The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-04-02

day at Cresap's. Obliged to hasten in
order to arrive at his destination on
the day he had advertised the sale of
his lands, Washington and one SER
want rode ahead the following day
through Wills Creek (Cumberland)
and lodged with Tomlinson at Little
Meadows, thirty-five miles. From
Willis Creek he followed the Braddock
Road, which he had travelled with that
Generals Inflated army. He COM
plains of "the Road being exceedingly
bad, especially through what is called
the Shades of Death; crossing the
Mountains I found tedious and fatieg-
uing"-six to nine hours in the saddle
"and in all parts of the road that
would admit it, l endeavored to ride
my usual travelling gate of 5 miles
an hour. met numbers of per-
sons and Pack Horses going in with
Ginseng; and for Salt and other arti-
cles at the Markets below"
September IL, Washington arrived
at the Great Meadows, where he own
ed 234 acres, and which Included the
site of Fort Necessity, built by him in
1854; he "viewed a tenament 1 have
there" He dined at Thomas Gist's,
on the Monongahela and arrived at
Gilbert Simpsons the same day. Here
the General owned a grist mill built
in 1776; also land on Miller's Run,
nearby; but James Scott and twelve
other religious Ceceders" had squat
ted on this land and refused to recog-
nize his title or buy the land. He con-
ferred with the squatters, but they
were determined to stand suit for
the land" These were bounty lands
granted to Washington and other SOL
diers by Virginia for services during
the French and Indian War. These
lands were found to be in Pennsylva-
MIA and the settlers disputed the Vir-
ginia titles. Washington left instruc-
lions with his agent, Thomas Smith, to
bring suits against the settlers, and
finally they were elected from the dis
puted lands.
Captain David Luckett, commanding
the garrison at Fort Pitt, visited
Washington at Simpsons and advised
him not to make his intended visit to
the Great Kanawha River because the
Indians were dissatisfied and dad re-
Gently murdered whites who were at
tempting to settle on the west side OF
the Ohio. Therefore the General sent
his baggage back via Fort Cumber-
land, while he and his nephew re-
turned by Cheat River with view
to make a more minute inquiry into
the Navigation of the Yohiogany
Waters"
September %, they crossed Cheat
at Andrew Ices Ferry, travelled up the
West side of the Briery Mountains,
crossed Sandy Creek, passing near
the Pine Swamp, now GAINESVILLE, w.
Va. At "the entrance of the Yohiogany
Glades I lodged this night with no
other shelter or cover than my cloak
and was unlucky enough to have
heavy shower of rain" This bivouac
was six miles west of Sang Run, Md,
where John Friend probably then
lived. Next morning, following enc
Cullock's path, which owes its origin
to Buffaloes we started at
the dawning of day, and passing along
small path, much enclosed with
weeds and bushes, y we had
an uncomfortable travel to one Chas.
Friends, about 10 miles, where we
could get nothing for our horses, and
only boiled corn for ourselves" (This
man Charles Friend, a pioneer hunter,
then lived at Murley's Glade, about
three miles west of the present Oak
land, Md
General Washington admired the
Youghiogheny Glades. Here he wrote,
"Part of these glades is the property
of Govr. johnson of Maryland, who
has settled two or three families of
Palatines (Germans) upon them. The
glades have a pretty appearance, re-
sembling cultivated Lands and i'm
proved Meadows at distance, with
woods here and there interspersed.
Some of them are rich with black and
lively soil-others are of a sitter and
colder nature-all of them feel, very
early, the effect of frost-the growth
of them, is grass" Cattle are driven
to them "to pasture in the Spring and
are recalled at Autumn"
Washington obtained much informa-
ton from 'Friend, who is great hum
ter, and well acquainted with all the
Waters, as well as the hills, having
lived in that Country and followed no.
other occupation for nine years." He
was enquiring particularly about the
possibility of constructing canal to
connect the Potomac and Youghio-
gheny Rivers, or of navigation on
those streams and a connecting wagon