HISTORY: Historic Huntingdon, 1767-1909, Chapter 4, Indian Trails, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Nancy Lorz

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
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Historic Huntingdon, 1709-1907.  Huntingdon Old Home Week, September 
5-11, 1909.  Souvenir Edition.  Huntingdon, Pa.: Historical Committee 
of the Old Home Week Association, 1909.
_____________________________________________________________________ 

   Looking East From Foot of Third Street, Huntingdon, Pa. [photo]

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                               CHAPTER IV

                              Indian Trails

  When the Indian trader first penetrated the wilds of the valley of 
the Juniata, the only highways that traversed the area now embraced 
within the county of Huntingdon were the trails or paths  used by the 
aborigines.  They were mere "bridle paths." only wide enough to admit 
the passage of a horse and its rider, and crossed the county in various 
directions.  The principal one crossed in a general north westerly 
direction, and the earliest written account of this is found in the 
journal of Conrad Weiser, sent by the Colonial government in 1748 to 
treat with the Indians on the Ohio, as follows:
"August 11th.  Set out from my home and came to James Galbraith's 
that day, 30 miles.
August 12th.  Came to George Croghan's, 15 miles.
August 13th.  To Robert Dunning's, 20 miles.
August 14th.  To Tuscarora Path, 30 miles.
August 15th and 16th.  Lay by on account of the men coming back sick, 
and some other affairs hindering us.
August 17th.  Crossed the Tuscarora Hill and came to the Sleeping 
Place called the Black Log, 20 miles.
August 18th.  Had a great rain in the afternoon; came within two 
miles of the Standing Stone, 24 miles.
August 19th.  We traveled but 12 miles; were obliged to dry our 
things in the afternoon.
August 20th.  Came to Frankstown but saw no House or Cabins; here we 
overtook the Goods, because four of George Croghan's Hands fell sick, 
26 miles.
August 21st.  Lay by, it raining all day.

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August 22nd.  Crossed Allegheny Hill and came to the Clear Fields, 16 
miles.
  He continues to describe subsequent incidents of his journey to 
Logstown and other points, conferences with the Indians, and delivery 
of the presents to them, his turning homeward on the 19th of September.
  At the Black Log, another fork passed by the Three Springs, through 
Sidling Hill Gap, by Raystown, etc. to Logstown.  Hugh Crawford and 
Andrew Montour, April 16, 1752, Indian traders, and doubtless familiar 
with every path in this region reported to the provincial authorities 
the distance from Philadelphia to "Twightwees" on a branch of Ohio, 
via. George Croghan's, "Auchquick," Frankstown, Clear Fields, etc.  
John Harris, in his account of the road to Logstown, taken in 1754, 
gives the following interesting data:
"From my Ferry to Geo. Groghan's                 5 miles.  
               to Kittitany Mouns                9 Miles. 
               to Geo. Cowen's house             6 Miles. 
               to Andrew Montour's               5 Miles.  
               to the Tuscaroraw Hill            9 Miles.  
               to Thos. Mitchell's Sleep, Place  3 Miles.
  To Tuscaroraw                                 14 miles.
  To the Cove Spring                            10 miles.
  To the Shadow of Death (Shade Gap)             8 miles.
  To the Black Log (Orbisonia)                   3 miles.
    Now the Road forks towards Ray's Town and Frank's Town, we 
continue Ray's Town Road to Allegheny            3 miles.
  To the 3 Springs                              10 miles.
  To the Sidling Hill Gap                        8 miles.
  To Juniata Hill                                8 miles.
  To Juniata Creek at Ye Crossing                8 miles.
  To the Snakes's Spring                         8 miles.
  To Ray's town (Bedford)                        4 miles.
  To the Shawana Cabins                          8 miles. 
  To Allegheny Hill                              6 miles.  

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  To Edmond's Swamp                              8 miles.  
  To Stony Creek                                 6 Miles."

    Then follow other distances and points of note to Logstown.
    "Now beginning at the Black Log.  Frank's Town Road.  
  To Aughwick (Shirleysburg)                     6 Miles.
  To Jack Armstrong's Narrows, so called from his being there murdered 
                                                 8 Miles.
To the Standing Stone (Abot. 14 ft. high, 6 inch square)(Huntingdon)
                                                10 Miles.  
  (At each of these last places we crossed the Juniata.) 
   To the next and last crossing at Juniata      8 Miles.
  To Water Street (branch of Juniata)           10 Miles. 
  To the Big Lick                               10 Miles.  
  To Franks (Stephen's) Town                     5 Miles. 
  To the Beaver Damms                           10 Miles. 
  To Allegheny Hill                              4 Miles. 
  To the clear Fields                            6 Miles. 
  To John Hart's Sleepg. place                  12 Miles. 
  To the head of Susquehannah ; 12 Miles.  To the Shawana Cabbins ; 12 
Miles.  To P. Shaver's Sleeping place at two large licks 
                                                12 Miles.  
  To the 18 mile Run                            12 Miles.  
  To the 10 mile Lick                            6 Miles. 
  To Kiskemenette's Town on the creek, runs in to Allegheny Rivr. 6 
mils. down (almost as large as Schuylkill)      10 Miles.
  To the Chartier's Landing on Alleghy           8 Miles.
  To the Kittanning Town up the River           18 Miles. 
  To Venango, Higher up Alleghy                 70 Miles.
  Down the River from Chartier's Landg. to Pine Creek 
                                                14 Miles.
  To the Logs town                              17 Miles.
  Logs Town lays due west from T. Harris's Ferry.  "Note - John Harris 
told me that he verily believed that Logs Town was distant from his 
House due West an hund-

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red miles less than the within accot. mentions, the road he went having 
so many great Crooks."
"JOSEPH SHIPPEN, JR."
  In December, 1753, Governor Hamilton sent James Patton to deliver a 
message to the chiefs of the Six Nations at Ohio, and among other 
instructions he was directed to take a particular account of the road 
from Carlisle.  The concern of the provincial government was to 
ascertain if the Forks of the Ohio were within the limits of the 
province, the boundry lines of which had not been fully ascertained.  
Patten was to call at Mr. George Croghan's at "Aucquick," and consult 
with him.  After his return he and Andrew Montour constructed and 
presented to the Council, March 2, 1754, a map containing "a just 
Description of the Road, as well by Computation as by the Compass," 
which they believed "to be as near the Truth as it could be known 
without actual Mensuration."  The following tables were taken from the 
map:
  The computed Distance of the Road by the Indian Traders from Carlysle 
to Shanoppin's Town.
                                                     From Carlisle 
                                                            Miles
  From Carlysle to Major Montour's                             10
  From Montour's to Jacob Pyatt's                              25
  From Pyatt's to George Croghan's, at Auckquick Old Town      15
  From Croghan's to the Three Springs                          10
  From the Three Springs to Sidling Hill                        7
  From Sidling Hill to Contz's Harbour                          8 
  From Contz's Harbour to the top of Ray's Hil                  1
  From Ray's Hill to the 1 crossing of Juniata                 10
  From the 1 crossing of Juniata to Allaguapy's Gap             6
  From Allaguapy's Gap to Ray's Town                            5
  From Ray's Town to the Shawonese Cabbin                       8
  From the Shawonese Cabbins to the Top of Allegheny Mountain.  8
  From Allegheny Mountain to Edmund's Swamp                     8
  From Edmund's Swamp to Conomahony's Creek                     6
  From Conamahony to Kackanapaulins                             5
  From Kackanapaulins to Loyal Hannin                          18
  From Loyal Hannin to Shanoppin's Town                        50
  The courses of the Road from Carlisle to Shanoppin's Town by Compass:
  N. 20 W.  8 miles to Major Montour's.
  N.  5 W.  20 miles to Jacob Pyatt's.
  N. 20 W.  8 miles to George Croghan's or Aucquick Old Town.
  N. 70 W.  7 miles to the Three Springs.
  S. 70 W.  5 miles to Aucquick Gap.
  S. 70 W.  5 1/2 miles to Contz's Harbour.
  S. 80 W.  9 miles to Allaquapy's Gap.
    West 3 miles to Ray's Gap.
  N. 45 W.  The course up the Gap.
  N. 63 W.  5 miles to the Shawonese Cabbins.
  N. 60 W.  5 ms. to the top of Allegheny Mounts.
  N. 75 W.  4 1/2 miles to Edmund's Swamp.
  N. 80 W.  4 miles to Conamahony Creek.
  N. 10 W.  3 1/2 miles to Kackanapaulin's House.
  N. 64 W.  12 miles to Loyal Hannin Old Town.
  N. 20 W.  10 miles to the Forks of the Road.
    West 10 miles to ;  __
  N. 80 W.  15 miles to Shanoppin's Town.

  A Mr. West was at the same time examined by the Council, and he 
expressed his opinion that the courses and distances set down by Mr. 
Patten came as near to the truth as was possible without actual 
measurement.
  In the latter part of August, 1754, Conrad Weiser set out on a 
journey from home to Aucquick by order of the government, to have a 
conference with some Indians.  In his journal he states that he left 
Andrew Montour's on the 2d of September.  "Rode six hours before noon 
and three after - took up lodging in the woods.  3d, Sat out by six 
o'clock and by eight came to the Trough Spring; by nine to the Shadow 
of Death; by eleven to the Black Log, and by twelve arrived at 
Aucquick."

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  This principal road entered Huntingdon County in the vicinity of 
Blair's Mills, and passed up Trough Spring branch of the Tuscarora 
Creek by Trough or Cove Spring, through Shade Gap, northward along 
Black Log valley to the "Black Log" in or near the gap east of 
Orbisonia; through Shirleysburg (Aughwick Old Town, or Fort Shirley); 
crossed to the northern side of the Juniata above Mount Union; crossing 
Juniata again to the south side at the lower end of Cypress Island, in 
the Borough of Huntingdon; over the Warrior's ridge and crossing to the 
north side of the river near Hart's Log (Alexandria); thence via Water 
Street and Canoe valley to Frankstown and Hollidaysburg; and thence 
over the Allegheny.  The southern branch, leaving the main road at 
Black Log, passed the Three Springs near the borough of that name, and 
leaving Huntingdon County at Sidling Hill Gap, touched Everett and 
Bedford, crossing the Allegheny a number of miles southwest of the main 
or Kittanning trail.
  There were a number of other paths of minor importance.  One extended 
from Frank's Town to the Bald Eagle's Nest, near Milesburg, Centre Co.  
A branch ran from this through Warrior's Mark, Franklin, and Morris to 
the main road at Water Street.  Another from Raystown to Frankstown, 
one from Standing Stone to Raystown, one from the mouth of Raystown 
Branch to Raystown, one from Standing Stone to the Bald Eagle's Nest, 
etc.