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From: "Donna Mohney" <>
Subject: [PABEAVER-L] Yohogania- Probably more than you wanted to know!!
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 22:11:17 -0400
References: <41200263522458180@earthlink.net>


Some notes I kept from the Washington County Mailing list and other
resources: (My Nicholas Van Eman, Senior was settled there in 1774 or so.

Donna


The land office at Philadelphia opened April 3-1769 and began taking
applications for land in southwestern Pennsylvania. So began the movement of
settlers to this region, coming from Maryland, Virginia and eastern
Pennsylvania. The first settlements were made on bottom land or along
streams. Orders of survey were issued. These had to be followed up by a
warrant-to-accept and a patent. Many persons simply settled and applied
later.
Not until the formation of Bedford County in 1771 was there legal
jurisdiction. Two years later Westmoreland County was formed. Washington
County was a part of Pitt Township. In 1776 Virginia, claiming
jurisdiction, formed Monongalia, Ohio and Yohogania Counties. See map. The
formation of Washington County in 1781 ended the dispute with Virginia.
Monongalia County and Ohio County continue to this day as West Virginia
counties. Yohogania County has disappeared, although its court records have
been published and the estate and deed records are in Washington County deed
books B, C, E.
Land grants were made 1769-1775. From December 2-1776 to July
1-1784 there were none. From July 1-1784 to December 31-1786 there
were many surveys on land often settled much earlier. When the
Virginia-Pennsylvania boundary dispute was settled, it was agreed that
persons who thought they were in Virginia could apply for a Virginia
certificate, which would be honored by Pennsylvania. They had to have put in
a corn crop or have lived a year on the land. The dates given for
southwestern Pennsylvania tell when the settlers came.
==========
Important Events in Washington County Before 1800
1769 Land office opened for applications
1771 Bedford county formed; David Hoge bought town of Washington land
1773 Westmoreland County formed from Bedford; First Baptist ministers
1774 Dunmore's War agains the Indians
1775 West Augusta District of Virginia formed, including present Washington
County
1776 Yohogania, Monongalia and Ohio Counties formed from W Augusta
Pennsylvania land office closed
1777 Council of War at Catfish Camp (Washington); Militia organized - oath
of allegiance required
1778 First Presbyterian ministers
1779 Virginia issues land certificates
1780 Virginia makes land surveys
1781 Washington County formed from Westmoreland, includes present
Washington, Greene and southern Allegheny; Virginia jurisdiction ends
Town of Washington laid out
1782 Last Indian attack at Rice's fort; Registration of slaves required
Petition for new state circulated; First tax list, 2914 taxables; 1783 3315
taxables, 2217 houses, 16399 inhabitants (402 black)
1784 Land office reopened; First Methodist ministers; Boundary of
southwestern Pennsylvania made permanent;
1785 First Society of Friends in county
1787 Washington Academy chartered First courthouse built
1788 Allegheny County formed from Washington; First Lutheran-Reformed Church
in county; Registration of slave children required
1789 First Episcopal Church in county
1790 Federal Census (including Greene) - 23866 persons, 3965 heads of
families
1791 Second courthouse built
1793 3917 taxables
1794 Canonsburg Academy chartered; Whiskey Insurrection
1795 Markethouse in Washington; First newspaper, Western Telegraph
1796 Greene County formed from Washington
1798 Federal window tax - 3258 houses - 709 over $100
**********
Youghiogane County
To begin where Ohio County does, viz, where the division line between
Maryland & Pennsylvania continued in the same course westward strikes the
Monongahela. Thence down the River Monongahela to the Allegany River & up
the said Allegany River to the western boundary line of the state of
Pennsylvania. Thence along the said western boundary line of the state of
Pennsylvania to the southern boundary line of the said state of
Pennsylvania. Thence eastward along the said southern boundary line of the
state of Pennsylvania to the meridian of the westward boundary line of
Maryland. Thence south to the northwest corner or boundary of Maryland.
Thence west to the place of beginning.
And it is uncertain where the western & southern boundary lines of
Pennsylvania will fall or be fixed, when the line of property shall be run.
Suppose until then the said boundary should be pointed out as follows. To
begin at the mouth of Plum Run and up the same to the head thereof. Thence
to the bullock pens in tenure of a certain William Elliot. Thence along the
great road to the widow Mires. Thence (crossed out) along the new Virginia
Road to Stewart's Crossings. Thence along the same road by Guess's along the
new Virginia Road - Braddock old road (as proposed by the Honorable
Convention of Virginia to the Convention of Pennsylvania) a temporary
boundary between the two states to the boundary of Maryland.
Remarks. This is a very compact figure nearly the same size as the other two
counties. The center of it would be somewhere about the mouth of Jacobs
Creek in a fertile & populous country. By this division (there is) no
inhabitant of the 3 counties would have to cross any difficult water when
obliged to attend at courts or other public meetings.
Additional remark. The inhabitants settled between the Laurel Hill & the
Allegany Mountain along Cheat River, Tygart Valley & Greenbrier are
sufficient for a fourth county or they might remain in Augusta, or be
included in Monongahela County by extending the first line to the Allegany
Hill. Memorandum.
Every foot of Youghiogane County as above proposed is claimed by
Pennsylvania, and as the Monongahela is the extent of their present claim,
the Proceedings in the courts of the undisputed parts of Virginia, would
not, should this division be adopted, be interrupted or party quarrels arise
in them.
-------
The Pennsylvania-Virginia Boundry Controversy
After the treaty of Fort Stanwix on November 5-1768 land in western
Pennsylvania became available for settlement. The land office opened at
Philadelphia April 3-1769 for grants of up to 300 acres. Twenty orders of
survey were issued that day for land in present Washington County, then a
part of Cumberland County.
As early as 1754 Pennsylvania and Virginia authorities were arguing over
which colony Fort Pitt was in. In 1763 Pennsylvania and Maryland agreed on
the southern boundry of Pennsylvania - 30 o 43.4'. Two years later Mason
Dixon began to survey the line and set up markers. It started where the
western extension of the line reached the west bank of the Delaware river.
It then was to run west for 5 degrees of longitude (20 minutes of time) or
267 miles.
By the fall of 1767 Mason and Dixon had reached a point near Mount Morris,
Greene County 244 miles west of the Delaware. With 23 miles to go they were
stopped by Indians who said, No farther. This left the western boundary of
Pennsylvania uncertain.
Settlers poured in from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The ambiguous
charter of Virginia led that colony to claim the land west of Laurel Hill.
The matter came to a head with the formation of Bedford County March 9-1771.
Many claimed that Bedford County had no control over the region. Feelings
intensified with the formation of Westmoreland County February 26-1773.
On December 6-1775 Virginia formed the district of West Augusta to include
the southern half of Pennsylvania west to Laurel Hill. The first Virginia
court was held February 21-1775. On July 25-1775 the Continental Congress
addressed the inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Virginia west of Laurel Hill,
expressing concern as to the boundary disagreement. On November 8-1776 West
Augusta was divided into Ohio, Yohogania and Monongalia Counties.
Westmoreland County had limited control east of the Monongahela river. The
Va Counties had complete control west of the river, including taxes and
militia. This ended with the boundary settlement in the summer of 1780. In
the period from 1776 to 1782 there was considerable agitation for settling
the dispute by forming a new state west of the mountains. numerous petitions
were circulated, bu the formation of Washington County March 28-1781 slowed
down the action: nothing happened.
In the fall of 1782 a temporary extension of the southern boundary was made.
This was made permanent in the fall of 1784 by comparing astronomical
observations of the moons of Jupiter at both ends of the 5o line. The
western boundary had yet to be run. It was about 80o 31.4' west longitude.
In the summer of 1785 the line was run from the southwest corner of the
state north to the Ohio river and a year later to Lake Erie. The northern
boundary of Pennsylvania was 42o north latitude, the eastern boundary the
Delaware river.
As to the land a compromise was reached. Pennsylvania had issued many orders
of survey in 1769 and a number of warrants 1770-76. The land office closed
December 2-1776 and did not reopen for western Pennsylvania until July
1-1784. Pennsylvania then began issuing warrants for two types of
applications:
(1) those made through regular Pennsylvania channels,
(2) those made by virtue of Virginia certificates.
Virginia authorities in 1779-80 had issued certificates to persons, who,
thinking they were in Virginia, had made bonafide settlements (a corn crop
or one year's residence) before January 1-1778. No more than 400 acres could
be claimed and proof of the date of settlement had to be made. Virginia went
farther and actually made 27 surveys in Yohogania County in 1780, 20 on
Pigeon Creek; and 34 surveys in the Pennsylvania part of Ohio County, 23 on
Buffalo creek. By 1785 most persons seemed satisfied. They now knew in which
state they were living. A more complete account of the boundary controversy
can be found in Boyd Crumrine's HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

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