USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County : from its first settlement to the present time, first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania > Part 46
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APPENDIX TO
At this point of our history, it will be interesting to our scientific readers to introduce an official letter written by Joseph Reed, Presi- dent of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, to Thomas Jefferson, Governor of Virginia. The original is in the archives of the city of Richmond.
IN COUNCIL.
Philadelphia, May 14, 1781.
DEAR SIR : Since I had the honor of addressing your Excellency on the 6th inst., we have conferred with the commissioners, who settled the agree- ment entered into at Baltimore in August, 1779, and we fully concur in the method proposed by your Excellency of settling the extent of the five de- grecs of longitude by astronomical observation, not only as determining the present question with more certainty, but as it tends to solve a problem both useful and curious to the learned world. But we are sorry to find that it is the opinion of our gentlemen of science that the season will be too far advanced before the observations can be commenced, and more especially as the principal astronomical instruments in this city are so scattered and out of repair as to require a considerable time to put them in order.
For these reasons, though with great reluctance, we have thought it best, after expressing our full acquiescence in the mode suggested by your Excel- lency, to propose the 1st of May next to run the line by astronomical ob- servations. But in the mean time, for the sake of settling the minds of the people, and preventing disputes among the borderers, to have a temporary line run by common surveyors from the termination of Mason and Dixon's line to the Ohio; or if that should not be agreeable, to extend it twenty- three miles from the end of Mason and Dixon's line, that being the extent of five degrees, according to common computation. In this case we only pro- pose to mark the trees, avoiding as much as possible unnecessary expense. We hope this last proposition, in which we have no other intentions than to quiet the minds of the people and compel militia services, will be accept- able to your Excellency as the best and indeed the only expedient which can now be adopted.
I am, with great consideration and respect, your Excellency's obedient servant, JOSEPH REED, President.
James Veech, Esq., very justly observes that the commissioners undertook the task from an anxious desire to gratify the astronomical world in the performance of a problem which has never yet been attempted in any country, and to prevent the State of Pennsylvania from the chance of losing many hundred thousands of acres secured to it by the agreement at Baltimore. To solve the novel problem, two of the artists of each State, provided with the proper astro- nomical instruments and a good timepiece, repaired to Wilmington, Delaware, nearly on the line, where they erected an observatory. The other four in like manner furnished, and with commissary, sol- diers, and servants, proceeded to the west end of the temporary line, near to which, on one of the highest of the Fish Creek hills, they also erected a rude observatory. At these stations each party, during six long weeks of days and nights, preceding the autumnal equinox of 1784, continued to make observations of the eclipses of Jupiter's moons, and other celestial phenomena, for the purpose of
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
determining their respective meridians and latitude, and adjusting their timepieces. This done, two of each party come together, and they find their stations were apart twenty minutes and one and an eighth seconds. The Wilmington station was one hundred and fourteen (four poles) chains and thirteen links west of the Delaware. Knowing that twenty minutes of time were equal to five degrees of longitude, they make allowance for said one hundred and fourteen chains and thirteen links, and for the said one and an eighth seconds (equal, they say, to nineteen chains and ninety-six links), and upon these data they shorten back on the line to twenty minutes from the Delaware, and fix the southwest corner of the State by setting up a square unlettered white oak post, around which they rear a conical pyramid of stones, "and they are there unto this day."
As but very few persons can have access to the original reports of the commissioners, we insert them for future reference.
Joint Report of Commissioners on Boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia.
Agreeably to the commission given by the State of Virginia to James Madison, Robert Andrews, John Page, and Andrew Elliott, and by the State of Pennsylvania to John Ewing, David Rittenhouse, John Lukens, and Thomas Hutchins, to determine by astronomical observations the ex- tent of five degrees of longitude west from the river Delaware in the lati- tude of Mason and Dixon's line, and to run and mark the boundaries which are common to both States, according to an agreement entered into by commissioners from the said two States at Baltimore in 1779 and after- wards ratified by their respective Assemblies, we, the underwritten com- missioners, together with the gentlemen with whom we are joined in com- mission, have, by corresponding astronomical observations, made near the Delaware and in the western country, ascertained the extent of the said five degrees of longitude; and the underwritten commissioners have con- tinued Mason and Dixon's line to the termination of the said five degrees of longitude, by which work the southern boundary of Pennsylvania is completed. The continuation we have marked by opening vistas over the most remarkable heights which lie in its course, and by planting on many of these heights, in the parallel of latitude, the true boundary, posts marked with the letters P. and V., each letter facing the State of which it is the initial. At the extremity of this line, which is the southwest corner of the State of Pennsylvania, we have planted a squared unlettered white oak post, around whose base we have raised a pile of stones. The corner is in the last vista we cut, on the east side of a hill, one hundred and thirty-four chains and nine links east of the meridian of the western observatory, and two chains and fifty-four links west of a deep narrow valley, through which the said last vista is cut. At the distance of fifty-one links, and bearing from it north twenty-three degrees east, stands a white oak marked on the south side with three notches, and bearing south twelve degrees west, and at the distance of twenty-nine links, stands a black oak on the north side with four notches. The advanced season of the year, and the inelemency of the weather, have obliged us to suspend our operations, but we have agreed to meet again at the southwest corner of Pennsylvania on the 16th day of May next to complete the object of our commission.
.
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Given under our hands and seals, in the County of Washington, in Penn- sylvania, this 18th day of November, 1784.
ROBERT ANDREWS, ANDREW ELLIOTT,
JOHN EWING, DAVID RITTENHOUSE,
THO. HUTCHINS.
To this report I add the report of the Pennsylvania Commissioners on the boundary with Virginia, which was received by the Supreme Executive Council December 23, 1784.
To his Excellency John Dickinson, Esq., President of the State, and to the Honorable the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania :-
The commissioners appointed for ascertaining the length of five degrees of longitude, and for determining and fixing the boundary lines between this State and Virginia by astronomical observations, beg leave to report
That after procuring the necessary instruments, according to the direc- tions of council in the preceding spring, we set off for our respective places of observation about the beginning of June, Messrs. Rittenhouse and Lukens to Wilmington, and Ewing and Hutchins to the southwest corner of the State.
The observers at Wilmington completed their observatory and furnished it with the necessary instruments, so as to begin their astronomical opera- tions in conjunction with Messrs. Page and Andrews, commissioners from Virginia, about the beginning of July, where they continued observing the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites till the 20th of September, that they might have a sufficient number of them, both before and after his opposition to the sun ; and although the summer proved very unfavorable for astronomi- cal purposes, they were fortunate enough to make, amongst them, near sixty observations of these eclipses, besides many other observations of the other heavenly bodies for the regulation of their clock and fixing their meridian line, so that they were well ascertained of their time to a single second.
In the mean time, the other observers, setting out from Philadelphia, pursued their rout to the southwestern extremity of the State, where they arrived about the middle of July, having been greatly retarded by the bad- ness of the roads through that mountainous country. There they met with Messrs. Madison and Elliott, the commissioners from the State of Virginia, who had arrived about the same time. With all possible dispatch they erected their observatory on a very high hill at the place where the con- tinuation of Messrs. Mason and Dixon's line. by Messrs. Neville and McClean, ended, supposing that this place would prove to be near to the western extremity of five degrees of longitude from the river Delaware. After erecting their instruments, which had not sustained the least damage by the carriage through so long a journey, and the most unfavorable roads, they began their astronomical observations about the middle of July, and they continued them night and day till the 20th of September following. Although they were frequently interrupted and disappointed by an uncom- mon quantity of rain and foggy weather, which seems peculiar to that hilly country, yet by their attention to the business of their mission, they made between forty and fifty observations of the eclipses of Jupiter's satellites, many of which were correspondent with the observations made by the other astronomers at Wilmington, besides innumerable observations of the sun and stars for the regulation of their timepieces and the marking of their meridian with the greatest precision.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
In this part of their work, situated nearly thirty miles beyond any of the inhabitants, the commissioners were greatly assisted by the diligence and indefatigable activity of Col. Porter, their commissary, to whose industry in providing everything necessary, and prudence in managing the business in his department with the utmost economy, the State is greatly indebted.
The astronomical observations being completed on the 20th of Septem- ber, the eastern astronomers set out to meet the other commissioners in the west, in order to compare them together. Messrs. Rittenhouse and Andrews carried with them the observations made at Wilmington, while Messrs. Lukens and Page returned home, not being able to endure the fatigues of so long a journey, nor the subsequent labor of running and marking the boundary line. Mr. Madison continued with the western astronomers till the arrival of Messrs. Rittenhouse and Andrews, when the affairs of his family and public station obliged him to relinquish the busi- ness at this stage and return home, after concurring with the other com- missioners as to the principles on which the matter was fully determined.
Upon comparison of the observations made at both extremities of our southern boundary, your commissioners have the pleasure of assuring you that no discouragements, arising from the unfavorable state of the weather or the unavoidable fatigues of constant application by day and frequent watchings by night, have prevented them from embracing every opportu- nity and making a sufficient number of astronomical observations, to deter- mine the length of five degrees of longitude with greater precision than could be attained by terrestrial measures of a degree of latitude in different places of the earth ; and further, that they have completed their observa- tions with so much accuracy and certainty as to remove from their minds every degree of doubt concerning their final determination of the south- western corner of the State.
In the result of the calculations they found that their observatories were distant from each other twenty minutes and one second and an eighth part of a second of time. But as the observatory at Wilmington was fixed at one hundred and fourteen chains and thirteen links west of the intersec- tion of the boundary line of this State with the river Delaware; and as twenty minutes of time are equivalent to five degrees of longitude, they made the necessary correction for the said one hundred and fourteen chains and thirteen links, and also for the said one second and one-eighth part of a second, which is equal to nineteen chains and ninety-six links, and accord- ingly fixed and marked the southwestern corner of the State in the manner mentioned in the joint agreement and report of the commissioners of both States under their hands and seals, which we have the honor of laying before the council.
After these calculations were made, the commissioners proceeded with all convenient dispatch to the place where Mason and Dixon formerly were interrupted by the Indian nation in running the southern boundary of this State, in order to extend the said boundary westward to the length of five degrees from the river Delaware. Being prevented by rainy weather for near a week from making any astronomical observations in order to ascertain the direction of the parallel of latitude, which we were to extend, we concluded, to save time and expense, that it would be eligible to take the last direction of Mason and Dixon's line and to correct it, if necessary, when we should have an opportunity of a serene sky. Upon extending the line in this manner one hundred and ninety-five chains from the place where they ended their work, we found, by astronomical observations, that we were thirty-two feet and five inches north of the true parallel, and we accordingly made the necessary correction here and marked a tree with the
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APPENDIX TO
letters P on the north side and V on the south. From thence we assumed a new direction, which we again corrected in like manner at the distance of five hundred and seventy-five chains, where we found our line to be seventy- three feet and six inches north of the parallel of latitude. We made the offset accordingly and planted a large post in the true parallel marked as above. From thence we found another direction by calculation, which, beginning at the said post, should, at the distance of eight miles from it, intersect the said parallel, making offsets at convenient distances and plant- ing posts in the true parallel. This direction being continued thirty-three chains farther than the eight miles above mentioned, fell twenty-three inches south of the parallel, where we also planted a post in the true boundary, marked as before, and from thence to the southwest corner of the State we assumed a new direction which, being continued, fell two feet and eight inches south of the said corner. This correction, therefore, being made, we planted a squared white oak post in the said point and marked its bear- ing from different objects, as mentioned in our joint report. Besides the marking of this boundary line by the posts and stones above mentioned, your commissioners took good care to have a vista of twenty or thirty feet wide cut over all the most remarkable ridges which were in the direction of the parallels.
For a more full description of this part of our work we beg leave to refer to the annexed plan (this plan has never yet been found among the State papers) and sketch of the country through which the line passes. The season being now far advanced, we were obliged to desist from any further prosecution of the work, and agreed with the Virginia commissioners to meet them at the southwestern corner of our State on the 17th of May next, to proceed in running and marking the WESTERN boundary of this State.
Agreeably to our commission we were required to report the situation of the country and the best means of preserving the communication and con- nection between the eastern and western parts of the State. We beg leave to observe that the natural obstructions to so desirable a purpose may be in a great measure removed by a few easy instances of attention, paid by the legislature of this State to the situation and exhausted condition of the western citizens. Their public roads are numerous, extensive, and in bad order ; while the citizens being few in number, scattered at a distance from each other, and being harassed and exhausted by an Indian war, are unable to repair their roads or to open them through more easy and convenient passes, over the hills and mountains. A few hundred pounds, not exceed- ing one thousand, judiciously and frugally applied, would, in our opinion, make a tolerable good wagon road from York County to the Monongahela ; and thereby facilitate the exportation of goods from this city to that western country and secure their trade with us, especially if the ferry over the Susquehanna was made free to all the citizens of the State. It appears probable to us that otherwise the exertions of Maryland and Virginia to repair their roads to that country will frustrate the expectation which we are entitled to entertain of enjoying the advantages of the trade with the western parts of our own State. We beg leave further to observe that the natural attachment of the western citizens to this State might be increased and fixed by an indulgence to their distressed situation in the price of their lands and the terms of payment; and particularly in the remission of the interest due on the purchase money during the time they have been obliged to evacuate their possessions by the savages and fly to forts for the security of their lives and families. JONH EWING, DAVID RITTTENHOUSE,
JOHN LUKENS, THOMAS HUTCHINS.
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
The twenty-three miles from the war path to the southwest corner cost the State £1455 specie, equivalent to about four thousand dol- lars, besides six dollars per day to each of the astronomers. From the accounts of the commissary, Col. Andrew Porter-the father of ex-Governor Porter-we copy the following bill, to show how well the commissioners lived ; yet it must be borne in mind there was a necessity for procuring a great variety of articles, as they were labor- ing about thirty miles from the settlements. The bill calls for
120 gallons of spirits, 40 gallons of brandy, 80 gallons of Madeira wine, 200 pounds of loaf sugar, a small keg of lemon juice, 6 pounds of tea, 100 pounds of coffee, 60 pounds of chocolate, and 40 pounds of Scotch barley, pepper, 6 bushels of salt, 4 tin mugs, 1 coffee-mill, 1 pewter teapot, 1 tin coffee-pot, 1 frying pan, 1 gridiron, 6 boiling kettles, I Dutch oven, 1 tea- kettle, 2 pair of snuffers, 4 candlesticks, 2 funnels, 100 lbs. candles, 2 hand saws, 1 cross-cut saw, 6 files, 2 hammers, 12 gimlets, 50 lbs. nails, 1 set of knives and forks, teacups, saucers, glasses, tumblers, bowls, dishes, plates, tin spoons, and basins, 6 large camp stools and six small ones, 2 marquees or 4 horsemen's tents, 60 felling axes, 100 lbs. steel, 6 shovels, 6 pickaxes, 6 spades, 12 pair of H L hinges, 3 four-horse wagons and one light wagon with 4 horses, 20 fathom of half-inch rope, 2 crowbars, 2 planes, 2 augers, 4 mattresses, 4 blankets, 4 pillows, 1 frower, 2 mauls and rings, 2 wedges, 1 broadaxe, 2 drawing knives, ¿ box of window glass, 1 ream of paper, 100 quills, 6 sticks of wax, 2 doz. pencils, 1 box wafers, 2 inkstands, 2 large camp tables, 1 doz. memorandum books, cheese, 2 doz. hams, 1 doz. kegs white biscuit.
Thus ends the history of all the difficulties which are embraced in this and the preceding chapter, and including the rise, progress, and settlement of the celebrated Mason and Dixon's line, from the year 1752 to the 23d of December, 1784, when the commissioners made their final report, which was adopted by the State of Pennsylvania through her legally constituted representatives.
WESTERN LINE OF PENNSYLVANIA.
In connection with this subject and for the benefit of our readers, we add that on the 9th of April, 1785, the Supreme Executive Council appointed David Rittenhouse and Andrew Porter, Esqs., on behalf of this State, to meet Joseph Neville and Andrew Elliott, who had been appointed by the Governor of Virginia, to run and mark the boundary lines from the southern corner to the northwest The corner of the State, between Pennsylvania and Virginia. Pennsylvania commissioners were instructed to act in conjunction with the commissioners on the part of the State of Virginia, as far as they may choose to proceed. The reason assigned for this was that the Virginia pretensions ended at a given point by reason of her cession of the northwest territory to the United States in 1784. Our commissioners were also instructed that if any commissioners on behalf of the United States should appear to join with them, to co-operate with them cheerfully.
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APPENDIX TO
On the 29th of July, 1785, President Dickinson wrote a letter to the commissioners urging the prosecution of the important business intrusted to them with the utmost diligence and with all the dis- patch that is compatible with accuracy in their proceedings. About one month afterwards the commissioners finished their labors, as we find from the following report :--
We, the subscribers, commissioners appointed by the States of Pennsyl- vania and Virginia, to ascertain the boundary between the said States-
Do certify that we have carried on a meridian line from the southwest corner of Pennsylvania northward to the river Ohio, and marked it by cut- ting a wide vista over all the principal hills intersected by the said line, and by falling or deadening a line of trees generally through all the lower grounds, and we have likewise placed stones marked on the east side P, and on the west side V, on most of the principal hills and where the line strikes the Ohio, which stones are accurately placed in the true meridian bounding the States as aforesaid. Witness our hands and seals this 23d day of August, 1785. DAVID RITTENHOUSE, ANDREW PORTER, ANDEW ELLIOTT, JOSEPH NEVILLE,
The Supreme Executive Council appointed Andrew Porter and Alexander McClean on the 19th of June, 1786, to extend the line of the western boundary of the State, and on the 4th of October, 1786, they made the following report :-
We, the commissioners appointed to ascertain and complete the line of the western boundary of the State of Pennsylvania, beg leave to report that we have ascertained and completed said line by astronomical observa- tions as far as Lake Erie, having opened a vista and planted stones in the proper direction, marked on the east side P, and that said line extends some distance in the lake. ANDREW PORTER.
ALEXANDER MCCLEAN.
We may add that the length of this line is about one hundred and fifty-eight miles.
PAN-HANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
From the date of the report of Rev. Dr. Madison and Robert Andrews, Esq., of Virginia, to the legislature of that State made on the 8th day of October, 1785, may be considered as the legal ex- istence of what is now known as the Pan-Handle.
J. G. Jacob, Esq., in his life of Patrick Gass; thus describes the Pan-Handle previous to October 8, 1785: Ohio County had, been formed from Youghiogheny, by the line of Cross Creek, and says the record, on the settlement of the boundary question in 1789, that portion of Youghiogheny lying north of this creek was added to Ohio, being too small for a separate county, and the county of You- ghiogheny became thereupon extinct. (See page 15 for history of Youghiogheny County.) Hancock, then and so much of Brooke as lies north of Cross Creek was the last of the ancient Youghiogheny.
Tradition, in accounting for the strip of land driven in wedge-
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HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
like between Ohio and Pennsylvania, constituting what is called the Pan-handle, states that it was owing to an error in reckoning that the five degrees of west longitude reached so far to the west, and that much dissatisfaction was excited when the result was definitely settled; as great importance was attached to the command of the Ohio River by the authorities of either State.
When the State of Ohio was formed, in 1802, the Pan-handle first showed its beautiful proportions on the map of the United States. It received its name in legislative debate, from Hon. John McMillan, delegate from Brooke County, to match the Accomac projection, which he dubbed the Spoon-handle.
NEW STATE.
On October 19, 1782, Brigadier-General Irvine, then stationed at Fort Pitt, officially informed the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, that many deluded men, governed by ambition, se- riously contemplated the formation of a new State on the frontiers of this State; whereupon the Council, on the 19th of November fol- lowing, adopted a resolution appointing the Rev. James Finley, of Chester County, to travel through the counties of Washington and Westmoreland, and by moral persuasion endeavor to bring over the deluded citizens to a proper sense of their duty. Rev. Finley was specially selected because he was not only well acquainted with the people generally, but because he had preached amongst them.
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