The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-04

In l7AS England was founding com.
merclal towns along the Atlantic coast.
discovered by Cabot. and opening up
lands for agricultural purposes as far
west q the crest OF the Alleghenies, but
Ginning all lands west OF that TO the
South yea Pacific Ocean.)
IA lies FTance was developing Cana
d aud the shores OF the great lakes,
discovered by Cartier, La Sale, ana
others. She also claimed by right OF dis
cOVery. the great states OF Ohio, lndl-
ana. Illinois, Michigan, and 10y DC
Ucandlng the great Mississippi river,
thus discovering the mouths OF the Mis-
souri,. Ohio, Arkansas and Red riEersl,
she claimed the watershed OF the whole
Mississippi valley, fromthe Rocky noun
tainy in the far west. 60 the crest OF the
Allegheny mountains In the east.
The courts OF England and France
kept Watchful. Jealous eyes on this al.
most unknown, unoccupied cuuutrylnnd
both were secretly determined 10 pos
cess IT, Its great natural wealth was
being made known to each, by the Eng
fish and French fur traders, who had
penetrated as far west as SanduskE,
and as Tar south In Ohio az the Miami
river, in their Jealous trade rivalry az
IN lfI9 George II made the hrst move to-
wards possession. by iustructins Thorn
a. Lee, president OF the council OF Viz
glnla, 90 grant 20 Lawrence and aug
Justine washingtun-brothers OF George
Washington, and ten other gentlemen
Of virginia and Maryland. who formed
the ''Ohio Land Company five hun
dred thousand acres OF land between
the Monongahela and Big Kanawha
rivers. (noW West Virginia.) TO be sur
viewed and colOniZed by them within
eeVen years. The Ohio Land Company
at once engaged the services OF Chris
tophee GIst, a distinguished surveyor.
and sent him TO Wills Creek (now Cum
berland. Nd, 90 begin operations
ON the 31st OF October, 1850. he lett for
Pittsburgh, continuing his journey
from there to GAINESVILLE, then by the
Miami river to its Junction With the
Ohio. thence down to Louisville, re-
turhinR-.to the mouth OF the Big Kama
VIA. he made an exploration Of the
eompany's lands, arriving IN Pittsburgh
during the winter. and in May, li5l' re-
turned to Nirginla.
In l75s the Ohio Land Company bullt
a trading pnst al Rsdstone lnnw
Prownsyflle Pal In 1888 Christopher
Gist made . settlement at Dunbar. IN
FayGtte county. Pa.
In l7t9 grant Of eight hundred thou
sand acres OF land. northWard o. the
North Carolina line was made 10 the
LOYAL Land Company. In fISi, the
GreenbFIer Land Company was author
ICED 20 locate one hundred thousand
acres OF land on Greenbrier river, which
WAS afterwards surveyed by Colonel
John Lewis and his sou.Coionel Andrew
Lewis.
France. although alarmed at the de-
signs OF the English court. determined
not 10 yield TO them. but 10 take formal
possession OF the Ohio valley. This she
did, by sending Captain Celeron with
cnmmaud OF three hundred mea. In 1872
to plant lead plates, with a proper IN
ScriptIon. az various points, He planted
the first plate on the CouewaEo, small
creek connecting Lake Chautauqua with
the Allegheny river; the second at Ven
ango, (now Franklin, at the JUNCTION OF
French creek with thc Allegheny riyer)
ON August IL, l74g. he planted the third
lead plate at the moutI OF Wheeling
creek; the fourth al Marietta, the tit;h
At Point Pleasant. the sixth, and last.
at the mouth OF the Miami.
France, 10 further secure this great
claim, determined TO build Gordon OF
forts along the great lakes. the Ohio
and Mississippi rivers 10 LOUISIANA
Therefore they built fort at Pressure
Isle. Qsrie Pal. al lie Boeuf Cnow Wat
eFfOFd, Pal. and at Nenango, (now
Franklin, Pal. in l75s,
Freneh and Indian wsr.
Robert Dlnwiddie. Governor OF Viz
Riuia. determined TO resist these en-
crnachunents OF the French. But to
gain time. and learn the resources OF
the French commander. ana gain
knowledge OF the country, he, in Octo-
her. 1883, sent a letter Of remembrance
TO the French officer, Monsieur lie Gar
deur de St. Pierre. by Major George
Washington. Chen only twenty-onc
years OF age) who took with HIN as
companions. Christopher Gisi. who
had been at Pittsburgh In 1850. and six
others. Leaving Wills Creek, they
passed over the snOw-clnd AlleEheny
mountains. TO Pittsburgh. from there
to La Boeuf Fort, VIA the Allegheny
river to Venango, where lie was cdur-
teously treated. Returning BY the same
route, he arrived aC Willlamsburgh on
the 18th OF January, 1854. after an alb
sence Of eleven wrecks and Journey OF
one thousand, fifteen hundred miles
through an untrodden wilderness.
Virginia and the Ohio Land Company
sent Captain William Trent with forty
Hampshire county men to Pittsburgh,
to build fort at that point as recon-
mended by Washington. They arrived
in January, 1864. and continued the
erection OF the fort until April IL. 1884,
when they were driven out by thou
sand French and Indians, but were per-
mltted 10 retire to Wills Creek. This
Is regarded az the FIRST open act OF hos
tiIliy, that began tn" long years OF war
between France and England for pos
session OF this great country.
Shortly after this Virginia sent Colo
mel Joshua Fry and Major George
Washington with force Of men 10 re-
take the fort; at FdCt Necessity they
were defeated by the French, but were
permitted 10 return 10 wills Greek.
The year 1854 therefore. closed with the
French in complete possession OF the
OhD valley.
The British court and the colonIsts
beinU satisfied that war was inevitable.
determined 10 attack the French IN the
early spring OF 1866. al four different
polntg-Nova Scotia. Grown Point.
Niagara aud Pittsburgh on the Ohio
river.
General Braddock. who was to con-
duct the expedition against the French
on the Ohio, arrived In February. At
Alexandria, Va. with one thousand
men, under Colonels Halkett and Dun
bar One thousand Maryland and Nir-
glnia forces were added and George
Washington was placed on his staff
With his two thousand men he finally
crossed the MOnOngnhcln river at Brad
docks ford on July o. i7jj. within three
hours he was lmbushed. defeated with
tremendous slaughter. and rctTcating
back TO Cumberland, but dying on the
road
In 1853. General Forbes, and Lieutcn-
ant Colonel George Washington. with
u force Of VirglnianE. captured Du
Quesne from the French, remaining It
Fort Pitt, and the smnlI town around Il
Pittsburgh. But the Indians continued
their fierce warfare through every