Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-25
UPON THE CHARTERS.
Facts About the First White People
Who Came to This secticn.
THEIR NAMES STILL FAMILIAR.
Ecme Where Washington and aaron
Burr We're Entertained.
THE HISTORIC CHAIN INCOMPLETE
THEIR NAMES STILL FAKILlAR.
THE HISTORIC CHAIN INCOMPLETE
WRITTEN FOR THE DrsrAroH.,

Long before the aborigines had let go their
hold on Western Pennsylvania number OF
settlements were made by the whites along
this valley. The first permanent white set
tier was James Mckee. His lands were at
the mouth Of the creek, and his name has
become q fixture, being engraved in the
rocks at the mouth of the. creek, McKee's
Rocks. ...
James Mckee, who was a Seotck-Irish-
man, located on the CHARTERS creek in the
year 1868. A year after his brother, Alex
snder Mckee, Joined him, and there the
two brothers spent the remainder OF their
days At the time the McKees planted
themselves in the valley of CHARTERS, the
Indians having full sway, the pioneers
adopted in great measure the habits and
customs of the natives, and were by them
received into fellowship and protected.
Otherwise they must have gone to the
stake, since there, were frequent massacres
of white settlers by the Indians in this vi
cinity 80 years and more a'ter tbs MeKees
had planted themselves on the CHARTERS
Two More Brothers on the Creek.
The next on the list of. white settlers on
the creek were John and James Bell, who
settled there in 176S The Bell settlement
was near North Mansfield. Up to this time
no legal titles had been issued to settlers.
The only title which these pioneers had to
their land was from tomahawk claims. In
colonial times large Part of Western
Pc nnsylvania was claimed by Virginia, and
was part of the outlying wilderness Of
what was then Augusta county. The first
patents of land in this section were issued
from the land office of Richmond in 1769
When the lands we're opened TO the public
there were 3, 800 claimants for land in the
CHARTERS, Monongahela and Redstone val
leys.
The first patent granted by the Richmond
land Office was to William Preston and the
patent covered large tract, embracing the
lands now occupied by the Morganza Re-
form School. The MeClelland farm, on the
heights to the east of Morganza, was the
first patented in the CHARTERS valley. 1t
is fully demonstrated that the patentee
chose wisely since the MeClellands By uni
versal consent are in possession of one of
the finest stock farms of Washington county.
Five Brothers in Bunch.
Adjoining the Preston tract five brothers
by the name of White planted themselves,
and were industriously seeking to keep the
wolf from their doors, at the outbreak of
the Revolution. In the year 17T6 Rev. Nc
Millen, an ardent young Presbyterian mis-
sionary, was sent out by the Presbytery of
Carlisle todook after the spiritual interests
of the settlers of the CHARTERS valley. From
1776 until his death In 1882 DR.. McMIllen
was the recognized Presbyterian Bishop of
the valley. He, in conjunction with John
Canon, somewhere in the last decade Of
the eighteenth century, founded the Jeffer-
son Academy in Canonsburg, an academy
which, by processes Of evolution, has devel-
oped into Washington and Jefferson Col
lege. - ....-...
As evidence of Cannonsburg's important
position as a center OF learning and religion
a century ago the First United Presbyterian
Church, of Pittsburg, Was an otfshoot from
the Seceder Church, of that place. The
Seceders, as they were designated in those
days, now United Presbyteriaus, had for
their bishop around the headwaters of the
CHARTERS one Matthew Henderson, who was
on the field prior to the Revolution. Father
Henderson in his missionary tours found q
few families of like faith around Fort Pitt,
and here established missionary station.
Founding of the First U. P. Church.
The station at Pittsburg developed into
church in the year 1S02, and is now the
First U. P. Church, over which DR.. Will
lam j. Reed presides so successfully. The
writer remembers we'll the original elder of
this church, who, tor q number of years
after his settlement in Pittsburg, went reg
ularly to Canonsburg Tor his gospel teach
ing -.-
Among the most historic places of the
CHARTERS Valley is the section around
Woodville. There is the oldest burying
ground of the country. Travellers along the
old Washington PIKE cannot fail to notice
the little old Episcopal Church and burying
ground near where the pike crosses the
creek at WoodViIle. There many of the
rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. A
soldier OF the Forbes army, BY the name of
Lee, was attracted to this spot when here to
recover Fort Duquesne from the hands of
the French and Indians in 175S.
A few years alter, this soldier returned to
make himself home in the CHARTERS Val
ley. His name is familiar one on the
headstones of that old graveyard There
was buried in 1854 the first white person
born in the ChartiersValley-a daughter of
the pioneer Lee. On Boner's Hill, above
Woodville, was the home Of Colonel
Neville, where the rebels met with their
disastrous defeat in the Whisky Insurrec-
tion.
Where Washington Was q Guest.
A half mile below Morganza is the oldest |
house in the valley, the one time home of !
Colonel Morgan. Colonel Morgan was |
there at home, in revolutionary times. AT |
his home Washington was entertained, and |
there Aaron Burr spent some days endeav- |
oring to gain follower in his mad effort to |
establish Southwestern Republic.
On a recent visit to the old Morgan home |
stead was surprised 10 find how little the |
neighbors know of the fact that within |
those walls the founders of the American |
Republic hal enjoyed the hospitalities Of |
the original proprietor.
Another point OF historic interest in the |
CHARTERS Valley is that beautiful garden |
spot just this side OF the spot where the |
Steubenville pike crosses the creek. There !
was located Hands Hospital, n two-siorY |
leg building. which disappeared within
few wears This write with some hesita- |
tion, since Isaac Craig. who is authority in |
Allegheny county history, denies that it |
was used as a hospital for the soldiers of
Fort Pitt when Fort Pitt was in command |
of General Hand.
Sick Soldiers From Fort Pitt.
Certain it is that General Hands name
fingers about the spot. 1t may be myth,
but if so, it is myth which was Iully ac-
cepted in nv boyhood days that, to the
banks OF the CHARTERS sick soldiers were
conveyed from Fort Pitt, where they were
tended and nursed century and more ago.
The name of Hand was one day prominent
in this city. II was The name By which
Ninth street was known for three7quarters
of century after PIttsburg was laid out.
have only touched AZ a few important
facts in the history OF the CHARTERS Valley.
That valley furnishes q wide field for the
researches of the antiquarian, and it is