USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 5
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In 1765-'66, settlements were made, at Redstone and Turkey-foot. Among the settlers at Redstone, were Wiseman, Prisser, Linn, Colvin, Vervalson, Tygart, Brown, Rodgers, Swartz, McClean, Martin, Hatton, Waller, Donter, Colburn, De Long, Young, Down, Gudgeon, Sute, Crawford, Peters, Hooter, Conn, Cook, M'Coy, Provence, and others. At Turkey-foot, Dewit, Spencer, Abrahams, Jennings, Cooper, Hick- man, Enslow, Pursley, and others, all adventurers ; who were notified by the Governor of Pennsylvania to remove, because of the complaints by the Indians in 1768. About the same time some emigrated from Berkley county, Virginia, settled in what is now Fayette county, then claimed by Virginia.
As additional particulars relative to these early settlements we insert at length, the following pencil notes procured at the land office and else-
(1) Hall's Sketches of the West, p. 189.
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where as data for this early period. Though sparse, they cannot but be interesting, as contrasting the slow progress of settlement in those early times, with the present rapidity.
EARLY SETTLEMENTS WEST OF THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS.
Capt. Christopher Gist, by order of the Governor of Virginia, in 1752. Richard and Thomas Gist were his neighbors ; having made improve- ments, they applied, April 3d, 1769, for the location of lands adjoining Capt. C. Gist's land.
William Jacob settled at the mouth of Redstone creek, in 1761; but was obliged to remove on account of the Indians in 1763; in 1769 he applied for a location.
1762-James Goudin raised a house at Eleven-mile run.
1762-William Shearer and Henry Shrihack made improvements by order of Col. Bouquet.
1760-A house had been erected at a place called Somerset, five or . six miles from Fort Pitt-the house was included in James Burd's ap- plication in 1769.
1762-Carper Toup, by permission from Col. Bouquet, improved land four miles from Pittsburg.
Prior to 1769, the following persons had made improvements : Alex- ander McKee, on the Ohio river, four miles below Fort Pitt, at the mouth of Chartier creek. He had also made improvements opposite Logstown.
1760-Five or six families commenced improvements on a tract of 1500 acres, for which Geo. Croghan applied for a location in 1769: "On the Ohio river, at the mouth of the Two-mile run, up the river to the narrows, including all his improvements, and whereon six families are now living, and have been improving since the year 1760."
Prior to 1769, Aeneas Mackey, by permission of Lieut. Col. John Reid, made improvements at Dirty Camp, on Turtle creek, on the road from Fort Ligonier to Fort Pitt.
John Frazier, John Ormsby, sen., John Ormsby, jr., and Oliver Orms-
NOTE .- Among the early settlers of Westmoreland, were Abraham Smith, Randall Mitchell, Samuel Sloan, Simon Eaker, David Marchant, Robert Da- vison, James Pollock, George Right, Arthur St. Clair, John Murray St. Clair, James Montgomery, John Ramsey.
In Allegheny-John Carrithers, Robert Smith, Walter Denny, John Grier, Joseph Hunter, William Ramsy, John Willson, James Hannah, James Dean, Richard Butler, Robert Newelling, Devereux Smith, John Wilkins, jr., Thos. Bond, jr., Wm. Preston, Robert Harrison, Matthew Grimes, John Frankson, John Crush.
In Fayette-Wm. Crawford, Hugh Crawford, Morgan Morgan, David Haw- kins, John Bishop, John Donne.
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by, had made improvements on Turtle creek prior to 1762, by permis- sion from the commanding officer at Fort Pitt.
William Thompson and Robert Thompson, had made improvements at Braddock's field, prior to 1763, by permission from Col. Bouquet.
1769, April 3d-" William Christy applied for a location for three hundred acres, on a place within two miles of Fort Pitt east, for which said Christy had the commanding officer of Fort Pitt's permission to improve thereon for the benefit of travellers. Said tract is commonly called Grant's Hill, on which there is a valuable house and large im- provements."
In a measure to illustrate the difficulties and toils of border life, we insert the following extract of a letter from Mr. Croghan to His Excel- lency, Gen. Gage :
"FORT PITT, 26th May, 1766.
" Major Murray and I have appointed a time when we shall speak to all the Nations* here, and endeavor to remove their dissatisfactions on account of the murders committed on their people, and all other causes of complaints, and flatter myself we shall be able to remove their pres- ent disgust, as I am convinced they have an ardent desire to live in peace with us, from the open and free manner they have made known their causes of complaints. But if some effectual measures are not ta- ken to remove those people settled on Redstone creek, till a boundary can be properly settled as proposed, and the Governors pursue vigorous measures to deter the frontier inhabitants from murdering Indians which pass to and from war against their natural enemies, the consequences may be dreadful, and we involved in all the calamities of another gener- al war."
Among the early settlers was Col. Crawford, the intimate friend of Washington. He settled in the valley of the Youghiogany, on the river, precisely at the place where Braddock's army had crossed. Whether Col. Crawford fixed upon this spot by accident or design, is not known; it is at least certain, that it was a very favorable location. From its then being on the only leading road to this remote region, he was enabled to see all travellers visiting the Indian country ; and being himself an in- telligent and hospitable man, his house was made the stopping place of the weary pioneer. He was the intimate friend and acquaintance of General Washington, who was frequently an inmate of his humble dwelling, during his frequent visits to this section of the country, for the
* On the 24th, Croghan had a meeting with the Six Nations. Prov. Rec., T., pages 114, 115.
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purpose of locating lands and attending to business for the government, with the Indians. In his journal of 1770, he says:
October 15th-" Went to view some land, which Captain Crawford had taken up for me near the Youghiogany, distant about twelve miles. This tract, which contains about one thousand six hundred acres, in- cludes some as fine land as ever I saw, and a great deal of rich meadow. It is well watered, and has a valuable mill-seat, except that the stream is rather too slight, and, it is said, not constant more than seven or eight months in the year ; but on account of the fall, and other conveniences, no place can exceed it. In going to this land, I passed through two other tracts, which Captain Crawford had taken up for my brothers, Samuel and John. I intented to have visited the land, which Crawford had procured for Lund Washington, this day also, but time falling short, I was obliged to postpone it. Night came on before I got back to Craw- ford's, where I found Colonel Stephen. The lands which I passed over to-day, were generally hilly, and the growth chiefly white-oak, but very good notwithstanding ; and what is extraordinary, and contrary to the property of all other lands I ever saw before, the hills are the richest land ; the soil upon the sides and summits of them being as black as a coal, and the growth walnut and cherry. The flats are not so rich, and a good deal more mixed with stone."
About the time Colonel Crawford settled, as above, Henry Beeson, from the same county in Virginia, laid out Uniontown, the shiretown of Fayette county.
This marks an era of a spirit of enterprise and emigration :
1767-Kentucky was visited by John Finley, and a few wandering white men from North Carolina.
1769-Daniel Boone, and some of the first adventurers that had ac- companied Finley, visited Kentucky ; they traversed it more generally.
1770-Colonel James Knox, and nine of a party, reached Ken- tucky ; and from their long absence from home, were called "THE LONG HUNTERS."
1773-Several surveyors were deputed to lay out bounty lands on of Ohio river ; they came down from Fort Pitt, to the rapids or falls of the Ohio ; thence explored the adjacent lands on the Kentucky side of the river.
About the same time Gen. Thompson, of Pa., also descended the Ohio, to the mouth of Cabin creek, thence made extensive surveys in the North Fork of Licking creek.
1774-Other surveyors were sent to Ohio on like business; landed at
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the rapids; exploring and surveying on both sides of the Kentucky river.
A considerable number of emigrants from Maryland, soon after 1767, settled on the Youghiogany, Monongahela and its several tributaries ; and in the year (1770-'71,) many of the Scotch Irish from Bedford and York counties, from the Kittanning valley, from Virginia, and some directly from Ireland, commenced settlements in Washington county ; these settlements soon extended from the Monongahela to the Ohio river. The settlements in Western Pennsylvania and Virginia, began now to attract notice. "The forts at Redstone, now Brownsville, and at Wheeling, were amongst the first and most conspicuous ; the route the settlers pursued, was the scarce practicable path called " Braddock's Trail," which they traveled, with no better means of conveyance for their furniture and provisions, than that afforded for pack horses."
" The great object of most of these persons, was to obtain possession of the lands ; the title to which, cost little more than the payment of office fees. The Indian title was not then considered, by individuals, as presenting any obstacle ; and Virginia (whose charter it was supposed then embraced this region of country,) confined the titles of settlers, with no other restrictions, than such as were necessary to prevent the confusion of interfering claims.
"At an early period, that state appointed three commissioners to give certificates of settlement rights, which were sent with the Surveyor's plot to the land office, where they remained six months, to await the interposition of caveats, by other claimants, to the same land. If none were offered within that period, the patents were issued.
" There was an inferior kind of title invented by those rude border- ers, called a "tomahawk-right," which was made by deadening a few trees near a spring, and marking others, by cutting in the bark by the person who thus took possession. This ceremony confered no legal property, but was respected by the settlers, as establishing a priority of claim, with which it was discreditable to interfere. 'These rights were, therefore, often bought and sold, because, those who wished to secure favorite tracts of land, chose to buy the tomahawk improvements, rather than quarrel with those who had made them." (1)
"The proprietory of Pennsylvania having, in the year 1768, purchased the country from the Indians, as far west as the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, opened an office for the sale of those lands. When the office was opened, he made proclamation, and restricted his surveyors to res- pect the lands of actual settlers, who had improved to the value of five
(1) Hall's sketches of the west, p. 193.
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pounds, and not to survey them on warrants (or locations) of a date pos- terior to the settlements, except to those by whom the settlements were made.
" Favored by this indulgence, which, however, was usual in both provinces, few of those who lived adjacent to the Monongahela, and had already occupied the lands, applied to the office for locations or war- rants. They were not certain to which province the soil belonged, and probably, had a secret wish that it should belong to Virginia ; because, in that case, it would cost them but about one-fourteenth part of the price for which lands was sold in Pennsylvania, and were easily believed, according to their wishes.
"In or about the year 1774, Governor Lord Dunmore opened several offices for the sale of lands within the bounds of what are now called the four western counties of Pennsylvania, (Fayette, Washington, Alle- gheny and Greene.) The warrants were granted, on paying two shil- lings and six pence fees. The purchase money was trifling, being only ten shillings per hundred acres, and even that was not demanded. This was an effectual inducement to apply to Dunmore's agents, in preference to the Pennsylvania land office ; the land being the property of the King, was at the disposal of the Governor, who also procured a court of Vir- ginia to be extended to the Ohio, and in a short time, two country courts were held south of the Monongahela, and one north of it at Red Stone, old fort, (Brownsville,) all of them within the territory since ascertained to belong to Pennsylvania. (1)
This course was afterwards changed-"the State of Virginia recog- nized by a municipal regulation of May 3d, 1779, actual settlers," who had made a crop of corn, or resided on lands for one year before Janu- ary 1st, 1778, as freeholders of that commonwealth, and entitled to farms, not exceeding 400 acres. (2)
While these settlements were being made, one was commenced on a missionary station formed by the Moravians, in 1769, at a place called LAWUNAKHANNEK, a considerable distance north of Fort Pitt. Here they met with many hardships, says Loskiel, " As to their maintenance, the inhabitants of Lawunkhannek met with great difficulties in the be- ginning. The harvest in their new plantations was not yet gathered ; their old stock of Indian corn was spoiled and half rotten, which how- ever they ate with thanks. When that was consumed, they could buy no more throughout the whole country. The brethren Zeisberger and
(1) Findlay's Hist. of the Insurrection. p. 19.
(2) Smith's Laws of Pennsylvania, Vol. II. p. 174.
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Senseman, therefore, with some Indian brethren, travelled to Pittsburg in July, and were fortunate enough to procure a further supply."
The following year they abandoned this station, and settled in what is now Beaver county. " Being ready on the 17th April, 1770, they set out in sixteen canoes, passed down the Allegheny river to Pittsburg, thence down the Ohio to Big Beaver, thence up the said river for about twenty miles from the mouth, where they halted and commenced mak- ing a settlement, calling the place LANGUNDOWI-OTEEY, (or as written by Crantz, Languntennenk,) i. e. Peace village. They had met with no difficulty on the voyage, except a delay of two days at the falls of Beaver, where they had to drag their canoes, and carry their baggage a mile over land, but were met by GLIKHICAN, (a distinguished Indian,) with persons to help them."
Here they remained till 1773. The neighboring Indians having become very troublesome to the christian Indians, or Big Beavers, and when drunk, having come on purpose to murder the missionary Rothe, it became the wish of the inhabitants of the place to leave this settlement entirely, and join their congregations on the Muskingum ; accordingly, on the 13th of April, 1773, this handsome village was evacuated.
In the year 1774, the peace of the province, and especially that of the western settlements, was disturbed by alarms of Indian hostility, and a vexatious contest with the Governor of Virginia, in relation to the western boundary. Both of these are said to have originated in the malicious and heartless policy of Lord Dunmore, who, in order to dis- tract the attention of the large and wealthy provinces of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and turn them from the designs of the present State, resolved to involve them in war with the savages, and create doubts and disunion, which should disable the whites from resisting the in- roads of their cruel enemy.
In 1788 settlements were made on the Ohio, at Muskingum and Mari- etta. In 1789 a settlement was commenced at Belpre twenty-five miles below Marietta, and Judge Symms and others settled near the present site of Cincinnati. After 1795, the emigration to Ohio became immense.
After the treaty of Paris, in 1763, by which England acquired the Canadas and the valley of the Mississippi-excepting Louisiana-a few adventurers began to pass beyond the mountains, and this emigration westward continued during the war of the revolution. But on the con- clusion of peace, in 1783, there may have been twenty-five thousand Anglo-Americans in western Pennsylvania, western Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee ; there was still little security for American settlers in
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the west, from the close of the revolution till 1794. Those who ven- tured beyond the Ohio prior to 1795, suffered greatly from the Indians. Two armies, of which a detailed account is given in the sequel, sent out against them, in the western part of Ohio, under Gen. Harmar and Gen. St. Clair-the former in 1790, the latter in 1791-were both de- feated, and shockingly cut to pieces ; and not until Gen. Anthony Wayne gave them a dreadful overthrow, on the river Miami-of-the-Lake, which flows into Lake Erie, was there any thing like security or perma- nent peace established.
In 1794 the western insurrection was the cause of many settling at Pittsburg and westward.
In 1796 Greene county was settled. It was originally peopled by emigrants from Maryland, whilst yet possessed by the tawny sons of the forest; but the efforts of the intruders to establish permanent homes were wavering, and were repeatedly defeated by the natives, previous to the arrival of the Crawfords, the Minors, the Swans, the Corbleys, and other "unawed spirits," and dauntless pioneers. During the first seven years, the first settlers were often assailed in person and property by the Indians.
From 1796 to 1800, Armstrong, Beaver and Butler counties were settled. The first settlers here were principally emigrants from Westmore- land, Washington, Fayette and Allegheny, generally of Irish and German descent ; and by a few native Scotch, Germans and Irish.
In 1796-7 a number of Scotch families from the Isle of Lewis, in the northern part of Scotland, settled in Conequenessing township .- About the year 1800, Delman Basse Mueller, a native of Germany, pur- chased an extensive tract in Nicholson's district of depreciation land, partly in Butler and in Beaver. In 1803, he sold a portion of this land to George Rapp, who, attended by a large number of Germans, settled here and founded the town of Harmony.
In Butler county, it is said, the first settlers had many difficulties and privations to encounter, before they could render the riches of their lands available, among which the scarcity of food and the means to produce it, were not the least. The provisions of the act of 1792, gave occasion for much misunderstanding between the land speculators and the actual settlers, and induced a course of litigation which was ruinous to the latter, compelling many to abandon the cherished labor of their lives, and the homes of their hearts, and to seek new and safer asylums, in which a comfortable subsistence could be obtained only by a repetition of their early labors. Those who remained, compounded with the land owner, or abided by the decision of the courts of law.
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The most prominent speculators were of two descriptions, one by sur- vey and warrant, the other by mere survey and agreement with the actual settlers, conditioned that the settler should receive for settlement to be made pursuant to the provisions of the above recited act, from one to two hundred acres according to contract. In the construction of these agreements many difficulties arose, productive of protracted law suits, which greatly retarded the settlement of the country. But most of these vexed questions are now at rest, and a quiet title to lands here may be had. We may mention however another source of title to lands in this district of country, upon which not a shadow of doubt has rested. Extensive tracts were laid out in 1785, in lots of 200, 250, 300, and 500 acres, which were given as gratuities to soldiers of the revolution, &c., in the Pennsylvania line. Part of district No. 1, in Muddy Creek township, and district No. 2 is wholly in the county. The original grantees, unwilling to assume the labors, and without taste for the pleas- ures of a peaceful agricultural life, generally sold their rights, and these donation tracts, generally of excellent quality, are mostly occupied and improved.
About the year 1796 settlements were commenced within the limits of Mercer county, in the forks of Mahoning, Shenango and Neshan- nock creeks.
As early as 1788, there were a few settlers within the limits of Crawford county.
" The first attempt to make a settlement in the limits of Indiana coun- ty, is believed to have been made in the year 1769, in the forks of the Conemaugh and Blacklick. The country was explored in 1776-7, and the explorers were particularly pleased with the spot, on which the town of Indiana now stands. It was clear of timber or brush, and clothed with high grass ; a sort of prairie. When the settlers commenced im- provements, within a few miles of the town, they cut the grass off the " prairie, for the support of their cattle in the winter ; but in making their hay they were greatly annoyed by rattlesnakes.
" About the year 1771 or 1772, Fergus Moorhead and James Kelly, commenced improvements near where the town of Indiana now stands. The country around might well be termed a howling wilderness, for it was full of wolves.
" As soon as these adventurers had erected their cabins, each betook himself, at night, to his own castle. One morning Mr. Moorhead paid a visit to his neighbor Kelly, and was surprised to find, near his cabin, traces of blood, and tufts of human hair. Kelly was not to be found. 4
1 ..
20.
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Moorhead, believing him to have been killed by the wolves, was cau- tiously looking out for his remains, when he discovered him sitting by a spring, washing the blood from his hair.
" He had lain down in his cabin at night and fallen asleep ; a wolf reached through a crack between the logs, and seized him by the head. This was repeated twice or thrice before he was sufficiently awakened to change his position. The smallness of the crack, and the size of his head prevented the wolf from grasping it so far as to have a secure hold, and that saved his life. Sometime after this, the two adventurers re- turned to Franklin county for their families, and on their return they were joined by others.
" The privations of such a situation can, in some degree be measured by the difficulty of obtaining bread stuff, and other necessaries of life, of which the following is an example.
"Moses Chambers was another early settler. Having served several years on board of a British man of war, he was qualified for a life of danger and hardship. Moses continued to work on his improvements, till he was told one morning, that the last Johnny-cake was at the fire ! What was to be done ? There was no possibility of a supply short of Conegocheague. He caught his horse and made ready. He broke the Johnny-cake in two pieces, and giving one half to his wife, the partner of his perils and fortunes, he put up the other half in the lappet of his coat, with thorns, and turned his horse's head toward the east.
" There were no inns on the road, in those days, nor a habitation west of the mountains ; save, perhaps, a hut or two at Fort Ligonier. The Kittaning path was used to Ligonier, and from thence, the" road made by General Forbes' army. Where good pasture could be had for his horse Moses tarried and baited. To him, day was'as night, and night as day. He slept only while his horse was feeding. Nor did he give rest to his body, or ease to his mind, until he returned with his sack stored with corn.
"How forcibly would the affecting story of the patriarch Jacob, apply itself to the condition of families, thus circumstanced. Jacob said to his sons, " Why do ye look one upon another ?- and he said, behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt; get you down thither, and buy for us from thence, that we may live and not die."
"Moses Chambers was not the only one who had to encounter the fatigue and trouble of procuring supplies from Franklin county. All had to do so. Such was the condition of this country, and such the prospect of settlers after the peace of 1763."*
* Hazard's Register.
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But as great as these difficulties were, the first settlers of Indiana had others to encounter of a still more serious nature. The savage and hostile Indians gave them much trouble. Several of the inhabitants were killed and scalped; others were forced to leave their homes and seek a place of safety on the eastern side of the mountains. Kelly and Moorhead had many narrow escapes from the Indians. But they finally caught Moorhead, together with a settler by the name of Simpson. Simpson was killed and Moorhead was carried through the woods to Quebec, where he was confined 11 months. He was afterwards 'ex- changed and sent to New York, and from thence made his way to his family. His wife and three children had fled to a place of safety, in a fort in Westmoreland county, and from thence to Franklin.
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