This township, as formed in 1842, was reduced in area to a considerable extent by the erection of Collier. Robinson’s run. Coal run. Chartiers creek and the Washington county line constitute its present territorial limits. The principal streams are Miller’s run, an affluent of Chartiers creek, and its branches, Fishing and Dauphin runs. One Miller, from whom the stream is named, is said to have settled at its mouth in 1768. He removed to Kentucky about the time that other settlers began to arrive. Christopher Lesnet, a German from Baltimore, Md., was probably the first permanent settler. Moses Middleswart, James Dinsmore and Obadiah Holmes, who were residents in 1800, arrived prior to 1785.

Mr. Middleswart located on Chartiers creek, near Bridgeville, where he died. His sons were Jesse, Jonathan and Vanderveer, all of whom died childless. Moses Coulter came about 1790, and settled near the center of South Fayette. He had sons, John, Richard and Goodman Y., the last still living at the age of eighty-four. John Hanna was a settler near Bridgeville before 1800. His son was William, whose sons still reside in the township. Thomas Alexander located on Miller’s run, about two miles from its mouth, very early. His sons were Joseph, Samuel, Thomas and John. The last is living in Pittsburgh. Peter Hickman was also a very early immigrant. He located near the center of the township, where he remained till his death. His sons were Joseph, John, Benjamin, Daniel, Steward, Moses and Nicholas, all dead.

In addition to these the following were residents prior to 1820:
William Dickson and sons George, James and William;
George Kelso and sons John and Benjamin;
Benjamin Kelso and sons John, George, James, Benjamin, Mark and Samuel;
William Herdman and sons Frank and Robert;
Joseph Campbell;
Christopher Erick;
James Slater and sons John, James, William and Thomas;
Samuel Sterling and sons William, John and Hugh;
William McConnell and sons James, William and Joseph;
William Waters and sons Hugh and Samuel;
John Nesbitt and sons James, Ebenezer, William and David;
James Hall and sons Henry, John and James;
William Gilliland;
John Boyle and son Hugh;
Daniel South and sons Hezekiah, James, Daniel and Benjamin;
Steward Jordan,
Hughey Morgan,
John Wallace,
Samuel Brice,
Samuel Steward,
Samuel Hopper,
David Herriott,
James Herriott,
Ephraim Herriott,
Samuel Shane,
Darby Dunlevy,
Patrick Dunlevy,
Samuel and John Collins,
John, Isaac and Richard Boyce,
Andrew Fawcett,
John Lesnet and
Samuel McKown.

About 1790 Capt. Samuel Morgan built a gristmill on Miller’s run, about three miles from its mouth. It was purchased by Moses Coulter, who in 1812 sold it to William Gilmore. Mr. Coulter repurchased the property after it had been much improved, and at his death Goodman Y. Coulter became its owner. He converted it into a steam mill, and conducted it for some years. It was torn away several years since. A sawmill was added after it became a steam mill.

A fulling-mill was built about 1820 on Miller’s run, half a mile from its mouth, by Samuel Stewart. Mr. S. manufactured sickles at the same place. Both industries have died out in the country with the march of improvement.

The township is traversed by the Hickory grade-road, the Pan Handle and Chartiers Valley railroads, and the Pittsburgh, Chartiers & Youghiogheny railroad.

The mineral resources of this section are extensively developed. Laurel Hill mines and coke-works, W. P. Rend proprietor, are situated on the Pan Handle railroad, near McDonald. The works were established in 1872, by W. P. Rend & Co., and the first mines, opened on the farms of Samuel H. Cook and James Wallace, are now exhausted; 400 men are employed, and 200,000 tons are produced annually. The various coal-works of W. P. Rend, in Ohio and elsewhere, require 2,000 cars in their operation. Coking was begun here in 1875, when 16 ovens were erected. The number was increased to 26 in 1882, to 31 in 1884, and in 1887 to 41, with a capacity of 14,000 tons annually.
. . . Willow Grove mines are operated by the Willow Grove Mining company, T. B. Robbins, W. P. Rend and T. L. Robbins, constituent members. These works were originally established in 1866, by Dickson, Stewart & Co., from whom the estate of James T. Wood secured them; 200 men are employed, and the daily capacity is 500 tons.
. . . Star mines, 1,930 feet east of Willow Grove station, are operated by Frank Mankedict, and produce 225 tons daily; 100 men are employed.
. . . Oak Ridge mines, 1,300 feet east of Oakdale station, were opened in 1872. The annual product is about one million bushels. The Oak Ridge Coal company, limited, John Musser, chairman, George Schluederberg, secretary and treasurer, was incorporated in 1872.
. . .The National Coal company, limited, Frank Armstrong, chairman, F. R. Pinkerton, secretary and treasurer, was incorporated in 1865 as the National Coal and Coke company. The present style was adopted in 1879. The mines are situated 1,300 feet east of Noblestown. The improvements are valued at $40,000, and in addition there are 17 houses, 72 cars and 195 acres of coal-land; 105 men are employed.
. . . The coal-works of the Pennsylvania Coal company, W. J. Morgan, president, F. R. Layng, secretary, 200 feet east of Hastings, on the Chartiers Valley railroad, were opened for local consumption by David McKee in 1872. McCabe, Clark & Co. assumed control in 1875, and began operations on a more extensive scale. James Clark became sole proprietor in 1878; in 1881 the works were purchased by the Patterson Coal Mining company, from which they passed to the present proprietors in 1882; 85 men are employed, and the product is about eighty thousand bushels per month.
. . . The Chartiers Block Coal company, incorporated in 1881, secured control of extensive coal-lands on the line of the Pittsburgh, Chartiers & Youghiogheny railroad; and on the Tom’s run branch the principal lessees are Sanford & Co., the Beechmont Coal company, W. J. Steen and E. W. Powers.

The post- villages of the township are Herriottsville, Federal, Beechmont and Sturgeon.

Robinson’s Run United Presbyterian Church was organized in 1790. Rev. John Riddell was pastor from 1794 until his death in 1829; Moses Kerr, 1834-35; William Burnett, 1836-38. James Grier was installed in 1839, and was succeeded in 1879 by J. W. English. Bethany Presbyterian Church was organized in 1814. Rev. Alexander Cook was installed as pastor in 1815; William Jeffrey, 1821; Cyrus G. Braddock, 1855; J. F. Hill, 1876; V. G. Sheeley, 1886. Thomas Alexander, John Nesbit, George Herriott, Moses Coulter and John Hanna constituted the session in 1821. The population of the township by the census of 1860 was 1,260; in 1870, 1,927; in 1880, 1,765.