84 Petition for Creation of Allegheny County PETITION ADDRESSED TOTHE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA ASKING FOR THE CREATION OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY To the Honourable The Representatives Of The Freemen Of The Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania In General As- sembly Met. The petition of sundry inhabitants of the Counties of Westmoreland and Washington Humbly sheweth that your Petitioners have seen the Billpublished for con- sideration entituled, "AnAct for erecting part of Westmore- land and Washington Counties into a seperate county." We are pleased to find the honourable house have given time to those Inhabitants who wish to be included in the new county, to make their sentiments and situation known to the house upon this subject. Your petitioners conceive by the limits specified in the before mentioned bill your honours were not so well acquainted with the situation of the Country adjacent to Pittsburgh as to fixthe bounds which ought to designate the new county with that precision the importance of the subject requires, and as we are unanimously of an opinion your honours wish to lay out the county so (torn) make the same convenient to its Inhabitants and without injuring either Washington or Westmoreland Counties. Your petitioners with due submission beg leave to give your honours information of what we humbly conceive to be the proper bounds of the new County VIZ BEGINNING at the mouth of Racoon Creek where it empties into the Ohio, thence up the middle of the said creek to White's Mill,thence along a new cut road to Armstrong's Millon Miller's Run, thence in a direct line to the mouth Mingoe Creek where it empties into the Monongahela River, thence up the middle of said River to the line of Fayette County, thence along said line to the mouth of Jacob's creek on Youghioganey river, thence in a direct line to Cavet's Millon Brush creek, from thence a direct line to where Forbes' old road crosses Turtle creek and from thence a direct line to the mouth of the Kis- kamenitis where it empties into the Allegany river, thence up to the middle of said River to the line of Northumberland county at the mouth of the Conowago river, thence up the middle of said River to the Northern boundary of this state. Petition for Creation of Allegheny County 85 If the said river shall extend so far and if not then from the said River to a line due north to the said Northern boundary, thence along the said Northern boundary west- ward to the Western boundary of this state thence down the said boundary southerly to the Ohio river aforesaid thence up the middle of the said River to the place of beginning. The above described bounds willgive general satisfaction to every Inhabitant in the two Counties, excepting a few inter- ested persons and those who make ittheir business to object to every measure for the public good, besides itwillbe much nigher and more convenient for every person living within the before mentioned bounds to go to Pittsburgh to Courts or market than to Washington or Greensborough, having the advantage of the different waters leading to Pittsburgh to transport ourselves and produce. At the same time we are obliged to attend Courts of justice either as suitors, jurors, or witnesses, we can carry our produce with us, with which we can pay our court charges and Tavernkeepers Bills, and also procure such necessaries as we want for the use of our families. This a matter of great importance to us who at present are labouring under many difficulties for the want of Cash to patent our Lands and pay our Taxes. Your petitioners humbly conceive that the laying off a county with respectable bounds willgreatly advantage the inhabit- ants of the three counties, the greater number of Inhabit- ants in a county makes the county town the Richer. This induces persons of wealth to Become citizens, and conse- quently a greater consumption of produce. Pittsburgh the Capital of the western country is intended by nature for a place of consequence from its situation at the confluence of two large Rivers that glide through an extensive and fertile country. This willinduce a great number of persons (mutilated) it,itwillalso increase the value of all the lands within the reach of that market, and also bring for- ward at an earlier period the sale of the state lands, and the settlement of that part of the country northward of Pitts- burgh. Your petitioners humbly conceive that it is the in- tention of your honours to accomodate the Inhabitants of the new county with such bounds as willmake itmore con- venient for them to attend the courts of justice at Pittsburgh than at any other place, and we are happy to inform your honours that everyone residing within the before mentioned bounds willfind itmore convenient to go to Pittsburgh than 86 Petition for Creation of Allegheny County to any other place. Your petitioners beg leave to inform your honours that we do not mean to dictate to the honorable House, when we mention the bounds, but only as matter of information, and this we have thought incumbent on us as the persons who are immediately concerned in the conse- quences that are to ensue from the determination of the house- Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that your honours would be pleased to enact a law for erecting a part of Westmoreland and a part of Washington counties into a seperate county upon the principles of liberality and justice and your Petitioners as in duty bound willever pray etc. Westmoreland, February 15th, 1787. John Ormsby John Canter Samuel Barr Wm. Cassaday Isaac Craig John Persona Robert Galbraith Ezek. Shelkint Geo. Adams Wm. Cecil Rich.d Butler Wm. Hawking Geo: Thompson George Fraser Wm. Tilton Dinnis Feris Hugh Ross Elias Williams John Scull Hugh Hofferman Jno. Gibson David Coventry David Duncan Wm. McDonald John Boyd Joh'an Rukert Wm. Butler Henry Taylor Jno. Wilkins Matthew Phoenix Jn: Finley Frederick Retkain Stepn Bayard John Ward Geo. Wallace Jos. Ashton Wm. Greenough Jno. Ward Nathl. Bedford James Morrison A. Fowler And. Jeffries John Brown James Grant Geo. Cochran Joseph Lowry Wm. Weisthoff Wm. MacMillan Adam Sharp Tho. Hill Nehemiah Sharp Thomas McGinney John Clark Wm. Christofor William Sutton P. Murphy Bart. Harvey Robert Bratherton Samuel Kerr Hugh C. Seeley Adam Waltr Wm. Collins Stephen Cisna John Collins James Scott Wm. Lettemy Josiah Wynn Wm. Evarts Wm. Roseberry Joseph Newton Stephen Cranford John Bailery Tho. Jackson Robart Brotherton Fauntley Muse Charles Richards Joseph Philips J. S. Monceau de Brugealt Jno. Richardson Philip Eberhart Jno. Stokea John Goeer Tho. Carter Benjamin Richards Petition for Creation of Allegheny County 87 Gorg Altman Joshua Long Peter his mark Allon James Buody John Dehuff Eadward Coile John Walton William Studart John Craig James Erwin John McClure David Kennedy Jas. Munrou Henery Shever John his mark Gordon Robt. Bryarly Edward Murphy James Rutherford John Brackney John Johnston James Martin John Scott J'as. Beaty Dunning McNair Arthur Withney Peter Parchment Daniel Showhan WilliamHeppner John Kennedy Saml. Sinclair William Kennedy James Reed William Reno John Smith John Kerr Jacob Hook Jas. McDermat James Patten Jas. Richardson John Denney Thomas Williams William Orbito Alexr. Long James Henry Daniel Herbert Joseph Luistarel Martin McKean Robert Ramage Henry Hurst James Reed James (undecipharable) William Sutton James Stewart Thomas R'amage Robt. Johnson Thomas Wilson Henry Meddleswart James Burns Obediah Holmes Isaac Bennet Robert Shawhan John Tradle Jno. Saviers James Casey Andw. Mitchell James Flacanaghan Isaac McMichael Jacob Dixon John McMichael B'artholomy Garry Adam Keller Samuel Sample John Phillips Hanes Daussman John Nisbett Wm. Reed Bartholomew Dinnis Abraham Stallions Joseph McDowell Geo. Kelly Thomas Lownsdale John Stille Jacob Wyant Junr. Edward Pall Thos. B. Patterson Thos. Craig Charles Smith James Wallace Alexander Swan John Bever William Long *( ) Crawford Jno. Wallace John Gallaher Daniel Keisther James Gray Nathaniel Patterson *( ) McMillan Robert Thompson P. Tannehill Jas. Hamilton John Hardrin John McKee Jos. Tannehill Michael Keisther Robert Patteson John Boggs John Patterson Thos. Lapoley Cha. Wilkins James McKinney John Warner John Wilson David Boies Oliver Elliot John Ramm'age James Muller George Sipes \u2666Original torn. 88 Petition for Creation of Allegheny County James (his mark) Reed Daniel Craig WilliamRichey John Armstrong Petter Cuthwright Adam Funk Robert McFarland George Fay James Williamson Hugh Rippey Arthur Gardner Johann Grun Jame. Littell WilliamJones John McElland Leaven Phillips John Collons Wilhelm Graft Alex. Mc.Cadams Matthew Deery Nathaniel Points Mark Deery Nick Welsh John Dobin Geo. Mitchell Hugh Gardner Jno. Meek John Cowan Timothy Keen James Gill E/phraim Herriott Nobel Wilkin George Herriott Roger Sweeney Allen Boys Richard Spence Jas. (his mark) Miller Jno. Gibson Jost Weibel Jas. Gibson Me. Lacasiagne John Patterson John Dunning Joseph Patterson John Gill David Updegraff Thomas Gorham, Jr. Daved Saven Gorg Bromaugh James Williamson Nathaniel Cotton Joh Giben J'as. Thompson Samuel Colhoun Edw. Thompson Andrew Watson Jno. McGruger William Watson Francis McElwain WilliamRodman William Thompson Tho. Martin Peter Rockafellar James Seal James Hillman Denis O Bryan Christian Maurer Robert Burns Jacob Meyers Jams Banden Alexander Dunlap Josef Reed Henry Edwarts Saml. Todd Johannes Bernhart Ebenezer Gallohar John Martin Amos Wilson John Clemmens Wm. Stall Elaxander McCaullester Michl. Brown Adam Laten Richard Sparrow Wm. McMillen John Ball Johan Georg Lichtenberger William Tiddball Christoph McMahon? John Clifford Eng. Wilkeson Benj. Kuykendale Andreas Trukenbrott Nicholas Bausman Wm. Boniface Alex Steel Lang McClara John Metzger Adam Matter John Meckcleman John Barr James Bevard WilliamBoon George Adams James Farrel Joseph Mcollogh James Fleming Robt. Snotgrass WilliamFunk Saml. Blackmore Samuel Ferguson Charles Allison We.