Meadville in Crawford County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Meadville's Founding
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
1. Meadville's Founding Marker
Meadville's Founding. . , David Mead was born in Hudson, NY on January 17, 1752, the eldest son of Darius and Ruth Curtis Mead of Connecticut. In 1774, he married Agnes Wilson of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and the couple had nine children, of whom five lived to maturity.
After the Revolutionary War, they settled in Wyoming, PA, however land disputes led him to seek out new land opportunities. He had read in George Washington's journal a description of the land in what is now northwestern Pennsylvania, and he and his brother John came to investigate. Liking what they saw, they led a group of nine men to the French Creek Valley in the spring of 1788 and set up camp where they built a log cabin and planted corn. Their families later joined them and this first settlement was known as Cussewago.
The next year a few new settlers arrived, including David's parents. David built a sawmill and a mill for grinding grain and his wife Agnes gave birth to a baby named Sara, who became the first child of European descent born in what is now Crawford County. But trouble wasn't far away. While some of the neighboring Native American Nations were friendly, others proved to be hostile. Fighting began in 1791, and the settlers fled before returning in 1792, building a stockade and blockhouse. All field work was done only by armed parties to guarantee their safety. No settlers moved west of French Creek until 1795.
In 1794, Ruth Mead's death was the first natural death in the settlement, and the next year, David's wife, Agnes, died during childbirth.
In 1797, David Mead built the settlement's first frame house at the foot of what is now Randolph Street, and he married school teacher Jennet Finney, who bore him six more children of which five survived, making him the father of fifteen children overall. While vastly altered, a small portion of that 1797 house still survives.
David served as a justice of the peace until Crawford County was carved from Allegheny County, when he became an associate county judge. During the War of 18 12, he was appointed Major General, helping to build a fleet of ships at Presque Isle to face the British fleet, resulting in victory during the Battle of Lake Erie.
On June 20, 1815, David participated in another historic event at the log courthouse on Diamond Park: the founding of Allegheny College. David Mead passed away on August 23, 1816 at the age of 65.
The Cabin , The David Mead Log Cabin you can see ahead of you is a replica of the original built in 1788 by the Meadville founder. It has two sides: a living space and a classroom space with a dogtrot between. The cabin David built is believed to have had only one of the sides. The replica was built to show what a frontier classroom would have looked like.
A cabin like this one could be erected by a group of men in a few days. Mud and straw would seal the gaps between the logs to keep the cabin warm during winter. Fireplaces were built on the outside to alleviate the danger of burning the cabin down, and small windows prevented intruders from climbing in. Candles made from animal fat or oil lamps would provide lighting.
In 1988, a group of people led by then-City Engineer Kenneth A. Beers worked to construct this log cabin. Like the original cabin, it was built with nearby trees by only nine men. But it was built a little differently. Instead of the mud and straw between the logs that David and his men would have used, Ken and his men used cement. Also, you'll note the metal roof on the cabin today does a much better job of keeping the rain out than the original wood shake shingles, which remain today under the steel. The goal was to commemorate Meadville's founding to serve as an enduring place for residents to come to understand where their town came from. While an original log cabin of the day would not have lasted more than several years, the longevity of the work of these men stands as a monument to the no less enduring tenacity and energy of the original settlers of Meadville.
Want to learn more about Meadville and its founding? Scan the QR code to your right.
Timeline , 1752 . David Mead Born , 1788 . Meadville Founded , 1797 . Mead Builds First Frame House , 1816 . David Mead Died , 1988 . Current Log Cabin Built
[Illustration and photo captions] , . George Washington , . Another Time, Another Snow by John Buxton . This historical marker is in Meadville in Crawford County Pennsylvania
David Mead was born in Hudson, NY on January 17, 1752, the eldest son of Darius and Ruth Curtis Mead of Connecticut. In 1774, he married Agnes Wilson of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and the couple had nine children, of whom five lived to maturity. After the Revolutionary War, they settled in Wyoming, PA, however land disputes led him to seek out new land opportunities. He had read in George Washington's journal a description of the land in what is now northwestern Pennsylvania, and he and his brother John came to investigate. Liking what they saw, they led a group of nine men to the French Creek Valley in the spring of 1788 and set up camp where they built a log cabin and planted corn. Their families later joined them and this first settlement was known as Cussewago.
The next year a few new settlers arrived, including David's parents. David built a sawmill and a mill for grinding grain and his wife Agnes gave birth to a baby named Sara, who became the first child of European descent born in what is now Crawford County. But trouble wasn't far away. While some of the neighboring Native American Nations were friendly, others proved
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
2. Meadville's Founding Marker
(rightmost of two markers at this location David Mead log cabin replica in background)
Click or scan to see
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to be hostile. Fighting began in 1791, and the settlers fled before returning in 1792, building a stockade and blockhouse. All field work was done only by armed parties to guarantee their safety. No settlers moved west of French Creek until 1795. In 1794, Ruth Mead's death was the first natural death in the settlement, and the next year, David's wife, Agnes, died during childbirth.
In 1797, David Mead built the settlement's first frame house at the foot of what is now Randolph Street, and he married school teacher Jennet Finney, who bore him six more children of which five survived, making him the father of fifteen children overall. While vastly altered, a small portion of that 1797 house still survives.
David served as a justice of the peace until Crawford County was carved from Allegheny County, when he became an associate county judge. During the War of 1812, he was appointed Major General, helping to build a fleet of ships at Presque Isle to face the British fleet, resulting in victory during the Battle of Lake Erie.
On June 20, 1815, David participated in another historic event at the log courthouse on Diamond Park: the founding of Allegheny College. David Mead passed away on August 23, 1816 at the age of 65.
The Cabin
The David Mead Log Cabin you can see ahead of you is a replica of the original built in 1788 by the Meadville founder. It
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
3. David Mead Log Cabin Replica (south elevation)
(looking north from marker)A cabin like this one could be erected by a group of men in a few days. Mud and straw would seal the gaps between the logs to keep the cabin warm during winter. Fireplaces were built on the outside to alleviate the danger of burning the cabin down, and small windows prevented intruders from climbing in. Candles made from animal fat or oil lamps would provide lighting.
In 1988, a group of people led by then-City Engineer Kenneth A. Beers worked to construct this log cabin. Like the original cabin, it was built with nearby trees by only nine men. But it was built a little differently. Instead of the mud and straw between the logs that David and his men would have used, Ken and his men used cement. Also, you'll note the metal roof on the cabin today does a much better job of keeping the rain out than the original wood shake shingles, which remain today under the steel. The goal was to commemorate Meadville's founding to serve as an enduring place for residents to come to understand where their town came from. While an original log cabin of the day would not have lasted more than several years, the longevity of the work of these men stands as a monument
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
4. David Mead Log Cabin Replica (north side)
Want to learn more about Meadville and its founding? Scan the QR code to your right.
Timeline
1752 David Mead Born
1788 Meadville Founded
1797 Mead Builds First Frame House
1816 David Mead Died
1988 Current Log Cabin Built
[Illustration and photo captions]
George Washington
Another Time, Another Snow by John Buxton
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Native Americans • Settlements & Settlers • War of 1812. A significant historical year for this entry is 1788.
Location. 41° 38.218′ N, 80° 9.678′ W. Marker is in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in Crawford County. Marker can be reached from North French Street south of Mead Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in Bicentennial Park, on the north side of the parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 42080 North French Street, Meadville PA 16335, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mead Avenue Bridge (here, next to this marker); George Washington Actually Slept Here! (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of the Gibson Tavern (approx. 0.3 miles away); Within This Block (approx. 0.4 miles away);
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
5. David Mead Log Cabin Replica (south side)
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. General David Mead
Also see . . . Meadville, Pennsylvania (Wikipedia). Meadville was settled on May 12, 1788, by a party of settlers led by David Mead. Its location was chosen well, for it lies at the confluence of Cussewago Creek and French Creek, and was only a day's travel by boat to the safety of Fort Franklin. Around 1800, many of the settlers to the Meadville area came after receiving land bounties for service in the Revolutionary War. (Submitted on June 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 14, 2021
6. David Mead Log Cabin Replica (east elevation)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 237 times since then and 50 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
