said Kyle farm, and thence south along the east line of said Kyle’s farm to the place of beginning.'”

• Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Chelsea Hess, Mahoning Valley Historical Society archives assistant.