Our History
The Creation of the Club: In 1950, seven men set out to found a club. A place where outdoorsmen could gather together to discuss the hunting and fishing they enjoyed. A place “to acquire and hold real and personal property for the purpose of providing a place where members and their guests may engage in shooting contests, obtaining and giving instructions on the use of hunting weapons and fishing equipment, take part in the sport of hunting and fishing, practice conservation of our natural resources, especially of game, fish, forest, and streams.” With the help of Ceisler and Rogers, Attorneys At Law (23 E Beau St, Washington, PA), these seven men would create Mingo Rod & Gun Club.
On December 5, 1950, Charles W. Powell, Archie Caseber, James L. Van Voorhis, Richard Condie, Michael Welsh, Robert Van Voorhis, and Jonas Pelkey submitted their application with the Washington County Court to create a nonprofit corporation named Mingo Rod & Gun Club. Angeline Sorice, Notary Public, took their sworn statements.
That application listed club assets of $60.00 in personal property and $0.00 in real property. In the Charter filed with the application, annual member dues were listed at $1.50 per year. The initial list of officers and directors from the application is below:
All seven men listed an address of R.D. 2 Finleyville, County of Washington, Pennsylvania.
On February 13, 1951, the application for charter was filed with Robert Crawford, the Prothonotary of Washington County, Pennsylvania.
On February 26, 1951, at 10:00AM, the Washington County Court of Common Pleas approved the petition to create the nonprofit corporation Mingo Rod & Gun Club. The club had officially been born, at least on paper….
On April 7, 1951, Robert Crawford, the Prothonotary of Washington County, Pennsylvania, provided a certified copy of the approved petition to create the club. This copy remains a part of the club’s record archives to this day.
The Founding of the Club
On January 18, 1953, the Club made the first of three land purchases. John Cheplic sold the club 4.039 acres of land for a total consideration of $1200.00. Mingo Rod & Gun Club had finally passed out of the paper world, and into the real one.
On November 14, 1953, Club President Jonas Pelkey and Club Secretary Archie Caseber appeared before Robert P. Van Voorhis, Notary Public (and club founder), to sign a Promissory Note for $25.00 on behalf of the club. This note would be to the lender (and club founder), Jonas Pelkey, and would be due November 14, 1956, with the “money to be used for purchase of club land and erection of building.”
On July 30, 1964, the Club made the second of three land purchases. Michael Zatorsky and Emma Zatorsky sold the club 4.27 acres of land for a total consideration of $2000.00.
On April 28, 1965, the Club made the third and final of three land purchases. John Cheplic and Elizabeth Cheplic sold the club 4.05 acres of land for a total consideration of $1200.00.
On May 19, 1965, the Club agreed to the gas line easement that exists on the property today. In exchange for the lost land and for agreeing to not build or plant anything within 25’ of the gas line, the club received a total consideration of $999.00.
On August 10, 1965, the Club, and all our neighbors at the time, agreed to deed some of our land to Union Township for the creation of a public street. Thanks to the Club, Mingo Circle Drive was born.
The Club had now reached its current size of approximately 12.4 acres.