History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf

      CHAPTER LV. EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND EDUCATION.

      The ill-starred expedition of Gen. Braddock (an interesting sketch of which will be found elsewhere in this work, in the chapter on the French and Indian war) doubtless exerted a powerful influence in the early settlement of Allegany. The forces rendezvoused at Fort Cumberland, where they remained for a considerable time, and the expedition passed through the heart of the county both going and returning. Many of those attached to it remained in this section permanently, while others, attracted by the natural resources of the region, either returned later and settled in Allegany, or induced others to do so. An amount of exploration was accomplished, moreover, which would have required many years by the slower process of individual enterprise, and thus it will be perceived how benefits often spring from those events which at the time are regarded as unqualified misfortunes. The most available points for crossing the steep and rugged mountains were in many instances determined, and the shallow places in rivers and streams ascertained. Localities which have since become prominent in the history of the county were at that time brought into notice. " Little Meadows" and " Great Meadows," " Little Crossings" and " Great Crossings," figure prominently in Braddock's march through this portion of Maryland. The experiences of Washington and other engineers attached to the expedition doubtless laid the foundations for the great national highway which was subsequently constructed through this part of the State.

      An Englishman named Evart was the first white man who penetrated the wilds of the mountainous regions of Allegany County, after whom are named Evart's, or as it is now generally written, Evitt's, Creek and Evitt's Mountain. Evart built his cabin on the top of Evitt's Mountain, at the point where Evitt's Creek rounds its steep and rugged point, some seven miles east of Cumberland, and about six or seven from the valley of the Potomac, — the Indian trail from Conococheague to the West. A portion of the rude chimney of his cabin is still remaining. He died before 1749, prior to which time the white settlements had not penetrated farther west than the Conococheague, now in Washington County, and even there the fierce struggle for the possession of the country was still going on between the whites and the aborigines.

      Some difficulties were thrown in the way of bona fide settlers, moreover, by the action of the last proprietary of Maryland. He directed that no land warrants should be issued until ten thousand acres had been surveyed for himself in the territory west of Fort Cumberland. In the effort to gratify his wishes 127,680 acres were surveyed in different tracts. The board of judges of the Land Office was subsequently notified that the prohibition no longer existed, and, as sometimes happens in this enlightened age, a job was developed, or at least very strongly suspected. Notice that the Land Office was opened for the perfection of titles, was given in such a manner that those who had braved the toils and dangers of life to establish a home for themselves and their families could not possibly avail themselves of it in time to secure the fruits of their enterprise, while the wealthier class of speculators in the vicinity of the seat of government were enabled to pre-empt, to use a more modern term, the most valuable lands belonging to the public domain. Mr. Jenifer, the agent of the proprietary, fully exposed the injustice of the board, and a sharp controversy ensued, from which the agent emerged with flying colors, and rules were established for the governance of the whole subject which assured the rights of the early settlers. The previous instructions of the proprietary, however, doubtless had the effect of retarding emigration to this portion of the province.

      The settlement of the county dates before the formation of the " Ohio Company." Col. Thomas Cresap, the bold pioneer and Indian-fighter, located himself at Oldtown, on the north fork of the Potomac, with his own and other families, in 1741. On Jan. 15, 1755, the proprietary Governor, Horatio Sharpe, accompanied by Sir John St. Clair, set out from Annapolis to visit the camp at Mount Pleasant, on Will's Creek, and returned February 2nd. They found the settlement thriving, notwithstanding the threatened appearance of the Indians. In 1756 Fort Cumberland (" Mount Pleasant") mounted ten carriage cannon, and contained a garrison of four hundred men, and May 5th of that year Capt. Dagworthy was in command.

      On Feb. 11, 1762, a communication was published in the Maryland Gazette calling the attention of the public to the great advantages that would arise from " the opening of the Potomac River, and making it passable for small craft from Fort Cumberland, at Will's Creek, to the Great Falls," which would facilitate the commerce of Maryland and Virginia, and asking for subscriptions, which were to be paid to Col. George Mercer and Col. Thomas Prather, treasurers. The following were appointed managers and authorized to solicit subscriptions: in Virginia, George Mercer, Jacob Hite, William Ramsay, John Carlyle, John Hite, Joseph Watson, James Keith, James Hamilton, John Hough, John Patterson, and Abraham Hite; in Maryland, Rev. Thomas Bacon, Dr. David Ross, Christopher Lowndes, Thomas Cresap, Benjamin Chambers, Jonathan Hager, Thomas Prather, John Cary, Caspar Shaaf, Robert Peter, and Evan Shelby, any eight of whom were a sufficient number to proceed to business. The first meeting was held in Frederick Town, in May, 1762.

      At the close of the French and Indian war the settlements rapidly increased until the Revolution, when immigration practically ceased. After the peace of 1783 new settlers flocked in from the old counties of the State, from Pennsylvania and Virginia, and from Europe. The population increased to such an extent that the inhabitants became tired and impatient of going so far as Hagerstown to transact their court and other public business, and agitated the question of a new county, with the county-seat at Cumberland.

      The General Assembly in 1777, as is shown elsewhere, enacted that a bounty of fifty acres should be granted to every able-bodied recruit who should serve three years in the American army, and one hundred acres to each recruiting officer who enlisted twenty men. By the act of 1781 these lands were to be located in the State west of Fort Cumberland. By the act of 1787, Francis Deakins was appointed to survey these lands, and his report showed that forty-one hundred and sixty-five lots of fifty acres each had been laid off, and that three hundred and twenty-three families were settled on six hundred and thirty-six of said lots already improved and cultivated. By the act of 1788 these settlers were allowed to purchase their lots at prices varying from five to twenty shillings per acre, in three equal payments of one, two, and three years. By subsequent acts the Maryland officers and soldiers were secured in the lots to which they were entitled for military services. The following is from the Maryland Journal of Friday, July 3, 1789: