Beaver in Beaver County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Early Settlement 1772-1799
Photographed By Craig Doda, July 3, 2021
1. Early Settlement 1772-1799 Marker
Inscription.
Early Settlement 1772-1799. . Despite the threat of Indian attack and the hardships of life on the frontier, early white settlers began trickling into the area south of the Ohio River, attracted by fertile farmland, river transportation, and an abundance of natural resources. This area was claimed by the colonies of both Pennsylvania and Virginia, which caused many issues with the administration of government and resulted in overlapping land claims.
With the onset of the Revolutionary War, Indian attacks increased as the British incited the native tribes to wage war on the settlers. But as the Revolution ended and independence was established, the native tribes moved further west, thus opening the land north and west of the Ohio River to settlement. Also during this period, the Pennsylvania and Virginia border dispute vwas finally settled, and the "Point of Beginning” was established as the starting point for all land surveys of the new Northwest Territory.
Ca. 1772 , The earliest recorded white settlers in the county were established on King's Creek and Raccoon Creek (now Hanover Township) by Levi Dungan and others. A part of his original farm is now the Ponderosa golf course.
1772/1773 , George Baker family settled in present-day Center Township.
1775 , The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.
November 1778 , Fort McIntosh was built during the Revolutionary War at the present site of Beaver, becoming the first United States military post on the "Indian side" (northern side) of the Ohio River.
Before 1780 , Thomas White built a three-story grist mill on Raccoon Creek near the mouth of Potato Garden Run. The oldest mill in what is now Beaver County, White's mill marked the boundary with Washington County in 1800 and became part of the Village of Murdocksville. Supposedly, the burrs for the mill were quarried from the Seine River in France.
1783 , The United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris ending the Revolutionary War.
1784 , Mill Creek Presbyterian Church, the oldest religious institution in the county, was established in present-day Greene Township.
January 21, 1785 , The Treaty of Fort Mclntosh with the Delaware, Wyandot, Ottawa and Chippewa nations opened up the Northwest Territory for settlement.
August 23, 1785 , The "Point of Beginning” was established on the north bank of the Ohio River on the border of Pennsylvania for use in measuring all lands in the Northwest Territories. The original marker is now covered by the Ohio River.
1792 , The first settlements are made on the north side of the Ohio River by Nicholas Dawson, Neal McLaughlin, William Foulkes and William Williams.
November 1792 , General "Mad” Anthony Wayne established Legion Ville near the former Logs Town site to begin training his troops for war against the Indians.
April 21, 1794 , Service Theological Seminary (Eudolpha Hall), founded by Dr. John Anderson, became the first seminary west of the Allegheny Mountains and only the second in the nation.
Ca. 1799 , John Wolf established a flour mill on the east bank of the Beaver River at the middle falls (present-day New Brighton). David Townsend erected a savw mill at the lower falls (present-day Fallston). These were the earliest recorded mills north of the Ohio River. Dr. Samuel Adams settled at the upper falls of the Beaver River (Eastvale), becoming the earliest physician to practice in the county.
Despite the threat of Indian attack and the hardships of life on the frontier, early white settlers began trickling into the area south of the
Ohio River, attracted by fertile farmland, river transportation, and an abundance of natural resources. This area was claimed by the
colonies of both Pennsylvania and Virginia, which caused many issues with the administration of government and resulted in overlapping
land claims.
With the onset of the Revolutionary War, Indian attacks increased as the British incited the native tribes to wage war on the settlers. But
as the Revolution ended and independence was established, the native tribes moved further west, thus opening the land north and west
of the Ohio River to settlement. Also during this period, the Pennsylvania and Virginia border dispute vwas finally settled, and the "Point of
Beginning” was established as the starting point for all land surveys of the new Northwest Territory.
Ca. 1772
The earliest recorded white settlers in the county were
established on King's Creek and Raccoon Creek (now
Hanover Township) by Levi Dungan and others. A part
of his original farm is now the Ponderosa golf course.
1772/1773
George Baker family settled in
present-day Center Township.
1775
The first shots of the Revolutionary War
were fired at Lexington and
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Concord,
Massachusetts.
November 1778
Fort McIntosh was built
during the Revolutionary War
at the present site of Beaver,
becoming the first United States
military post on the "Indian side"
(northern side) of the Ohio River.
Before 1780
Thomas White built a three-story grist mill on
Raccoon Creek near the mouth of Potato Garden
Run. The oldest mill in what is now Beaver County,
White's mill marked the boundary with Washington
County in 1800 and became part of the Village of
Murdocksville. Supposedly, the burrs for the mill
were quarried from the Seine River in France.
1783
The United States and Great
Britain signed the Treaty of Paris
ending the Revolutionary War.
1784
Mill Creek Presbyterian Church,
the oldest religious institution in
the county, was established in
present-day Greene Township.
January 21, 1785
The Treaty of Fort Mclntosh with the
Delaware, Wyandot, Ottawa and
Chippewa nations opened up the
Northwest Territory for settlement.
August 23, 1785
The "Point of Beginning” was established on the
north bank of the Ohio River on the border of
Pennsylvania for use in measuring all lands in the
Northwest Territories. The original marker is now
covered by the Ohio River.
1792
The first settlements are made on
the north side of the Ohio River by
Nicholas Dawson, Neal McLaughlin,
William
Photographed By Craig Doda, July 3, 2021
2. Early Settlement 1772-1799 Marker
Foulkes and William Williams.
November 1792
General "Mad” Anthony Wayne
established Legion Ville near the
former Logs Town site to begin
training his troops for war
against the Indians.
April 21, 1794
Service Theological Seminary
(Eudolpha Hall), founded by
Dr. John Anderson, became
the first seminary west of
the Allegheny Mountains
and only the second in
the nation.
Ca. 1799
John Wolf established a flour mill on the east
bank of the Beaver River at the middle falls
(present-day New Brighton). David Townsend
erected a savw mill at the lower falls (present-day
Fallston). These were the earliest recorded mills
north of the Ohio River. Dr. Samuel Adams
settled at the upper falls of the Beaver River
(Eastvale), becoming the earliest physician to
practice in the county.
Location. 40° 41.883′ N, 80° 17.817′ W. Marker is in Beaver, Pennsylvania, in Beaver County. Marker is on East End Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Beaver PA 15009, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 13, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 11, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 241 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 11, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
