CHAPTER II

CHRONOLOGY 

Events and colonization of North America leading up to settlements in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

First inhabitants were the Mound Builders, origin and destiny unknown.

Year of 1588. Defeat of Spanish Armada by great Britain. Opening sea lanes to North America.

Year of 1588-1589. Sir Walter Raleigh’s. unsuccessful attempt to settle on Atlantic Coast.

Year of 1606. London and Plymouth Company.

Year of 1607. Jamestown Colony. John Smith.

Year 1608. French at Quebec.

Year 1609. Dutch Trading Post by Henry Hudson.

Year of 1619. Negro slaves brought to state of Virginia.

Year of 1620. Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. Were strictly Calvanists.

Year 1681. William Penn received land grant, now Pennsylvania, from King Charles of England in payment of debt owned to Penn’s father.

Year of 1683. Germantown established by German immigrants, called Penn­sylvania Dutch.

It is plainly noticeable since our forefathers came to the eastern coast of the United States, they were first to travel west and settle in Southwestern Pennsyl­vania. They were predominantly Scotch Irish Presbyterians. The Dutch and some Swedes also came from New Jersey and New York at an early date.

In the years of 1748-1755, Conrad Weiser came to the Monongahela River. He was an interpreter and firm friend of the Indians. Other traders had preceded him.

In the year 1692, New York Governor Fletcher sent Cornelius Viele, described as the Albany Dutchman, to trade and deal with the Indians.

In the year 1750, Colonel George Groghan, a prominent frontiersman and In­dian agent for Pennsylvanians. was sent into the Ohio Basin to learn what he could of the movement of the French, and to sound out Indian loyalties. Later he visited Shannopins Town and Log Town some miles below Pittsburgh. Gist accompanied him.

In the year 1749, Ohio Company, an organization of Virginians, formed with a British Charter to claim lands west of the Alleghenies and settle families there. George Washington’s two half brothers were members of the land company and had a royal grant. This company was established at Wills Creek, presently Cumberland, Maryland.

In the year 1751, Christopher Gist, surveyor and experienced woodsman, camped near present Connellsville on a mission and prospecting tour to locate lands for the Ohio Company.

In the year of 1753, George Washington at the age of twenty-one, made his first trip to the Monongahela Country in the interest of Virginia’s Governor Din­widdie. In reality, George Washington, according to history, did not visit anywhere on the Monongahela River between McKeesport and Monongahela. (Earlier Parkinsons Ferry).

In the year 1754, John Frazer settled and built the first home at present Turtle Creek on Monongahela River. He is reputed to be the first white man to live in sight of the river.

In the year 1754, the French swept down the Allegheny River and destroyed the first outpost of the Virginians, called Fort Trent.

In the year 1754, Fort Necessity was captured from the Virginians. Washing­ton was second in command.

In the year 1755, General Braddock marched from Fort Cumberland in an at­tempt to recapture Fort Duquesne from the French and Indians. His army was the territory east of the river, is the most beautiful west of the Alleghenies. These people who took up land here, disregard any of the states boundary lines, and de­fied the Indians. It is said that no uprising of the Indians ever occurred in this territory, neither in what is called Jefferson Borough. There is an account how­ever, that does claim a white man was scalped by an Indian at the present Large. Pennsylvania. This will be explained later.

 As previously stated, both states claimed ownership of Pennsylvania, which caused them to set up geographical boundary lines consisting of territories and county seats. The Penns set up Bedford County in 1771.

Westmoreland County was erected in 1773. It included all of Fayette, Greene, Washington and Allegheny west of Allegheny River and south of the Monongahela River. Early Justices of Westmoreland County were, Eneos McKay, Andrew McFarlane and Oliver Miller, the latter two being Washington County men. McFarlane’s home and land was located where the Duquesne Light Company is now operating. McFarlane settled here just previous to the year 1784 and ran a ferry across the river at this point.

Until the year 1774, the Virginians claimed control of these lands at Fort Pitt. In this same year on the 12th of December ,Augusta County court was opened. A writ had been issued by Lord Dunmore, attested in the name of His Majesty, ad­joining the county court of Augusta county, from Staunton, Virginia to Fort Dunmore.

Division of West Augusta district was in the year of 1776. The counties of Monongalia, Ohio and Yohogania were erected. Before the Yohogania court of Vir­ginia was built, business was held in the home of Andrew Heath on the left bank of the Monongahela River in what is now Jefferson Borough, Allegheny County, but near the Washington County line.

For a time, court was held in present Washington. This was out of location for the region, as the territory along the river was growing very fast. (It was then moved to its last location near the Jones School in Jefferson Borough.) It then became Washington County in the year of 1781.

Allegheny County was established September 24, 1788 from a part of Westmoreland and Washington Counties. The following year, the line was changed to where it is today.

Now that the county lines have been established and the lost County of Vir­ginia of Yohogania County is forever finished, I will give the dates of the surround­ing Townships and when they were set up. Nottingham Township was first estab­lished in 1781. Its territory was in bounds of Washington and Allegheny County.

Peters Township was formed in 1784. Part of it went to Allegheny County and in 1789, it was further reduced. The territory originally embraced the Township, comprehended the present township of Peters, the southern part of Union, and all the portions of Allegheny County, lying east of Chartiers Creek southwest of the Monongahela River.