Southwestern Pennsylvania circa 1800

Southwestern Pennsylvania ca 1800

The West of the Alleghenies Mountains in Pennsylvania was opened to a powerful wave of immigrants from the eastern Pennsylvania and from the neighboring states after 1768, once the Iroquois Confederacy agreed to give up on the land.(Powell, (http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/genealogy/a/southwestern_pa.htm).The first county established in the southwestern parts of the state was Westmoreland, in 1773. Here was the heart of the future southwestern counties in Pennsylvania. It was followed by Washington, Fayette, Allegheny and Greene County. (idem)

Formed from Albany and Ulster March 25, 1800, Greene County comprises the most of that famous mountain resort area, known as the Catskills"(Frisbie, 2002, (http://www.hopefarm.com/greeneny.htm).The land of the county was never very suited for extensive agriculture, but the small portions that were yet cultivated were producing hay, fruit and vegetables (idem). Its industry had ups and downs. The region was once the gate to the trade of the state since many goods imported from other states were coming through Greene. "the flour mills at the falls of the Catskill Creek were the most important in New York"(idem). The county had a good system of roads and canals that encouraged the trade throughout the region and from here to the rest of the state. (idem)

The main agricultural product of the western lands of Pennsylvania was rye. The rye produced profits for the farmers living here only transformed into whisky. Many of the people living here had their family roots coming from soils with tradition in the producing of strong alcohol, such as those of Ireland or Scotland. (Crumrine, 1882, pg. 265). The whiskey distillers were numerous in the southwestern regions of Pennsylvania, like the Washington County. "In some neighborhoods every fifth or sixth farmer was a distiller, who during the winter season manufactured his own grain and that of his neighbors into a portable and salable article" (Crumrine, 1882, pg. 265).

Another sector that provided the conditions for economic activities in the County of Washingotn, PE, although not very impressive, like in other regions, was also coming from the mining activity. The first mine opened for the exploitation was a coal mine in Pittsburg, in 1830. The coal was transported in boats that were mostly built at French Creek and thus called French Creeks. They would leave Limetown loaded with coal and usually reach Pittsburg in eight hours. The mining business based on the trade of coal in the County of Washington was rapidly developing and would soon became one of the most important activities on the valley of Monongahela River, especially after the two dams were erected in 1844. The coal business was also present in other regions of the County and it used to bring important revenues to those that were exploiting them and to the income per capita.

The agricultural and animal breeding activities gave birth to fairs and agricultural societies that were established in the county. The first fair for cattle and ship took place in 1979; the first agricultural society in the county will appear almost twenty years later. (idem).

Regarding the subject of faith, the first settlers in the Washington County were Presbyterian and since they first came into the land the number of those of the same faith increased very quickly. "A constant stream of immigration flowed into the country, and of this inflowing population Scotch-Irish Presbyterians constituted a principal part " (Crumrine, 1882, pg. 398).

The Washington County is also known for its enthusiastic participation in the raising of troops for the war between the United States and Great Britain, between 1812 and 1815. "The result of the order and call for volunteers appears in a communication oublishe in the Washington Reporter of June 15th, in which it is stated that the number of volunteers "far exceeds the demand of Maj. James Dunlap, the brigade Inspector" (idem, pg. 307).