Who settled here
Redstone Old Fort, built by Colonel James Burd in 1759 on the Monongahela, sat at the end of an Indian trail that settlers improved, later called Nemacolin's Trail. The town that grew there became Brownsville, incorporated in 1785, and for many years was an important starting point for western emigration.
The Virginia–Pennsylvania border dispute ended in 1780 in Pennsylvania's favor, and Fayette County was formed in 1783. The route through the county later carried the National Road, which followed older paths including Nemacolin's Path and Braddock Road.
Why families moved on
- A road west. Brownsville and the National Road made Fayette County a launching point for travelers heading to Ohio by land and by river. Families who left may show up only as a gap in the local records.
- Whiskey Rebellion. Redstone Old Fort was an assembly point for the rebellion's fomenters in 1791, and Albert Gallatin, of Friendship Hill in the county, helped talk rebels out of violence. The sources used for this guide do not say the rebellion caused migration to Ohio.
Records that say exactly why a family left are rare. Treat these as leads, and look for evidence about your own ancestors in deeds, tax lists, court cases, and church records.
Clues to look for
- Look for families who sold land in Fayette County and appear on the Ohio side of the river within a few years.
- Check Westmoreland County records before 1783.
