The Welsh Pioneer Settlers of Carbondale, PA, and Two Welsh "Firsts" for the Pioneer City

Description

To secure the expertise needed to establish anthracite shaft mines in the anthracite coal fields of northeastern Pennsylvania, the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company recruited, in 1830, 20 Welsh mining families from Wales and brought them to America. In 1832, a second large party of Welsh miners and their families were brought to Carbondale from Wales. Associated with these pioneer Welsh settlers and their descendants in Carbondale are two very interesting and important "firsts" in the history of the Welsh in America: (1) on Christmas Day, 1850, in Carbondale, the first eisteddfod in America took place, and (2) in the fall of 1853, in Carbondale, members of the Welsh community organized the first lodge in America of "The Philanthropic Order of True Ivorites. These Ivoriads held their first celebration in America in Carbondale in August 1855 with a procession and other public exercises.