Important Historical Events in Northumberland County Prepared by J.F. Wolfinger 1772

 

Important Historical Events in

Northumberland County

Prepared by J.F. Wolfinger

1772

“Shohomokis.” or “Shaumoking,” when occupied the site of Sunbury, the County seat of Northumberland County was the oldest and most important Indian Town in this region of Pennsylvania. It was inhabited by the Delaware and Shawanese Indians, who were under the control of the five great Indian Nations of New York. 

1738
The five Indian Nations stationed Shikellany; a celebrated Cayuga Chief, at Shaumoking, to govern the Town, and the great and good Shikellany died here in 1749, after having governed the Town for more than twenty years with great prudence and justice.

1755
Andrew Montour, a friendly Indian recommended a Fort at Shaumoking.

1756
The Indians of Shaumoking, who had become more and more unfriendly towards the whites, after Shikellany’s death, suddenly burnt down the whole of their town and departed in haste to wilder regions, and their same year (1746,) Col. William Clapham, by order of Robert Hunter Morris, then Governor of Pennsylvania, built “fort Augusta,’' large and heavy log structure, about 6 mile north of the present Town of Sunbury, and assumed the command of the Fort, bat was soon succeeded by Col. Jag. Burd.

1758
The French and Indians descended the west branch of the Susquehanna River on rafts and logs to destroy Fort Augusta, but as they bad no cannon quietly withdrew on discovering its strength.

1772
(March 21.) Northumberland County was erected by Legislative enactment cut of parts of Lancaster, Cumberland, Berks, Northampton and Bedford, and since that she had carved out
of her original Territory, the following twenty-six Counties, viz : Luzerne, Mifflin, Lycoming, Centre, Columbia, Union, Warren, Venango, Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Clearfield,
Potter, Tioga, Bradford, Susquehanna, Juniatta, Clarion, Clinton, Wyoming, Elk, Sullivan, Forrest, Montour and Snyder—and all in the order of succession here named—so that old Northumberland once embraced a very large portion of our State, and has thus become the fruitful mother of Counties.

(May 26.) The first regular Court of Northumberland County was held at Fort Augusta before the Hon. William Plunkett, Esq., and his associates, viz: Samuel Hunter, Caleb Graydon, Thomas Lemmon, Robert Moodie and Benjamin Weiser, Esquires.

The first other County Officers were as follows, viz: Prothonotary, Register and Recorder, and Clerk of the Orphan's Court :William Maclay, Esq.

Sheriff :— Willian Cook, Esq.

County Treasurer :—Alexander Hunter, Esq.

Prosecuting Attorney :—Edward Bard, Esq.

Members of the Barr, who appeared at the first Court, and were duly sworn into office, were as follows, viz: James Wilson, Robert Mayau, Edward Burd, George Nearth, Christian Hoake, James Potter, Andrew Roberson and Charles Steedman, Esquires, Captain Samuel Hunter was the first Representative from Northumberland County, in the State Legislature.

This same year, (1772,) the Towns of Sunbury and Northumberland were laid out, the former by John Lukens, Es}, the latter by Captain John Lowden and William Patterson.

Two Marcus Halings made a settlement where the Town of Milton now stands, but were soon driven from it by the Indians. And no permanent settlement was made there until 1799, about  17 years afterwards Andrew Straub laid out the Town of Milton.

The first Delegates from Northumberland County to form a Constitution for the government of Pennsylvania, were Willian Cook, James Potter, Robert Martin, Matthew Brown, Walter

Clark, John Kelly, James Crawford and John Weitzel; and the first Representatives of Northumberland County in the Legislature, after the formation of our original Constitution of 1776, were Thomas Hewitt and Samuel Dale.

The first State Senator from Northumberland County, then a part of the Senatorial District, composed of the Counties of Northumberland, Luzerne and Huntington, was William Montgomery, Esq , who took his seat in 1798; and the first Representative in Congress from Northumberland County, was Samuel

Maclay, Esq., who represented the Congressional: District, the area composed of the Counties of  Northumberland and  Dauphine

====================

Find More Local History & Stories Here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/p/history.html