After the township of Ohio, Pine was sixteen miles in length and disproportionately narrow. It comprised Jones’ and Douglass’ districts, extending from the Ohio and Allegheny rivers to the Butler county line. Under date of November 15, 1808, about thirty of the residents in this territory petitioned the court to divide it for township purposes, "by a line from the eighth mile tree on the Franklin road, running due east and west." John McKnight, Benjamin Powers and George Brickle were appointed viewers. June 26, 1809, their report was filed, recommending a division by a line "beginning on the west side of said township between the lands of John Mason, Esq., and William Willough by, running east between the lands of Baltzer Good and James and Robert Tackaberry, and running through John Hastings’ and through James Keeps’ land and through Robert Wallace’s land, and between Andrew Gruber’s and Robert Campbell’s land, and between John Carson’s and Alexander Morrow’s land to the east side of said township, six miles in length."

This line was confirmed at the November term, 1809, and the name Ross was conferred upon the new division, in honor of James Ross, an eminent lawyer of Pittsburgh. He was admitted to the bar at the first session of the courts or Allegheny county, and for half a century was its acknowledged head. He was twice elected to the United States senate, was a member of the constitutional convention of 1790, and was three times candidate for governor of Pennsylvania.

The original area of Ross has been greatly curtailed by the erection of Reserve, Allegheny City and Bellevue. In 1860 the population was 1,798; in 1870, 1,623; in 1880, 1,976.

The Perrysville plank-road passes through some of the most beautiful scenery of the county. The Evergreen railway, a narrow-gauge road, extends from Bennett to Brookfield, a distance of four miles.

Perrysville is one of the oldest post-villages in that part of Allegheny county north of the Ohio river. The first postmaster was Conrad Reel, but the date of his appointment is unknown.

Casper Reel, mentioned in the list of early residents given in the preceding chapter, was the first permanent settler in the township, and built a cabin at the present location of Perrysville in 1794. He removed his family thither in the spring of the following year. He took a prominent part in the early affairs of the county. His sons were Casper, William, Conrad and David. Barnabas Hilands came from the lower side of the Allegheny in 1795, but died the same year. Robert Hilands had sons William, John, Alexander, James, Joseph, Robert and David. Kellar was a settler on the run that bears his name. Richard Morrow secured Kellar’s claim in 1796. Thomas Morrow had sons George, James, John, Samuel and Jefferson. John Morrow had sons Richard, Hilands and Robert.

Baltzer Good opened a tavern near Perrysville in 1797. His sons were Baltzer, Henry, Anthony, Nicholas and John. His grandson, William Keown, still keeps a hotel at the old stand. Other early settlers and families were John Mason, the first justice of the peace; William Cooper, Jacob Huggins and sons Asa, William, Jacob, Richard and John; James Keep and sons Richard and James; Cable and sons John, Henry and William; Jacob Whitesell and sons Jacob and George; Archibald Hazlet and sons Robert, John, Archibald and James; John McCrum and sons John and Samuel; Samuel Scott and son Samuel; John McKnight, Joseph McKnight and son John; Jacob Sangree and sons John, James and Peter; Robert Anderson and sons James, Robert, John, William, Joseph, David, Charles and Irving.

The town of Perrysville comprised three houses in 1815, and received its first merchant, at a somewhat later date, in the person of Alexander McElwaine. There is a driving-park near by, and among other attractions of the village are two churches, German Lutheran and Roman Catholic. The latter, known as St. Theresa’s, was dedicated October 6, 1866, the cornerstone having been laid July 4th preceding. Rev. S. T. Mollinger was pastor at that time.

Evergreen is a village on the railway leading from Bennett, in the eastern part of the township. Timothy Davis settled here in 1801. The town was ounded in 1853, by William Shinn, a Pittsburgh lawyer. Matthew Cridge subsequently became proprietor. The locality is noted for its picturesque scenery. The only religious feature is a Methodist church. The postoflice is known as Ross. West View is a small village on the Perrysville road, near the city line. It has existed as a postoffice since July 9, 1866.

Hilands Presbyterian Church was organized in 1803, by Rev. N. R. Snowden. Rev. Robert Patterson was also an early supply; his successor. Rev. Joseph Reed, took charge in 1836, as the first regular pastor.