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Home , Christopher Gist, Edward Braddock, Shingas

Uncharted, by Robert Griffing. Courtesy the artist and Paramount Press.

M AKING Christopher Gist may not be a name recognized by most Western Pennsylvanians today, but in the mid-18th century, particularly in the colonies of Maryland, , , and , he was widely known. George , Edward Braddock, , , and prominent Eastern Woodland Chiefs, such as Shingas, Guyusuta, and Tanaghrisson, the Seneca governor of , all knew Gist. He played an intriguing role in early American history, and his most dramatic adventures took place in Western Pennsylvania.

AKING HISTORY IN THE WILDERNESS

CHRISTOPHER GIST’S EXPLORATIONS M INTO WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

By Robert and Kathleen Millward

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 23 L ittle is known about Gist’s early life. He was born about 1706 near , Maryland, the town his father, Figures of Christopher Richard Gist, helped lay out, and he most likely Gist and Chief Guyasuta once guarded the learned from him the art of surveying. But as entrance to the Manchester one historian observes: “His easy grasp of the Bridge. These sculptures elements of geography and mineralogy show are now housed in a that his education consisted of considerably Canonsburg warehouse. Bruce Cridlebaugh. more than mere study of the basic fundamentals of surveying.”1 In addition to his informal education, which probably included working on his father’s plantation, clerking in his mercantile business, and learning how to in 1732 when he was just 26. His fur warehouse and trading posts. Gist was hired to scout out trap furs, Christopher and his siblings may caught fire, and he lost almost everything. In the best land for the company and to keep a have studied with a private tutor. His father today’s currency, his 10,000 pounds sterling daily record of his progress. In return for his could have afforded it, and it is clear that “his loss would amount to about $2 million. Over service, the Company paid him 150 pounds English and spelling are much above the the next decade, Gist’s debts continued, and he sterling ($30,000). This was no small sum of average Virginian” when reading his journals.2 was eventually forced to sell nearly all of his money in 1750, considering that an itinerant Schools were rare on the frontier, so those who possessions to pay off moneylenders. In 1745, teacher made 8-10 pounds sterling per year, wanted their children to have a good education possibly to avoid creditors, he moved his family and a financially successful blacksmith seldom paid for it. Prospective marriage partners were to a farm along the Yadkin River in North made more than 20-25. almost as scarce as schools, and the three Carolina, “a location out on the extreme Gist started his exploration of the Howard sisters who lived on the farm frontier.”4 At that time, North Carolina served Pennsylvania frontier (much of which was also adjoining the Gist homestead later became the as a safe haven for those who wanted to escape claimed by Virginia) and the frontier in wives of Christopher and his two brothers. debtor’s prison. “It was here,” according to late October 1750 accompanied by a 17-year- There were over 400 traders roaming the Bailey, “that he became noted far and wide for old servant, most likely a slave. At this time Pennsylvania and Ohio frontiers in the mid- his abilities as a surveyor.”5 Gist also met Daniel there were no roads into Western 18th century, but few were like Gist—on their Boone after relocating to North Carolina where Pennsylvania, so Gist and his servant traveled way to becoming a millionaire by their early he most likely traded furs with the Cherokees. through the wilderness on horseback, starting 20s. Gist joined in the lucrative fur trade in the Before establishing himself as an from the ’s trading post at Wills late 1720s and soon saw an opportunity to important figure on the Western Pennsylvania Creek (present-day Cumberland, Maryland). significantly increase his income. The majority landscape, Gist made a name for himself as a From there, they followed an old Indian trail of the traders in the Ohio Valley might make frontiersman. Although Daniel Boone is (present-day Raystown Road) to Shannopin’s enough profit on beaver and deer pelts to buy usually remembered as the pioneer who Town (near present-day 40th and Butler a new supply of trade goods for their return opened up Kentucky, Gist actually explored streets). Gist noted in his diary that he dared trip to the frontier,3 but it was the fur buyers in northern Kentucky 18 years before Boone’s not let the village warriors see that he was Carlisle, Philadelphia, and Baltimore who adventures began. By 1750, Gist’s reputation carrying a surveying compass because the made enormous profits by buying beaver and had caught the attention of the directors of the Delaware knew that an Englishman with a deer pelts from the traders and then selling the Ohio Company, who had just been allocated compass was not a good thing.6 furs to manufacturing firms in England. This 200,000 acres (approximately 350 square Winter soon descended upon the pair, is what Gist did. miles) of land by the King of England. This and after buying corn for their horses, they By the early 1730s, Gist owned extensive huge land area was awarded with the provision crossed the Allegheny and arrived at Logstown farmlands, property in Baltimore, servants, that the Ohio Company attract 100 families to (near present-day Ambridge, Beaver County). livestock, and a farm house, but tragedy struck establish farms on the land, along with forts With over 40 log cabins, a council meeting

24 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 T he Pennsylvania forest contained trees 200 feet tall with a canopy so thick that 80 percent of the sunlight was blocked from reaching the forest floor.

Walking Among The Giants, by Robert Griffing. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 25 Courtesy of the artist and Paramount Press. house, and numerous bark wigwams, it was During the winter, Gist could get a better one of the largest and most important Indian villages in Pennsylvania at this time and a major British trading center.7 But when Gist feel for the geographical features of the arrived, the village chiefs were away on a hunting trip, so finding “scarce any Body but a land. High ridges would have permitted Parcel of reprobate Indian Traders,”8 Gist continued westward. views of vast stretches of He would return to Logstown two years later to convene a treaty conference with the potential farmland as well Seneca Chief Tanaghrisson, the village’s leader. Tanaghrisson was known as “the Half King,” a as the best locations for Ohio Company native term roughly equivalent to “governor.” This conference would turn out to be a “critical trading posts and forts. gathering” of native leaders, according to historian Fred Anderson, “because it secured an important concession” for the Ohio Company: “Half King, persuaded no less by Pennsylvania interpreter was important since On Monday, November 4, 1751, the thousand pounds ($200,000) of gifts that he could speak French, English, Delaware, Christopher and his 18-year-old son had heaped on the ground before him Shawnee, and several languages. The began this five-month expedition. Traveling than by the assurances of goodwill that he and town of Montour is named after him. In all, through the Western Pennsylvania wilderness [trader George] Croghan were piling up even Gist traveled over 1,200 miles and met many on horseback during the coldest days of the higher,” agreed to the construction of a important native leaders during this first year was no easy task, slogging through sleet, fortified trading post where the three rivers expedition. He returned home in May 1751, snow, freezing rain, and bitterly cold mountain met and “remained silent” about the but not for long. The Ohio Company, streams. Their journey was constantly encroachment of white settlers onto Indian apparently impressed with his report, impeded by the vagaries of Pennsylvania land that his consent made inevitable.9 commissioned him to make another weather, often forcing them to stop. Journal But in 1750, as Gist and his servant were expedition, this time to explore the lands in entries describing inclement weather were heading west, they were joined by nine fur Western Pennsylvania and Virginia that lay common: “Rained hard and We could not traders. The group arrived at a huge Wyandot along the south bank of the . Travel … From Saturday 21 to Tuesday Jan 7 Village on the River, and it was in On his second trip, Gist was directed to we stayed at this Place, We had good deal of this village of nearly 200 native families that explore the land from the Monongahela to the Snow and bad Weather.”13 Gist met two important men on the Great Kanawa River in western Virginia to find Another problem Gist and his son had to Pennsylvania frontier: and suitable land for farming and a good location deal with upon venturing into Pennsylvania’s . Croghan, a “flamboyant, for a fortified trading post. In addition, he was backwoods was its incredibly dense forest, hard-drinking” Irishman10 was well-liked by the to locate the best and shortest route for which offered almost no browse for horses. On Indians and soon gained prominence as “King building a road from Will’s Creek to the this trip, Gist probably had a small pack train of the Traders,”11 but the French eventually Monongahela and keep a detailed journal consisting of at least six horses: two for riding, confiscated all of Croghan’s trading posts in the identifying good farmland, the kinds of timber one for carrying supplies and trade goods, and Ohio Valley, wiping him out of several million growing in the region, and the location of three for carrying corn and fodder for the dollars of merchandise. Andrew Montour, son every river that flowed into the Ohio. The Ohio horses since the forest floor was barren of of well-known interpreter Madam Montour Company was well aware that the French grass. Huge white pine forests reaching heights (probably the only woman on the frontier to be already claimed ownership of “La Belle of 200 feet or more would have stretched for given a man’s wages), was an important ally of Riviere,” as well as all waters flowing into the miles, the pines’ trunks averaging 12 feet in the British because of his knowledge of Eastern Ohio and all the land on both sides of said circumference. Gist also would have navigated Woodland culture.12 His expertise as a rivers, but they preferred to ignore this fact. through enormous stands of maples, oaks, and

26 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 would have been too busy planting and harvesting crops, but by late October, the day- to-day farm chores could have been handled by Gist’s younger teenage sons. A winter exploration would have been free of horseflies, mosquitoes, fleas, deer flies, copperheads, and rattlesnakes.15 During the winter, Gist could get a better feel for the geographical features of the land. Once all the leaves were on the ground, high ridges would have permitted views of vast stretches of potential farmland as well as the best location for Ohio Company trading posts and forts. By late November, Gist arrived at the foot of the Laurel Ridge where he and his son spent six days inspecting the land around present- day Connellsville, Uniontown, Republic, and Brownsville. On a Saturday in early December, Gist arrived at ’s village located on Dunlap’s Creek near Brownsville, and during his two-day stay, Nemacolin complained to Gist about how his father, a respected Delaware chief, had been cheated out of land that was given to him by the Penn family. Gist relayed the complaint in his journal: The Proprieter of Pennsylvania granted my Father a Tract of Land beginning eight Miles below the Forks of Brandy Wine Creek … The White people now live on Christopher Gist by these Lands, and will neither let Me have Fred Threlfall shows Them, nor pay Me any Thing for Them … Christopher Gist and I desire that you let the Governor and his horse plodding Great Men in Virginia know this. It may be through the snow, ice, they will tell the great King of it….16 and rain of a Western Pennsylvania winter. But Nemacolin’s plea most likely fell on Courtesy of the artist. deaf ears. Gist’s final comment on the Delaware leader’s understandable grievance is revealing: “This I was obliged to insert in my Journal to please the Indian.”17 After leaving Nemacolin’s village, Gist black walnuts, their trunks averaging 18 feet in was always on the lookout for meadows or and his son camped in a rock shelter near circumference as well as immense cottonwood former Indian villages where his horses could present-day Isabella along the Monongahela trees growing along the banks of the rivers find lush grasses and thus have a chance to River and continued to record land features often reaching 45 feet in circumference.14 The renew their strength. up and down the eastern shore of the river. He streams flowing through this massive forest There are several explanations as to why recorded this camping place in his journal: would have resembled narrow ribbons of ink Gist waited until late fall to begin his At this place is a large cavity in a rock during the summer because the forest canopy, expeditions when severe winter weather about 30 feet long and 20 feet wide and which stretched across both sides of the conditions could be so treacherous. Perhaps about 7 feet high and even floor—The stream, blocked out almost all sunlight. Gist during the summer and fall, Gist and his sons entrance into it is so large and open that

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 27 Blacksmith of Venango, by John Buxton, portrays Ohio Valley trader John Frazier, who was also an expert at repairing rifles. The Delaware, Wyandot, and told him that he could come and live upon Shawnee, and Seneca the Monongahela. welcomed him for such skills. In the fall of 1752, Gist built a log Courtesy of the artist. structure at the foot of Laurel Ridge where he, his wife Sarah, and several of his children lived. Some accounts assert that 11 families erected cabins in the area of the Gist plantation, but their names were not recorded. Gist himself probably did not live at his new settlement for extended periods of time,24 but it served as the beginning of what would become Mt. Braddock, right outside Uniontown, Pennsylvania. A year later, Gist was once again employed by the Ohio Company to lead an expedition into the backwoods, and it was this trip that secured his place in American history. On November 14, 1753, Gist met 21-year- old , the man he was hired to guide through the wilderness.25 Gist agreed to lead Washington on a mission to deliver a it lets in plenty of light, and close by it is Unfortunately, no trace of this rock remains letter to the French demanding that they stop a stream [Watson’s Run] of fine water.18 today.21 building forts in the Ohio Valley and return The rock shelter where he and Nathaniel camped By late February, Gist reached the Great immediately to French Canada. In addition to 19 for six evenings is hardly discernable today. Kanawha River. From here, he and Nathaniel Gist, Barney Curran and John McQuire were The next day they crossed the Mon and began their return trip toward Western hired as hunters, William Jenkins and Henry explored present-day Greene and Washington Pennsylvania while scouting the land along the Stuart as traders, and Jacob Van Braam, counties, but the weather was so cold that Ohio River Valley. One day, while they were Washington’s former fencing instructor, as a Nathaniel’s feet became frostbitten, and they trying to assemble a log raft to cross the French interpreter. At the conclusion of their had to remain in camp for over two weeks. We Monongahela, a Delaware warrior, who spoke first day of travel, however, Gist was faced with do know, however, that Gist and his son had very good English, suddenly approached them a personal dilemma: whether or not to leave plenty of food throughout this expedition with a compelling question: He wanted to the expedition to take care of his son Nathaniel because Gist’s journal reveals that they killed know “where the Indian’s Land lay, for the who “lay sick at the mouth of the numerous deer, four elk, six bears, plenty of French claimed all the Land on one side of the Conegocheaque River.” Gist’s skills as an turkeys, six buffaloes, and one fox. They must River Ohio and the English on the other experienced guide were something have cured many of these valuable skins since side….”22 Gist, understanding full well the Washington was reluctant to lose, even one of his entries describes his return trip as political ramifications of the Delaware’s temporarily, so Gist continued with the somewhat slow because they had “a good question, chose his words carefully: mission, noting in his journal, “Washington 20 many skins to carry.” We … are all one King’s People and the and all the company unwilling I should return, Throughout most of February, Gist and different Colour of our Skins makes no I wrote and sent medicines to my son, and so Difference in the King’s Subjects: You his son explored what is now , and continued my journey….”26 Nathaniel are his People as well as We, if you will near the town of present-day Elizabeth, north take the land and pay the Kings Rights recovered, later married the daughter of a of Charleston, Gist left history a brief record of You will have these same Privileges as Cherokee chief, and became the father of his presence. On a large moss-covered rock, he the White People have.”23 George Gist, better known as , “cut with a Chizzel in large Letters”: Gist’s response must have been received with inventor of the Cherokee alphabet.27 THE OHIO COMPANY favor in the Delaware village because two days After plodding through snow for three FEBY 1751 later, the same warrior returned to Gist’s camp days, they stayed at Gist’s plantation overnight. BY CHRISTOPHER GIST

28 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 G Four days later, the expedition arrived at the ist agreed to lead Washington on a trading post of John Frazier (or Fraser) located across the Mon at the mouth of Turtle Creek mission to deliver a letter to the French, (near present-day Braddock, across the river from Park). A well-established fur which demanded that they trader, blacksmith, and gunsmith, Frazier had a life filled with adventure. His Venango post stop building forts in the was confiscated by the French; his post at Turtle Creek was later burned to the ground, Ohio Valley. and his wife was captured by the Indians. Frazier lent Washington’s party a canoe to carry their baggage to the point where the three rivers met. In the mid-18th century, the area we know as the City of was a densely forested wilderness described as a place “not easily capable of culture.”28 The most populated area would have been the 20-family village, Shannopin’s Town, a major trading center where about 80 Delawares lived. Whites found in Western Pennsylvania at this time would have been mostly traders living in “miserable” log cabins.29 What we now know as the Point, “the land that was soon to engross the attention of the world,”30 was barren of human habitation. The land was “Low swampy ground much infested with venomous Serpents and Mosquetose” according to Lewis Evans, Philadelphia’s best known cartographer,31 but Washington looked at the Point and saw what Half-King had seen earlier—the strategic value of the area between the forks: I spent some time in viewing the rivers and the land in the fork, which I think extremely well situated for a fort; as it has the absolute command of both rivers … and a considerable bottom of flat, well-timbered land all around it very convenient for building.”32 As the expedition started down the Ohio, they stopped to visit Shingas, a prominent Delaware chief whose village was located at McKee’s Rocks—the spot originally proposed by the Ohio Company as a good location for a fort. Shingas would later strike terror among Domain of Three Nations, by John the English settlers across the frontier, but in Buxton, shows 21-year-old Major 1753, he was an English ally. They reached George Washington handing the French a letter from the Governor of Virginia warning them to leave the Ohio Valley. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 29 Courtesy of the artist. days to have the letter translated and a diplomatic response prepared, but this delay gave Washington a good chance to gather some useful intelligence. He quietly estimated the number of French soldiers and cannons LAKE ERIE guarding the fort and counted 50 birch bark ER IV R Y and 170 dugout canoes. N

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H A worked until night…. The ice was so hard we G WILLS N O N CREEK couldn’t break through…. The creek began to R O IVE R M CUMBERLAND, IO be very low, and we were forced to get out … H MARYLAND O several times; the weather freezing to our KENT 33 UCK clothes.” In view of the constant delays, Y R IV E R Washington decided more progress would be made walking. Noting that their horses were KENTUCKY extremely “weak and feeble” and that “the FRONTIER roads were becoming much worse,”34 he and Gist began their three-week journey home through heavy snow and freezing YADK IN R I V temperatures with just their rifles and a few

E R provisions in their backpacks. Neither man First Exploration for the Ohio Company 1750-1751 seemed to mind not being home for Christmas. Washington never mentioned it, Second Exploration for the Ohio Company 1751-1752 and Gist noted only that they slept in an Serving as a guide for George Washington 1753-1754 abandoned Indian cabin and that “the Major was much fatigued.”35 The next day Washington and Gist met an Logstown on the last Saturday in November, told Washington that the trip to the French Indian whom Gist had seen before at Venango. and Washington explained his mission to fort would take six days and also described the He noted, “This fellow called me by my Indian Monakatootha, an Oneida/Mingo chief who disdain that the French commander had for name, and pretended to be glad to see me.” But then sent out runners to find Half-King, who the Seneca in the Ohio Valley. the Indian roused Gist’s suspicions when he was familiar with Gist from the 1752 meeting After traveling for five days through snow asked questions about their trip—where they about building a trading post at the forks of and freezing rain, Washington and his fellow left their horses and when their horses would the Ohio River. travelers arrived at Venango. Rain, snow, high arrive. Gist, however, didn’t reveal his uneasy On Sunday afternoon, Half-King arrived creeks, and worn-out horses made the Fort feeling. Washington wanted to find the nearest at Logstown and met privately with LeBoeuf trip miserable. Gist described how the way to the forks of the Allegheny, and this Washington and his interpreter, John icy creeks and freezing rain wore down the native traveler agreed to lead them, so they set Davidson. Half-King’s role at Logstown was to horses until they were utterly incapable of travel. off, presumably toward the Allegheny. But after safeguard the interests of the Iroquois Nation After some diplomatic delays, Washington about 10 miles, Gist noted that the Indian was who had lived for hundreds of years on the delivered Dinwiddie’s letter to St. Pierre, the not traveling southeast but northeast. Then, land the French and English now claimed. He French commander. St. Pierre needed several when Washington wanted to stop and encamp,

30 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 the Indian asked to carry Washington’s gun. day. Just before sunset, they started across, but Washington’s description, although When Washington refused, the trouble began. before long, Washington narrowly escaped subdued, includes the drama of detail: Gist detailed the incident in his journal: another near-tragic event. Both men recorded before we were halfway over, we were the Indian grew churlish, and pressed us this hair-raising drama rather matter-of- jammed in the ice, in such a manner, that we expected every moment our raft to keep on telling us that there were factly in their journals. Gist’s account is Ottowa Indians in these woods and they to sink, and ourselves to perish. I put out austere: “The Major having fallen in from off would scalp us if we lay out; but to go to my setting pole to try to stop the raft, his cabin, and we should be safe, I the raft, and my fingers frost-bitten, and the that the ice might pass by, when the thought very ill of the fellow, but did not sun down, and very cold, we contented rapidity of the stream threw it with so care to let the Major know I mistrusted ourselves to encamp upon the island…. [I]n much violence against the pole that it him. But he soon mistrusted him as the morning, it was frozen hard enough for us jerked me into ten feet of water; but I fortunately saved myself by catching much as I…. [B]efore we came to the to pass over on the ice.”38 water, we came to a clear meadow; it was very light, and snow on the ground. The French Creek 1753, Half King and Christopher Gist, by John Buxton depicts Washington and Gist during the Indian made a stop, turned about; the winter of 1753, delivering a message from Governor Dinwiddie to French Fort LeBoeuf. At Venango, French Major saw him point his gun toward us Captain Joncaire attempted to stall them by giving presents and liquor to the Indians allied to Washington, and fire. Said the Major, “Are you shot?” one of whom was the Half-King. Anxious to keep moving, Washington sent Gist to the Indian camp to solicit “No,” said I. Upon which the Indian ran the Half-King to leave for Fort LeBoeuf, “which he did with great persuasion.” forward to a big standing white oak, and Courtesy of the artist. to loading his gun; but we were soon with him. I would have killed him; but the Major would not suffer me to kill him.36 Washington’s journal entry concurs: One of the Indians fired at Mr. Gist or me, not fifteen steps off, but fortunately missed. We took this fellow into custody, and kept him until about nine o’clock at night, then let him go, and walked the remaining part of the night without making any stop.37 Gist is usually credited as a hero for saving Washington’s life during this incident, but as their journal entries illustrate, there is no evidence to support such a conclusion. Perhaps the most important reason Washington wasn’t killed that day was that the Indian was a poor shot, and we will never know exactly what happened or how big a role Gist played in subduing the shooter. Washington’s response to the shooting incident, however, is worth noting. He wisely prevented Gist from killing the Indian, most likely realizing that such an action might well have endangered the success of his diplomatic mission. On Saturday, December 29, 1753, Washington and Gist constructed a raft to ferry themselves across the Allegheny (near the present-day 40th Street Bridge in Lawrenceville). Having just “one poor hatchet” in bitterly cold temperatures, the task took all

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 31 hold of one of the raft logs. Notwith- Gist is also hailed as the man who saved reaching the warmth of John Frazier’s cabin. standing all our efforts, we could not get George Washington’s life during the raft On New Year’s Day 1754, Washington and to either shore, but were obliged, as we incident, but neither of their firsthand Gist either borrowed or purchased two horses were near an island, to quit our raft and accounts have Gist pulling Washington out of from Frazier and continued toward Gist’s make to it. The cold was so extremely severe that Mr. Gist had all his fingers, the water. Washington and Gist had to travel settlement. On Friday, January 4, they started and some of his toes frozen….39 10 more long miles on foot the next day before across the . Arriving at Wills Creek on the 7th, Washington seemed relieved the trip was at an end. Within months, “ 500 French soldiers arrived at the forks of the efore we were halfway over, we were Allegheny to construct . Four B years later, the English took possession of that fort’s remains and renamed it . Traders jammed in the ice, in such a manner, that we and their families settled in the bark huts and log cabins originally built for the soldiers.40 As expected every moment our raft to sink, the white population on the land between the forks grew, the Woodland Indians were forced and ourselves to perish.” off their land. During the , Gist George Washington served as a guide to George Washington and

Washington Crossing, by John Buxton, captures Gist and Washington’s infamous crossing of the near present-day Lawrenceville. Courtesy of the artist.

32 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2008 Since 2005, the History Center has housed the Center for the French & Indian War General Edward Braddock, and after in the Library & Archives on its 6th floor. The Center promotes scholarship and Braddock’s defeat, “Captain Gist” headed a original historical research on the 1754-1763 global conflict that began in group of scouts in Virginia and Maryland. In Western Pennsylvania and profoundly shaped the world we inhabit today. the fall of 1758, while leading a band of Cherokees north in hopes of enlisting their Offering public access to more than 1,000 books, documents, maps, and other support in the fight against the French, Gist materials essential to an understanding of the war, the Center also serves as a contracted small pox and died near Winchester, liaison to other institutions and provides scholars and the general public with Virginia. He was about 52 years old.41 needed assistance in locating specific research materials. Educational Gist was one of the 18th-century’s most programs, lectures, and conferences are offered, and the Center serves as a skilled frontier guides and diplomatic forum for scholarly debate and discussion. emissaries. As Baldwin has noted, “His minute For more information or to get involved, please contact Center Director reports and observations … under the most Dr. David F. Halaas at [email protected] or (412) 454-6380. trying circumstances, are surprisingly accurate.… We read much of the achievements of such men as George 9 Fred Anderson, Crucible of War (New York: Vintage 24 David Trimble, “Christopher Gist and Settlement on the Washington, Edward Braddock, William Books, 2000), 28. Monongahela, 1752-1754,” Virginia Magazine of His- tory and Biography. Vol. 63, January 1955. Trent, and their associates, yet it is largely on 10 Eric Hinderaker, Elusive Empires: Constructing Colo- nialism: 1673-1800 (New York: Cambridge University 25 From Gist’s journal, as quoted in Allan Powell, Christo- information furnished by Christopher Gist Press, 1997), 41. pher Gist Frontier Scout (Shippensburg, Pa.: Burd 42 Street Press, 1992): “Wednesday 14 November, 1753. that they relied on in times of difficulty.” 11 Albert Volwiler, George Croghan and the Westward Then Major Washington Came to my house at Wills Movement 1741-1782 (Lewisburg, Pa.: Wennawoods Creek [Cumberland, Maryland] and delivered me a letter Publishing, 2000). Bob Millward is a Professor of Education at IUP from the Council in Virginia requesting me to attend 12 George Donehoo, A History of Indian Villages and him up to the Commandant of the French Fort on the and during the past seven years, he has been Place Names in Pennsylvania (Harrisburg: Telegraph Ohio River.” Gist was the Ohio Company’s surveyor and reading and researching events related to the Press, 1928), 119. explorer, and George Washington’s older brother French and Indian War Era. He has published two 13 Darlington, Christopher Gist, 68-72. Lawrence was on the board of directors of the company. 26 DVDs titled Bringing History to Life Through the 14 Father Bonnecamps, “Bonnecamps’Journal,” Ohio Don Larrabee, Editor. A Reprint of the Journals of George Washington and His Guide, Christopher Gist, Paintings of Robert Griffing and A Leadership Archaeological and Historical Publications, Vol. XXIX, 1920, 405. For a vivid description of the size of the Reciting Their Experiences on the Historic Mission Walk Across Gettysburg. trees on the Pennsylvania and Ohio frontier, see from Governor Dinwiddie, of Virginia, to the French Pennsylvania Trees by Joseph Illick, 1925; The Trees Forts in November-December, 1753. (Williamsport, by Conrad Richter, 1940; or John Heckewelder’s book Pa.: 1950), 25. Kathleen Millward, a former college history and Thirty Thousand Miles With John Heckewelder, 27 Various sources recount the story of Sequoyah, who English teacher, wrote the book Thought Provok- reprint 1985. was raised as a Cherokee and became a trapper and fur 15 trader. A hunting accident led to his name Sequoyah, ers: Teaching History Through the Art of Robert Philip Tome, Pioneer Life: or Thirty Years a Hunter, (ebook by Pat Bryan, 2001). which means “pig’s foot” in Cherokee. Griffing, which focuses on the Eastern Woodland 28 16 Darlington, Christopher Gist, 70. Leland Baldwin, Pittsburgh: The Story of a City, Indians and the Pennsylvania frontier. (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1937), 5. 17 Darlington, Christopher Gist, 70. 29 Ibid., 5. 18 Lois Mulkearn, ed., The George Mercer Papers, 1 30 Kenneth Bailey, The Ohio Company of Virginia and the (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1954), 34. Ibid., 55. Westward Movement: 1748-1792 (Lewisburg, Pa.: 31 19 Ibid., 5. Wennawoods Publishing, 2000), 86. George Sweetnam, “Gist’s Cave: Historic Haven, Highwaymen’s Hideout.” The Pittsburgh Press, 32 2 Larabee, Journals of George Washington, 11. Ibid., 86. March 25, 1956. 33 3 Ibid., 14. A trader might purchase $80,000 worth of trade goods 20 Darlington, Christopher Gist, 79. such as blankets, jewelry, shirts, and knives, and then 34 Ibid., 26. 21 Mulkearn, The George Mercer Papers, 36; according to trade this merchandise for beaver and deer pelts worth 35 Ibid., 26. $160,000. Darlington, “The date cut by Gist, February, 1751 was in accordance with the old style of computation, by 36 Ibid., 29. 4 Parke Rouse, Jr., The Great Wagon Road (New York: which the year began on the 25th of March, instead of 37 Ibid., 21. McGraw-Hill, 1973), 77. the 1st of January, to which it was changed throughout 38 5 Bailey, The Ohio Company, 86. the British Dominions, by law, in 1751, the new style Ibid., 30. to commence on January 1, 1752.… Why Gist cut the 39 6 Allan Powell, Christopher Gist Frontier Scout (Hager- Ibid., 22. date 1751 instead of 1752 is not easy to explain, stown, Md.: Beidel Printing House, 1992), 10. 40 especially as his Journal is kept by the new method of Baldwin, Pittsburgh, The Story of a City, 55. 7 George Donehoo, A History of Indian Villages and computing time.” Darlington, Christopher Gist’s Jour- 41 Darlington, Christopher Gist, 88. Place Names in Pennsylvania (Lewisburg, Pa.: Wenna- nals, 143. 42 Baldwin, Pittsburgh, The Story of a City, 86-87. woods Publishing, 1998), 93. 22 Ibid., 39. 8 William Darlington, Christopher Gist’s Journals (orig 23 Ibid., 39. 1893: reprint Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 2002), 34.

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