USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > Washington > Century history of the city of Washington and Washington County, Pennsylvania and representative citizens, 20th, Vol. I > Part 4
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Me Nary, W. 1
1139
Moore, Frederik W
Mr. Donald Edward
MeNelly, Harry
$16
Moore, Harry F
McDonald, Hon. lohnt
722
Me Nulty. Edward T
1140
Moore, Dr. James M.
WeDonnell, David
964
MeNutt, Geo. D.
1235
Moorhead, Mel S
Mc Dowell, James W. 672
Me Nutt, Joseph K.
858
Morgan, John C.
McDowell, John \
645
M. Peake, George (
1364
Morgan, Lewis W
Mc Dowell, John W
672
McPeak, S. N
1330
Mc Dowell, Joseph R.
672
MePenk, William
1067
Morris, Benjamin F
Me Dowell. Virgil M.
1050
MePherson, JJ. R.
1243
Morris, Joseph P.
We Flree, William HI
¥54
Me Williams, James M
636
Morron, George S.
X'eEnrue, William 11.
6.52
Mc Williams, Samuel
728
Morrow, Abraham
MeFarland, Joseph F
942
Mc Wreath. Ewing S
713
Morrow, Cyrus
Me Farland. Samuel
1054
Mackey, John L. .
99%
Morrow. David
11: >
MeFarland, Sammel G
1072
Madgwick, William
1079
Morrow, Matthew
MoGough, John L.
1107
Manifold, John B. . .
1130
Mounts, James A.
. IeGregor, E. G
1363
1227
Manson, Robert A
583
Mnehlbauer, George
1 1
Meilvain, Robert ('.
1:31
Markey, John d
769
Munee, William James
1
Me Ilvaine, Albert 1.
881
Marple, Leslie G.
5-10
Munce, William a
MeHvahle, Hon. John A
572
Marquis, Charles
671
Mounell, J
Melvaine, John M.
986
Marquis, Eli
1278
Unnnel, Samuel
Mellvaine, W. A. H
1210
Marquis, JJ. G.
786
Murdoch. Alex., Ir 929
Melivaine. Winfield
641
Marquis, Rov. John 1
1274
. Murdoch, John H. 541
Mellvaine, W. R.
616
Marquis, Prof. John X
1275
Murdoch, William R. 575
M. Kay, Dr. Edwin
1083
Marquis, William E.
1277
Murphy, Edward J. J016
Me Kay, Willian .\
666
Marriner, Rufus S.
822
Murphy, Dr. George H.
McKeag, Hugh R ..
954
Marsh, Hon. Addison
556
Murphy, John P. 1:14
M. Kcan, William R.
1075
Marsh, Col. L. M.
586
Murphy JJohn {
McKee, Rev. Clemput L 1110
Marshman, John
$16
Murray, Dr. F. B.
Mckee. Dr. George L. 1353
1250
Myer-, David W
McKennan Family, The.
793
Martin, James
1149
Myers. John
13
M. Kennan, Dr. Thomas
830
Martin, J. Willis.
1163
Myers, Thomas H.
MeKonnan, William B
794
Martin, John White
782
Myford. George
MeKeown, Jol 1 1020
Martin, Sylvester
1219
MeKeown. Scott .1.
1020
Martin, William II
1163
Naser. Frederick ( 791
Mckeown, W. W. 12,1
Needham, William M.
Mc Kinley, Alexander
1125
Matchett, Joseph .\
939
Neill, John ( 913
JeKinky. Frank R
1219
Mathers. Richard .I
Nelson. William J 061
MeKinley, Thomas (
963
Mathias. J. W.
1009
Newcomb, Neri 10132
M- Kinney. Robert
993
Maxwell, Dr. John R
694
Niebols. Andrew
MeLain, John W ..
Mehaffey. William .1
557
Nicodem. . , William S.
MeLain, Hon. Joseph R'
Noble. . hn G
10
MeLaughlin, H. J.
1356
Mes ner, Davil F. 1147
Noble aurice [
110.
MeLaughlin, Thomas E
1065
Mesta, Henry
1000
Vollle. M.s. Saral
MeLeod, E. S.
1347
Noble, W. S.
Mcleod, George
1101
Nulder, Johr
1
McMahon, W. E
1096
Miller, D. C.
1367
Northrup. Blancher D. 1
Mc Manns, Bartley
Miller, E. L.
1369
Noss, Rev. Theo. B.
Mc Millan, Thomas R.
Miller, Frank W 945
McMurray Bros., The
1233
M'ller, Dr. Geo. H 119
Oliver. G. B. .
MeMurray . Charles R.
1233
Miller, Isaac N.
794 Oliver, W. S.
McMurray, Harvey B.
.1233
Miller, Jolin ( . I.
1258 Orr, Robert E. 426
MeMurray, Hervey
. 1233
Miller. JJohn E.
$56
MeMurray, James H
1233
Miller, John M.
1083
Ie Murray, James M
920
Miller, Richard G
805
Painter, Joseph B 200
Murray, Dr. J. B.
950
Miller, Robert H .. D O.
719
Painter. Joseph M. 117:
Murray, William .1 1233
Miller, Willian
1015
Parkinson, R. W., Jr
all, J. mes 1
999
Vills. Harry 1050
Parry. Thomas
ary, Dar'd R .. 665 Milne, William L. 882 Pate, G S.
ary Family Genealogy 1295
Minton. S. D. 1333
Patsch, Isaac
. iry, Jol u
1233
Miller Thomas 1307
Parkinson, DeWitt (' 71:
"Murray, John A.
922 60%
Meloy, R. H. $11
1029
Metzger, Charles .J Meyer, Frank H.
763
1323 960
Osburn, JJ. J ... 725
960 Mitebell, William r 1295 Patterson, D. Wallace
1
Manon, JJ. W., D. D. N 665
Mountser, R. C.
McGregor, William
Martin, . 1.
Mason, R. W.
Morgan, Luther M.
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
son, John L. 584 Rankin, Jonathan
782 Scott, Dr. Jesse 542
son, Rev. Thos. 666
Rasel, David W
540 Scott, John, Jr. 1271
son, .Tosiah M.
1125
Ray, John A. 1029 Scott. John E. 1250
William
1150
Rea, Charles M.
678 Scott, John T.
956
William W. 830
Reed. Campbell L. 1311
Scott, Joseph A.
597
2, Dr. C. P. 642
Reed, David S.
S67
Scott, Hugh 1286
1, James M.
1226
Reed, Haines H.
588
Scott,
M. W.
542
1, John
843
Reed, Joseph
1196
Scott, Oliver S.
1361
1.1, Johu R.
843
Reed, J. Winfield.
806
Scott, Thomas
1202
1, Mathew
843
Reed, William F.
744
Scott, Thomas (Donegal Twp.) .. 548
Scott, William 1339
ou, Wilson N
843
Repman, Dr. Harry J. 1331
Scott. W. F.
705
Nicholas
1080
Reynolds, D. L ..
1289
Scott, Dr. W. L.
1254
C. E.
726
1285
Richards, Thomas C.
1040
Scaman, Joseph H.
1006
Per 1, Clyde H.
596
Richards, William H. 663
Seng, Emil
1254
Pfleghardt, W. B.
1306
Richardson, J. E ..
1062
Sessi, Angelo
1380
Phennicie, William
1328
Richardson, R. Kirk.
1340
Shape, Samuel
758
Philips, John F.
1083
Richardson, Stephen C
1034
Shannon, Dr. J. H.
906
Phillips, Charles E
656
Richardson, Winfield F
1096
Shaw, Thomas
1231
illips, C. W.
1354
Riethmiller, J. P 1147
Shearer, Emanuel
744
ill'ps, E. N
1134
Rietsch, Louis
GS1
Shepler, Wilbur S
1118
Dips, John M.
684
Riggle, Henry M.
1072
Shepler, William E. .
1136
Tips, J. W.
1272
Riggs, James A.
1003
Sherrard, J. B ..
793
Pickett, John 1319
Risbeck, William B
849
Shillito, W. G
630
Pickett, John H.
990
Riva, Frank 1010
Shipe, Abel W
$41
Pickett, Thomas F.
1319
Robb. James H. 1362
Shonts, John
1176
Pickett, William
786
Robb. J. W .. 916
Shirontz, C. A.
913
Piersol, Jacob W
1148
Robinson, Robert H.
650
Shrontz, John F.
913
Piper, Lewis D.
1047
Roney, W. G.
1175
Sibert, James
1359
Planos, Henry H. 1332
Ross, Thomas
1202
Sidle, Samuel S. .
1308
ts. Robert B.
1146
Ross, William E
630
Simington, Walter
1328
, mire, Andrew G. 1125
Rossell, H. B. $31
Simmons, John 1013
564
'olan. Samuel A. 743
Roth, Andrew J
12S2
Simpson, John H.
1028
Pollock, James W
1113
Roth, Fred J. .
1282
Simpson, William 1014
955
Pollock, William T.
762
Rowe, Allison A. 1359
Slater, John 743
959
Tost, Clark C ..
767
Ruple, Charles M.
895 Sloan, Dr. David E.
991
Post, Hamilton R ..
1013
Potter, Curtis R.
687
Rush, Remembrance H. 1200
Smith, Charles H.
1337
Patter, James
990
Russell. A. J.
734
Smith, Henry
1165
Potter, Mrs. Sarah J.
990
Russell, James C.
575
Smith, Dr. . T. K.
1186
( tter, William C.
714
Russell, J. A.
773
Smith, John A.
1304
retts, Torome W.
762
Russell. O. E.
1175
Smith, Joseph B.
749
Do.1s. Thomas M.
933
Russell, R. A .. 776
Smith. Mary M.
615
relso 1, Hon. George H.
1201
Russell. William F 1209
Smith, Samuel C.
928
xg, J. Oliver.
702
Russell. William M. 965
Smith, Wilnam .J
1:51
. Y'Ag. Morgan R.
703
Ryan, James 1270 Smith, W. McK
Pretulfit, A. J. 715
Smith, W. W
12 11
Pri vitt, James L.
945
Sampson, Adam C.
669
Snyder, John N
1364
Pri Hon. D. M. 1352
Sampson. William T 1091
Suyder, Lewis
887
Pir, John W. 603
Sawhill, John 786
Speer, Alexander
763
Files, Samuel H.
773
Schade. Charles G 873
Speer, James F.
56S
Quivey. Johu W. 5.95
faali, John M. 1075
Schlehr, George C .:
$,8,9
Speers. Solomon C. .
9'
'abe. James A.
1314
Schwartz, Daniel
1185
Sphar, Henry C.
1(
William T
824
Brott. Albert D. 580
Sprowls, George B.
, Thomas II.
1289
Scott. A. T ..
1369
Sprowls, Jeremiah
, TY. B.
731 Scott. Charles W.
1129 Sprowls, Dr. Jese A.
., William (.
732 Grott. Gorge D. 656
Sprowles, Dr. J. N
. Dr. John (
755 Scott. James K 1286 Sprowls. Seaman
nº
Pinar, J. W.
782
Rodgers, Mrs. Jane M.
816
Shrontz, John F., Jr
ymire, Mrs. Melissa E 1125
Roth, Andrew 1118
Simpson, Harry B.
Pollock, Oliver C.
636
Roth, Joseph S. 1118
Sipe. William H.
l'erter, D. D.
1141
Runion, Dr. Legrand.
921
Sleeth. John R.
Ruple, Gen. James B.
889
Smallwood, Bernard S 649
Provines, John 1287
Sackville, E. H .. 1286
Suyder, John
Schade, George C.
1163
Speers, Chas. P.
1006
Schafer, John B.
1234
Speers, Charles P .. . Jr 100
n, William H.
1270
Recse, Thomas M. 699
Richards, Isaac W. 1048
Sconvart, Frank J.
743
PENADD, William E.
ips, Wayne J
103S
Risbeck, George W
563
Shidler, Dr. W. . J
25
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
Sprowls, Dr. William W $56 Throekmorton, Dr. William S. 629
Weise, E. R. 1298
Starr, John T
710
Titus, John II .. 822
Wells, John J. I193
Sten, John A. 1098
Tomner, Lewis G 1340
Westlake, James F 707
Stephens, Charles E 601 Tope, Thomas .. 1028 White, John P .. 1232
Stephens, W. R.
1102
Troutman, Charles B 930
White, Samuel D 1247
Stephenson, James 702
Tucker, John 1363
White, Simon 558
Sterrett, L. E. 727
Tuttle, John T. 1250
White, William ( 1247
Stevenson, Orrin B. 1297
Whitehill, M. F .. 925
Steveuson, Robert
553
Ulery, Joseph G 1189
Stevenson, Robert F
699
Underwood, Joseph Il., Jr 800
Whitledge, William T 1352
Stevenson, Robert P. 1360
Underwood, Joseph, Sr 1053
Wies, George 1332
Stewart, Edward
703
WViles, Hon. John W 616
Stewart, Frank T.
1312
Valentour, August 1225
Wiley, Judson
1263
Stewart, J. Elliott
940
Vance, R. C ..
652
Wilkins, Fred T
1109
Stewart, Johu W
978
Vance, William S.
704
Wilkinson, Donald G
792
Stewart, Dr. Robert V
991
Van Eman, James
769
Wilkinson, George T.
1335
Stockdale, Johu Mi.
655
Van Eman, S. L ..
769
Will, Jacob
1299
Stocking, Hon. JJames S
661
Van Keuren, Henry.
715
Willets, El, nore 1
1033
Stork, Henry
1265
Van Kirk, Charles.
842
Williams, Harry 1.
701
Strain, Thomas R
933
Van Kirk, Charles C.
1121
Williams, Howell P
902
Studa, J. R.
Van Kirk, John C.
8.92
Williams, William W 1356
689
Sutherland, George 1344
1345
Van Ness, Aaron.
1320
Wilson, James B. Wilson, J. Frank $55
Sutherland, J. C.
1234 Van Orden, Louis.
897
Wilson, John
1003
Sutherland, W. J
Van Voorhis, John.
1220
Wilson, Robert
1140
Swart, D. H.
Veatch, Dr. Nicholas S 1076
Winer, Samuel Z.
1266
Swingle, George 11.
Veeser, Nicholas 1076
Wingett, Silas
1244
Taggart, Charles L.
928
Voye, Louis 1117
Wise, David H. Wishart, Dr. David.
1005
Taylor, D. S ..
579
Wagner, George
1061
Woods, W. F.
1219
Taylor, J. B.
676
Walker, George T. 563
1348
Wright, John S.
906
Taylor, Matthew
1092
Walker, John N. 681
732
Wulf Theodore
1005
Taylor, O. K., Jr.
1237
Wallace, James E.
768
Wylie, James
Wylie, Robert D. 1073
57S
Templeton, James 11.
985
Warne, Boyd E.
1216
Tener, Hon. John K.
1248
Warne, William P.
937
Yarnell, Dr. Chas. W 791
Theakston, H. A.
1282
Warrick, George M.
737
Yates, Harry M1
Thenrer, William G
965
Warrick, John W ..
733
Yohe, Charles N
1319
Thistle, Archibald
.757
Warrick, William J. $24
Yobe. Clyde 621
Thistle, Dr. Joseph L
537
Washabaugh, Jeremiah S
Yohe, James L. 59.
Thomassy, Fernand A.
.649
Watson, Alfred
634
Thompson, Dr. Albert E
1014
Watson, James
750
Young. John
640
Thompson, Boyd B.
1320
1364
1361
Webb, Asbury B.
1265
Zahniser, A. J.
Zahniser Family. The 598
Thompson, Samuel
964
Weir, Morris R
640
Zahniser, Montgomery . S06
Thompson, William M1. 709
Weirich, Israel
Zalıniser, M. R 939
Thompson, Dr. William R 975
Weirich, Jacob
794
Zahniser, V. O. 755
Thompson, William S. 1316 Weirich, William R. 972
Zellers. William H.
Thompson, William W' 725 Weirich, William W. 756 Zelt. Albert
926
1127
Van Keuren, Herbert G
715
Williams, David 1.
1335
Stroud, Basil E.
607
Van Kirk, James H
640
Williams, William F 957
Sumny, David H
1251
Van Kirk, John H.
892
Supler, James H.
Van Kirk, John W.
901
1045
Sutherland, Thomas H
1180
Van Voorhis, Chas. E
1114
Wilson, John R 11$5
Talbot, Benjamin M.
676
Wagner, Adam 1109
Woods, Rev. Henry
Workman, Maj. William 62S
Taylor, John R.
1156
Walker, J. C. .
Wright. William A 1058
Taylor, William H. H. 1086
Wallace, James M.
543
Templeton, David A
1169
Warne, A. Clark.
800
Wylie. William
Thomas, Charles F.
1102
Watkins, George A 1353
991
Thompson, George
134S
Webb, Samuel C.
941
Thompson, Noah
1153
Weir, Adam
$96
Zahniser, Michael 59-
Weaver, John H.
604
Thompson, Charles 1.
Weaver. Thomas C.
Thompson, John MI.
874 Vester, David C
Winters, W. J
Tague, Edward H ..
701
Taylor, Hon. James F
787
Vance, Willison K 1133
Wilkins, Capt. Henry
1109
Stewart, Dr. Robert S.
1313
Wiley, James 1
920
Stewart, Jacob MI.
Widdowson, Dr. W. f barles. 1273
Stewart, Alex. J.
817
Underwood, Thomas .I. 1324
Whitham, William F 567
Yohe, Josephi N 1355
Yo'e, Lewis N. 621
Temple, Henry W., D. D) 1097
Wallace, J. Harper
Wilson, Hugh
999
د.
T
4
DEAVEA
COUNTY
is
HANOVER
ALLE
VINIDVIA
ROBINSON
6 H
E
COMPILED BY CHANEY 8: ARMSTRONG.
ENGINEERS
1910
>
y
SMITH
R JEFFERSON
MOUNT
CECIL
U
CROSS
PLEASANT
KANEHM
FALEI
CREEK
......
PETERS
INDEPENDENCE?
CHARTIERS
HOUSTON
NORTH
UNION
HOPEWELL
STRABANE
NOTTINGHAM
BLAINE
CAMILA
MONONE
CARROLL
.FT ....
-...
NORTH
DONEGAL
FRANKKL IN
SOMERSET
1
BUFFALO
FALLOWFIELD
SOUTH
TWILIGHT
SPECRSV
FRANKLIN
AMWELL
WEST
WEST
>
BRANCH )
0
BETHLEHEM
PIKE RUN
EAST
DIVIS
EAST FINLEY
MORRIS
WEST
FINLEY
CENTERVILLE
PIKE RUN/
DEEMSTON!
EAST
BETHLEHEM
= MAP OF E. WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
ocassion
N
.....
F.
-------
CAMCHEBURG
isconoe.
CANTON
WASHINGTON
STRABANE
SOUTH
AN COUN
Cost
... ..
LONG
ALLEN
Gaste
N
history of Washington County
CHAPTER L
GENESIS OF THE COUNTY
Washington County Established 1781-Its Strea is-Location of County Seat -In the Forest- - Indians-Banditti- Wars and Complications-The First Academy.
Washington County, so called because it was the first county erected in the State of Pennsylvania after George Washington became illustrious, lies southwest of the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, its nearest boundary line being about ten miles from that city. A circle of 50 miles in diameter, drawn around the city of Pitts- burg, it is said, would include the richest part of the earth, and Washington County is by nature the most richly endowed portion of that circle. Whether or not this be an exaggeration. it will be difficult to disprove the statement.
A study of its history and resources, its hundreds of thousands of acres of fiuest pasture and agricultural lands, its millions of tons of bituminous and coking coal, its great lakes of golden, flowing, amber oil, its brilliant lighting and wonderful heating natural gas, its salubrious atmosphere filled with mysterious, powerful, dangerous electricity, all ready waiting to be used in its multitude of mills and factories, should be interesting. It is reasonable to believe that no other small portion of the United States has been such a cause of turmoil because of complications and overlapping of titles and sup- posed titles as the original territory of this county and the region of Pennsylvania adjoining it. No other county has had two courts and two sets of State officials man- aging its affairs at the same time, with their manifold conflict of jurisdiction, and probably no other county in the State has a judicial bench better qualified to settle disputes about lands and chattels, than has this county at this present writing.
The Secretary of Internal Affairs in Pennsylvania says (Report for 1595, Section A, pp. 208. 212) : "Today, within the territory so long a matter of
contention, land titles are so well settled that there is probably no section of the State, unless in the three original and a few others of the older counties, in which there is less land litigation than in the counties formed out of the disputed district."'
Washington County was erected from Westmoreland Connty by an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed the 25th day of March, 17s1, for the reason, as stated in the preamble of the act, that the inhabitants of that part of Westmoreland County which lies west of the Monongahela River had represented to the Assembly of the State the great inconvenience and hard- ships they were under from being so far remote from the seat of justice and the records of titles in Westmore- land County. Therefore, to accommodate the people with more convenient courts and public county offices, Wash- ington County was established to include all the land in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania.
It was bounded on the north by the Ohio River, on the east by the Monongahela River, and on the south and west by lines uncertain in location and description, sup- posed to divide Pennsylvania from Virginia.
By the same breath and ink that created Washington County. the present location of the county seat was designated as the place where the courts would be held, for the said act of March 28, 1781, directs the electors to meet at the house of David Hoge, at the place called Catfish's Camp," to holl their elections, "And courts shall sit and be held in said county at the house of David Hoge aforesaid"' "until a court house shall be built." The present borough of Washington is located
* Named after a famous Indian chief and called by some "('atfish Camp "'
27
28
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
on the ground then occupied by Catfish's Camp. David Hoge claimed, under paper, title from Joseph Hunter and his three children, Abraham, Joseph and Martha, but the Indian warrior, "Catfish,"' whose Indian name was Tiugoocqua (sometimes spelled Tingooqua), was, and probably had been residing on this land for many years prior to 1781. He had his camp not far from the present docation of Main street depot of the Balti- more & Ohio Railroad. Afterward he moved it to Shirl's Woods, now in the Eighth Ward, and uorthwest of the Chestnut street depot of the Pittsburg, Columbus, Cin- cinnati & St. Louis Railway, and from thence he went to Ohio, moved and removed no doubt by the offensive encroachments of the pale-faced race. Apparently neither Hoge nor the Hunters ever resided in Washington County.
Thus was established the county of Washington and its couuty seat, within a mile of the center of said county as it was originally, and almost in the center of the county as it now exists. As will be shown here- after the present boundaries of Washington County do not now reach the Ohio River on the north uor the Vir- ginia "ne on the south, the north part having been contributed to help erent Beaver and Allegheny Coun- ties, and the southern part to help erect Green County. Neither was David Hoge nor were the Hunters the first owners or occupants of this land, nor the courts estab- lished by the Act of 1781 the first courts that were provided for and held within the boundaries of Washing- ton County.
The Indiau ratious were here as owners, for they were nations, many nations, or tribes if you prefer, with tribal relations and government, and subject to tribal councils and decisions, just as certainly as a resident in Pennsylvania or Virginia is subject to the laws and decisions of his State. There was this difference, how- ever. Their titles to their lands were not recorded in writing, and the Pennsylvanian and Virginian being able to survey and procure written evidence and description of land, contested most bitterly for many years with the Indians and the French and the English, as well as among themselves, over the ownership and for the possession of the land www known and definitely desig- nated in written records as Washington County. But wampum belts transferred by the red man were not as good evidence of title as the written book of the pale- face.
What kind of a land is this and was this, that caused these bitter dispute. legal, legislative and with inclu- ments of war, bringing often swift death, hy stealth and open battle, and also imprisonment and oppression through the conflict of laws and jurisdiction? The same streams of water running here uow, ran then. The Big Raccoon Creek, running north, and emptying into
the Ohio, a few miles below Beaver River; the Chartiers Creek (named for a Frenchman), running northeast and emptying into the Ohio a few miles below the junction of the Allegheny with the Monongahela; Peters, Mingo, Pigeon, Maple, Pike Run, and Big Ten Mile Creeks, flowing east to help swell the Monongahela River; Wheeling Creek, Middle Wheeling Creek, Buffalo Creek, Cross Creek, Harmon's and King's Crecks, hurrying west out through the Panhandle of Virginia, to join the Ohio, all good-sized creeks, with their headwaters well in toward the center of the county, are fed by an innumer- able number of rippling streams, which all seem to point toward Washington as the very center and heart of that wonderful horseshoe formed by the Monongahela and the Ohio Rivers. (Examination of Vanhook's map of Washington County, published in 1903, will surprise those who have never studied this watershed.)
This county was then, in 1781, a dense forest, only broken by small patches, with dead trees, made so by the early pioneer or burnt for a clearing by the Indians. The site where Washington now stands, then known as Catfish Camp and Bassettowu, was a vast thicket of black hawthorn, wild plums, hazel bushes, shrub oaks and briars. Trees were here in abundance, for the stumps were standing in the one street of Washington seveu years after the county was erected and the plot of Bassettown laid out. Fully 100 years afterward the trunks of some of these trees, still in sound condition, were taken out of North Main street in front of Phoenix Row when excavation was being made to lay the first sewer pipes some 12 feet below the street surface.
Those who resided here were in a wild state of mind also because of Indians and banditti. The Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania, on October 11, 1781, assembled in Philadelphia, ordered the lieutenant of militia in Washington County to call forth, agreeable to law, upon his requisition, such militia as may be necessary for the post and protection of the county, and on November 24, after a free conference being held, it appeared to be the sentiment of the coun- cil and of the committee "that an additional company is necessary for the defence of Washington County, and to complete the four companies now established, and that it might be proper to make application to Congress for such assistance from the United States as would render an incursion into the Indian country prudent and practicable. The following mentioned depredations, and no doubt many similar cases, were known to the council at that time.
Col. Daniel Broadhead, of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment, had written to Washington on the 31st of July, 1779: "I have just learned that two soldiers have lately been killed at Fort Laurens, two boys at Wheeling Creek, and one man slightly wounded, and a soldier last
29
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
evening at Fort McIntosh (Beaver), and a soldier slightly wounded."
They had been informed by letter, March 15, 1780, that, "'Last Sunday morning, at a sugar camp upon Raccoon Creck, five men were killed and three lads and three girls taken prisoners."
A year beforo this date, says Bausman, in his history of Beaver County (1904), "Between 40 and 50 men, women and children had been killed and taken from this region in less than two months."
Raccoon Church in Smith Township was located close to Beilor's Fort, and tho first person buried in its ceme- tery, Mrs. Martha Bigger, died May 20th, 1780, in a fort located on Miller's Run, where the family had fled for safety. Shortly afterward, nearby, were buried Mr MeCaudless and two Shearer brothers, who had been scalpel by the Indians while gathering in their harvest. (History of Raccoon Church, by Miss Margaret S. Stur- geon (1899).
On December 11, 1781, Col. Lewis Farmer was directed by council to purchase for the company of raugers to be raised in Washington County, 50 coats, 50 waistcoats, 50 pairs of overalls, 50 hats, 100 shirts, 100 pairs of shoes and 50 blaukers. O1. December 19, Captain Joseph Stiles, commissary of military stores, was directed to deliver to Hon. Dorsey Penticost, Esq., five hundred- weight of gun powder, and one thousand-weight of lead, 1,000 flints,* to be forwarded to Col. James Marshall, lieutenant of the County of Washington, for the defence of the frontiers of said county.
December 29, John Canou, Esq. (for whom Canonsburg Borough was named), was given au order for supplying the militia and rangers of Washington County, which may be employed for the defence of the frontier, with one pound of bread, one pound of beef or three-quarters of a pound of pork, 1 gill of whiskey per day and 1 quart of salt and 2 quarts of vinegar for every 100 rations, also soap and candles. John Canon was to receive twelve pence per ration, and on February 15, 1753, his bill was approved for £98, 6s, a balance for rations, furnished to militia at 1 rangers in Washing- ton Couuty from February, 1782, to February, 1783.
On January 5, 1782, Henry Taylor was entrusted with the sum of £250 specie, to be by him delivered to Capt. John Hughes, Licutenant. Peterson and Ensign Morrison, for the purpose of recruiting the company of rangers for the County of Washington. Henry Taylor, Esq., was the first judge of Washington County, and great-grand- father of our present judge, J. F. Taylor.
April 2, 1782, an order on the state funds was drawn, to pay Adam Poe £12, 10s, "for taking an Indian scalp
in the County of Washington, agre ably to the order of the board."
July 4, 1752, Col. James Marshal, lieutenant, or mili- tary commander in Washington, wrote from Catfish to Gen William Irvine, commanding at Fort Pitt, as follows: "'Repeated application has been de to mo by the inhabitants on the south line of this county, namely from Jackson's Fort to Buffalo Creek anl I am at a loss to know what to do. The people declaro they must immediately abandon their habitations unless a few men are sent to them during harvest."
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