Some Dates Relating to Hampshire County History:
1716 Gov. Spotswood and Order of Golden Horseshoe cross Blue Ridge mountains
1729(?) first settlers enter the South Branch River Valley
before 1735 first settlers (Corbin, Howard, Walker, Rutledge, and Forman) settled in Springfield area of South Branch Valley
1736 first stone set at corner of Fairfax grant on headwaters of Potomac
March 1748 George Washington begins surveying in county for Lord
Fairfax
May 26, 1748 Joseph Edwards received land grant for 400 acres on Great Cacapehon
1748 200 persons reside at Pearsall’s Flats
1749 French Capt. Celeron sets copper plates and claims Ohio River for France at least as far as the Kanawah
Feb. 7, 1751 Christopher Gist sets marker on lands of the Ohio Company
July 4, 1751 Robert Dinwiddie appointed Lt. Gov. of Virginia Colony
April 1752 Washington does last surveys
July 7, 1752 Joseph Edwards appointed overseer for road from Jeremiah Smith's to the North River
1753 Christopher Gist cuts road for Ohio Company over an old Indian route from mouth of Will’s Creek to mouth of the Red Stone Creek on the Monongahela
Winter 1753-1754 Washington passes through county on mission to French on
Ohio River
April 19, 1754 Col. Washington "tarried at Job Pearsall's for the arrival of troops" before his trip to try to capture Ft. Duquesne and his defeat at Ft. Necessity
1754 Governor approves establishment of Hampshire County
May 28, 1754 George Washington attacks a small French force killing their leader, Jumonville
July 3, 1754 Col. Washington surrenders to the French at Ft. Necessity
1755 First Hampshire Court record
July 9, 1755 Gen. Braddock's army ambushed at the Monongahela; Washington and the Virginians cover the retreat. The Virginia frontier is now open to French and Indian attacks.
April 16, 1756 Apparently, Daniel Morgan wounded near Hanging Rock on way to Winchester; two companions killed; Morgan escapes with neck/mouth wound and makes way to Edwards on the Cacapon
April 18, 1756 Battle of Great Cacapehon; Capt. John Fenton Mercer, Ensign Thomas Carter and fifteen men killed
April 22, 1756 Col. Washington writes of Mr. Paris engaging small band of Indians on North River and killing French officer with orders in his pocket to harass the frontier; Washington sends men to reinforce Ft. Edwards
June 30, 1758 Washington visits Pearsall's on way to join Gen. Forbes
against Ft. Duquesne
1765 Romney Academy built
1770 Iron furnace built at Bloomery
Oct-Nov 1770 George Washington’s last visit to Hampshire County; he and Dr. James Craik spend night in Romney
1777 Capt. William Forman’s defeat on the Ohio River during Revolutionary War
October, 1777 boundries of Hampshire County changed when Augusta County
reformed.
June 7, 1781 Francis Asbury crosses Cacapon on first visit to Hampshire County; stayed at William Rannells before traveling to Richard Williams,
by 1786 a State road was opened from Winchester via Capon Bridge to Romney
1786 Hardy County cut off from Hampshire
Dec. 12, 1787 Watson established; later became Capon Springs
Dec. 16, 1790 Town of Springfield established
1796 Post Office established at Romney
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