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 the 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 2d. 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 following is a list of settlers located in 1788 upon the lands lying in Maryland west of Fort Cumberland:
William Ashby, Anthony Able, George Anderson, Patrick Burnes, Charles Boyles, Thomas Baker, Philip Bray, Mallner Burnstredder, John Beall, John Blair, John Brendage, Peter Bonham, Norman Bruce, Daniel Cresap, Sr., Daniel Cresap, Jr., Robert Cresap, James Cresap, Joseph Cresap, John Durbin, Aaron Duckworth, Nicholas Durbin, William Durhane, John Doomer, Joseph Davis, Steven Davis, Levi Davis, Samuel Dawson, Sr., Samuel Elliott, Adam Eckhart, John Ervin, Herman Frazee, Joseph Frost, George Fegenbaker, Briant Gaines, Edward Grimes, Paul Grim, John Great, Benjamin Green, Sam. Humphreys, Edward Huston, James Henderson, John House, Ralph Adams, John Arnold, of A., John Arnold, of John, Andrew Bruce, William Barnes, Michael Beeme, Benjamin Brady, John Buhman, Ben. John Biggs, Frederick Bray, Thomas Barkus, George Barkus, Samuel Barrell, William Coddington, Peter Crawl, Thomas Cordray, Henry Crosley, John Cruise, Samuel Dawson, Jr., William Dawson, Sr., William Dawson, Jr., Edward Dawson, Sr., Edward Dawson, Jr., Thomas Dawson, Joseph Dye, Barney Dewitt, Terence Dyal, John Elbin, Samuel Ellison, John Eckhart, John Firman, John Friend, Gabriel Friend, Richard Green, Daniel Green, Thomas Greenwade, Salathiel Goff, John T. Goff, Andrew House, Elisha Hall, John Harshan, Moses Hall, Anthony Arnold, Moses Ayres, Sr., Moses Ayres, Jr., Robert Boyd, Matthew Ball, Frederick Burgett, Josiah Bonham, Micijah Burnham, Amariah Bonham, John Brufly, John Buckholder, Jacob Beall, Nathan Corey, Godfrey Corbus, Edmund Cutler, Ely Clark, Michael Corn, Benjamin Coddington, Samuel Durbin, James Denison, Peter Doogan, Samuel Durbin, Edward Davis, Jacob Duttro, Sr., Jacob Duttro, Jr., Peter Devecmon, David Eaton, George Eckhart, Charles Friend, Hezekiah Frazier, Joseph Friend, Harry Franks, George Fiddler, James C. Goff, Evan Gwynn, John Glasman, John Garey, John Glaze, Nicholas Holsbury, Charles Huddy, Richard Hall, George Harness, George Haver, William Howell, Paul Hoye, Robert Johnston, Evan James, Conrad Joleman, John Keyser, Henry Kite, John Lowdermilk, William Logsden, Daniel Levit, Jacob Lower, Rosemond Long, Joseph Lee, Stephen Masters, Gabriel McKinsy, John Matthews, Sr., John Magomery, Christopher Myers, James McMullen, Nathaniel Magruder, Josiah Magruder, Samuel McKinsy, Peter Nimirck, George Paine, Henry Porter, Moses Porter, George Preston, Henry Peters, John Purguson, Peter Poling, Stephen Pierson, Godfrey Richards, William Rideford, John Richards, John Rubast, Daniel Recknor, John Simpkins, Jacob Storm, George Sapp, John Steyer, Garrett Snedeger, John Strickler, Matthew Singleman, John Stuck, John Trotter, David Troxell, Peter Tittle, Sr., Ezekiel Totter, James Utter, Sr., James Utter, Jr. John Vanbuskirk, Moses Williams, Adam Hicksenbaugh Benjamin Hull, Richard Harcourt, William Jones, John Jonas, William Jacobs, Jacob Koontz, Henry Kemp, George Laporte, William Logsden, Ralph Logsden, Elisha Logsden, John Lynn, Zachariah Linton, Henry Mattingly, Henry Myers, Philip Michael, Moses Munro, Josiah McKinsy, John Metz, James McPipe, Thomas Matthew, John Neff, Johannes Paugh, Robert Parker, Gabriel Powell, Nicholas Pittinger, Henry Pittinger, Hezekiah Pound, Martin Poling, Sr., John Price, John Ryan, John Rhoads, John Ratton, David Robertson, Adam Rhoads, Peter Stuck, William Show, Joseph Scott, Simon Speed, Matthew Snooke, John Seyler, William Stagg, James Schimer, Peter Tittle, Jr., Michael Tedrick, Jesse Tomlinson, John Trimble, William Utter, Thomas Umbertson, David Vansickle, William Wells, Samuel Hatton, Abraham Hite, Jacob Hazlewood, Samuel Jackson, William Jones, Jacob Kreger, John Kelly, Leonard Stimble, David Lee, John Liptz, Breton Levit, Jacob Lee, James Montain, William Moore, John Matthews, Jr., Jacob Miller, Alexander Moore, Daniel Moore, Moses McKinsy, Daniel McKinsy, Conrad Millen, Elias Majors, John Nepton, Samuel Postlewait, Michael Paugh, Margaret Poling, John Porter, Samuel Poling, Martin Poling, Richard Poling, Charles Queen, Benjamin Rush, Enoch Read, Roger Robertson, Aaron Rice, Michael Raway, John Ragan, John Streets, Moses Spicer, Abel Serjeant, Adam Seigler, Jacob Seigler, Jacob Scutchfield, John Sibley, Frederick Thoxter, John Tomlinson, Jacob Trullinger, Moses Tilsonel, Richard Tilton, Charles Uhl, John Vincent, Henry Woodger, John Workman, Archibald White, Arthur Watson, Jesse Walter, John Wikoff, Alexander Wilhelm, George Wilhelm, Peter Wikoff, Jacob Wikoff, James Woodringer, Alpheus Wig-wire, George Waddle, Isaac Workman, Joseph Warnick, William Workman, James Wells, Peter Wells, Samuel Wikoff, George Winters, Andrew Workman, Jacob Workman, Stephan Workman, Thomas Williams, John Whiteman.
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:
“Notice is hereby given to the officers and soldiers of the Maryland Line, that a distribution of land will be made to them at Upper Marlborough, in Prince George’s County, on the 1st and 2d of August next, agreeably to an act of Assembly, and at the same time and place will be offered at public sale about one thousand lots of land, of fifty acres each, for ready money, or specie certificates of the State of Maryland. This land lies to the westward of Fort Cumberland. For a particular description thereof, apply to Capt. Daniel Cresap or Mr. John Tomlinson, who lives near the same.
At the session of the Legislature in 1789 a petition was presented asking for the erection of a new county, and the following act was passed on the 25th of December of that year:
“AN ACT for the division of Washington County, and for the erecting of a new one by the name of Allegany.
“WHEREAS, A number of the inhabitants of Washington County, by their petition to the General Assembly, have prayed that an act may pass for a division of said county by Sideling Hill Creek, and for the erection of a new one out of the western part thereof, and it appearing to this General Assembly that the erecting such a new county will conduce greatly to the due administration of justice and the speedy settling and improving the western part thereof, and the ease and convenience of the inhabitants thereof,
“II. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That all that part of Washington County which lies to the westward of Sideling Hill Creek shall be and is hereby erected into a new county, by the name of Allegany County, and the inhabitants thereof shall have, hold, and enjoy all such rights and privileges as are held and enjoyed by the inhabitants of any other county in this State.
“III. And be it enacted, That the County Court and Orphans’ Court for Allegany County shall be held at the town of Cumberland until the voters of said county, by election to be held as hereinafter provided, shall determine on some other place; and until a place may be fixed on by the said election, and a court-house shall be built, the justices of said county may contract and agree at the county charge for a convenient place in the said town to hold their courts, and for a convenient place in the said town for the keeping of their books, papers, and records.
“IV. And be it enacted, That all causes, pleas, processes, and pleadings which now are or shall be depending in Washington County Court before the first Monday in December, 1790, shall and may be prosecuted as effectually in that court as if this act had not been made; and in case any deeds or conveyances of land in that part of Washington County now called Allegany County have been or shall be, before the first Monday in December, 1790, acknowledged according to law, the enrollment or recording thereof in either of the said counties within the time limited by law shall be good and available.
“V. And be it enacted, That the county charge of Washington County heretofore assessed shall be collected and applied as if this act had not been made.
“VI. And be it enacted, That the County Court and Orphans’ Court of Allegany County shall first be held on the first Monday in April, 1791, and the said County Court be afterwards held on the first Monday in April and September, yearly, and the said Orphans’ Court shall be afterwards held on the second Monday in the months of June, August, October, and December, and the same courts shall have the same powers and jurisdiction respectively as other County and Orphans’ Courts within this State.
“VII. And be it enacted, That all civil causes to be brought in Allegany County shall be determined within two courts from the Appearance Court, and none shall continue longer, unless under such circumstances as civil causes in other County Courts may be continued longer than three courts from the Appearance Court.
“VIII. And be it enacted, That the Governor and Council be authorized and required to commission fit and proper persons as justices of the peace, and fit and proper persons as the Orphans’ Courts, as also surveyor and other officers, and that a fit and proper person be appointed by the Governor and Council sheriff of Allegany County, and be commissioned and qualified in the usual manner; to continue in office until a new appointment shall take place in the other counties of this State, under an election according to the constitution and form of government.
“IX. And be it enacted, That at the first election to be held in the said county for sheriff, the voters of said county shall and may, by a majority of votes, determine the place at which the courts of the said county shall be held after the said election.”
Thus Allegany County was organized. It was created wholly out of the territory of Washington County, the latter parting with more than two-thirds of its superficial area, 672,000 acres, and a population of 5000 inhabitants. The act creating the county made no provision, as will be seen, for a voting-place, but elections were held until 1799 at Cumberland, which had been chosen by the people as the county-seat. Fortunately for the comfort of the citizens there were few officers chosen by ballot in those days, the only county officials being members of the Legislature and sheriff, or the electors would have been subjected to great inconvenience in traveling from Sideling Hill Creek on the one side, and Fairfax Stone on the other, to exercise their right as freemen. Many persons in those days were absolutely debarred from voting by the distance to be traversed, as was the case also in the other counties of Maryland, and in 1799 an act was passed by the General Assembly for the appointment of commissioners in every county of the State to lay off the counties into districts. The commissioners for Allegany were John B. Beall, David Hoffman, Thomas Stewart, William Shaw, George Robinet (of Nathan), and Jesse Tomlinson. Allegany was divided into six election districts, numbered from one to six, which were better known by their local names, as the Glades, Selbysport, Westernport, Musselanes, Cumberland, and Oldtown. The county remained districted as above from 1799 to 1817, in which year the Legislature passed an act for the redivision of the county into eight districts, and appointed the following commissioners for that purpose: Isaac Oyman, William Reid, William McMahon, George Newman (of Butler), and John Simpkins. The commission discharged its duty, and divided the county into the required number of election districts. The division of 1799 was generally adhered to, but a new district was established in the eastern end of the county, then and now known as No. 8, or Little Orleans; and in the west No. 3, or Little Crossings, as it was known till 1850, when the polls were removed from this place to Grantsville by an act of the Legislature. The latter is the largest district in Garrett County, both in point of territory and population, having over four hundred voters, double the number of the district (Selbysport) from which it was taken. A considerable amount of its jurisdiction and population were added to Frostburg in 1856.
The members of the board which made the division are now dead. McMahon was the father of the eminent lawyer John V.L. McMahon. Reed was a prominent man of the county, and died in 1848. Newman was a “Little Crossing’s” man, and has been dead for fifty years. Simpkins lived in Selbysport District.
Since 1817 no general districting of the county has been made. As new districts were from time to time needed for the convenience of voters, they were authorized by acts of the Legislature, and laid off by three commissioners named in the act, who reported their proceedings to the County Court. By the act of 1835 Ryan’s Glades, or No. 10, was established; 1849, Accident, or No. 11; 1852, Nos. 12 and 13; 1852, No. 14, or Song Run. In 1860 Nos. 15 and 16 were “surveyed and laid out.” These two districts are now known as Oakland and Lonaconing respectively. In 1872 the 17th District was created for the benefit of the Barton voters.
The county of Allegany displayed a proper spirit of patriotism upon the breaking out of the last war between the United States and Great Britain. Her citizens volunteered promptly, and several large companies marched to Baltimore to defend that city from the threatened attacks of the British forces. The record will be found in the chapter on the war of 1812.
(Source: The History of Western Maryland: being a history of Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Washington, Alleghany, and Garrett Counties from the earliest period to the present day, Vol. 2, Chapter LV, Louis H. Everts, 1882.)