Pitcairn High School - Retrospect Yearbook (Pitcairn, PA)

Page 17 text:

Fort Pitt to Aneas McKay the 300 acre tract so conveyed was marked on the warrant, The Dirty Camp Tract. When John Frazier built and occupied his cabin on the banks of Turtle Creek. he was a resident of Lancaster County. Later, Cum- berland County was formed and included all land westward to the Ohio Country. Bedford County was created out of Cumberland County and the new County included our Val- ley and all west to Ohio. ln 1773 a new County called 1Vestmoreland was carved out ot' Bedford County. lts first County seat was the log village of Hannas- town, which became the first organized seat of justice west ol' the Allegheny Mountains. Ilannastown, having been burned in 1782 and most of its inhabitants massacred by the lndians, a new county seat was established in Greensburg. ln 1788 we became a part of Allegheny County. Thus the site of our town. during the first fifty years of its history, was in turn a part of five different Counties. The roughness and dangers of the wilder- ness being somewhat softened by the coming of the trappers and traders and subdued by the marching soldiers, the next important event was the coming of the first settlers. The records in our Court House disclose that prior to 1769 one Aneas McKay then a resident of Fort Pitt, in riding up the Turtle Creek Val- ley, a few miles up from Frazier's cabin, came to a rich valley known as the Dirty Camp. Staking out a large sized plantation. which included the old Dirty Camp, he returned to Fort Pitt and in 1769, persuaded the Com- mander, lit. Colonel .lohn Reid. to make for him a warrant for the staked out claim. From the yellow pages of a century-old his- tory of 1Vestern Pennsylvania. we quote: Prior to 1769. Aneas McKay, by permission of the lit. Colonel John Reid made improve- ments at Dirty Camp on Turtle Creek on the road from Fort Ligonier to Fort Pitt. This 300 acre tract was laid out triangular in form, with the Southern point of the tri- angle in the eastern end of 1Vall Borough known as Moss Side. The western boundary extended from that point in a north westerly direction through the present R.R. Yards through the Brick Yards, along the alley be- tween Kenney and 1Vall Avenues crossing the Run near St. Michael 's Church, and contin- uing along the hillside to Creighton Avenue and Ninth Street. The northern boundary extended from Creighton Avenue eastwardly along Ninth Street and across the valley east of Ninth Street to the Fairview Cemetery. The third and eastern boundary was a long line extending from the Fairview Cemetery. south westwardly, somewhat east of the house of Charles Yocum and across the creek through the R. R. Yards to the place of begin- ning in Moss Side in 1Vall. Thus, this early grant to Aneas McKay included a large part of the R.R. Yards. as well the greater por- tion of our borough. Since Aneas McKay was the first owner of the ground upon which Pitcairn was built. we should know something about his life. Arriving in Fort Pitt, then a small village of a few log cabins built around the Fort, he soon became one of its prominent citizens. Later. he doubtless intended to build for himself and his family a home on this newly acquired land. the Dirty Camp tract. However, before he had completed his plans. the Revolutionary War broke out, and McKay, being a man of military experience, organized tl1e Sth Regi- ment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, largely from men of the then Westmoreland County. Being chosen Colonel of the Regiment. he mobilized his men at Kittanning, then a small settlement on the Allegheny River. After a brief period of training, Colonel McKay marched his regiment over the mountain trails eastward to Philadelphia. ln crossing the mountain wilderness in January, 1777. his men poorly clad and without shelter under- went untold suffering to such an extent that a large number of the men died from ex- posure on the wayg among them being the gallant Colonel McKay. After two months of struggling over moun- tains through ice and snow, the now depleted band of soldiers reached Philadelphia. Here the Regiment was re-organized. Dan- iel Broadhead became Colonel and Stephen Bayard was chosen Major. The name of Step- hen Bayard enters the story of Pitcairn be- cause he became the husband of Colonel Mc- Kay's daughter, Elizabeth, who after the death of her father inherited his estate. In following the 8th Pennsylvania Regi- ment from Philadelphia, we find them first a part of the army of Mad Anthony VVayne and later under command of General Gates, when they helped defeat the British at Saratoga. After Saratoga they spent tl1e winter of 1777 and 1778 with Wasliiiigton at Valley Forge. From Valley Forge they were sent into the 1Vyoming Valley of Pennsylvania to protect the settlers from the ravages of the Indians. CContinued on page 155 thirtz-en

Page 16 text:

14a gafzlq Wiew Af Raifaaacf ffaacfd 1905 ... ,,., W Tw, Y,,. .,--,. g,f,,v,,,n,W,-,. ..,,, fmt 2 ' '- KL In

Page 18 text:

DR. N. CAMERON First Burgess - 1? :Qs 'Zi-X A 'xl I BOROUGH BUILDING Completed May 16, 1902 FRANK LESHER, Contractor