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BEDFORD COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
PART OF THE PAGENWEB
BEDFORD BOROUGH HISTORY
HOME
Source:
History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Counties, Pennsylvania: with
illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent
names; Chicago; Waterman, Watkins & Co.; 1884.
CHAPTER XXIV.
BOROUGH OF BEDFORD.
"Indian Traders--Ray and Others at Raytown--Driven Away by
Indians--Gen. Forbes at Raystown in 1785--A Fort Built--John Fraser and
Family--Capt. Ourry Grants a Lot in the Original Town of Bedford--Bedford Manor
Surveyed--Prominent Features & Residents in 1761--Description of Fort
Bedford--Four Eminent Pioneers--Town Laid Out According to Present Plan in
1766--Made the Seat of Justice in 1771 of a Vast Territory--Its Residents at
That Time--Mention of Many Other Early Settlers--The First Postmaster,
Etc.--President Washington's Visit in 1794--Incorporated as a Borough--A Letter
from President John Adams--The Town in 1883--Corporate History--An Early
Celebration--Banking--Manufacturing--Secret Associations--Religious History.
WITH the Indian traders of the colonial period and indeed at a much later
date, it was customary, after the site for the establishment of a trading post
had been settled, to erect at least two or three log buildings for the
accommodations of themselves, their goods and their servants or retainers.
One of these--the trading-house proper--was especially constructed (quite
frequently of hewn timbers, and loop-holed) with the view of securing as safely
as possible the stock in store, besides affording a place of refuge and defense
in case of sudden attack. The traders, usually, were widely separated one
from another, and in course of time, their posts became known among themselves,
the white hunters and trappers, and the Indians, as towns. Hence the names
of Ray's Town, Frank's Town, John's Town, Hanna's Town, Beeson's Town, etc.,
terms which appear so frequently in colonial history.
It is traditionary and quite evident, too, that about the year 1750, an Indian
trader named Ray established himself on or near the site of the present town of
Bedford, and erected three log buildings, but how long he remained, or what
became of him, tradition saith not. However, the locality was known for a
number of years as Ray's Town, and the stream (Ray's Town branch of the
Juniata), on which, it is presumed, Ray's trading-post was built, still
perpetuates his name.
After Ray, or perhaps with him, came one Garrett Pendergrass, Sr., who, by
consent of the chiefs of the Six Nations (see general chapter entitled,
"The White Men as Settlers") resided here, made some improvements,
probably did a thriving trade with the Indians, an claimed about three hundred
acres of land, which included the "Three Springs" as well as land on
the left bank of the Raystown Branch. But according to the statement set
forth in the Indian document referred to, he, also, removed from this locality
soon after the beginning of the French and Indian war, and sought personal
safety at a point far to the eastward.
As shown by the following memorial, William Fredregill was another adventurous
spirit, and one of the very first to locate on the site of Bedford:
To the Honourable the Commissioners of Property of the Province of
Pennsylvania:
The Memorial of JOhn Ormsby of the Town of Bedford in the County of Bedford
in the Province of Pennsylvania Humbly Sheweth--
That a certain William Fredregill in the year of our Lord 1755 in Consequence of
the Encouragement given to people to settle on the vacant lands on the Western
Frontiers of the said Province did settle on a certain Tract of Land near
Raystown now called Bedford then vacant which Tract of Land the said Fredregill
occupied, built a dwelling House thereon, and made several other Improvements
and continued in possession untill he was driven off by the Indians in 1757, and
his House and other Buildings were by them burnt and destroyed. That some
years after the said Tract of Land and Improvements were included in the Survey
of a Manor laid out for the Honourable the Proprietaries.
That your memorialist having purchased the said Fredregill's Right and Title in
and to the said Tract of Land for the Consideration of one hundred pounds
current money of this province as may appear by a certain Instrument of writing
of Bargain and Sale bearing date the twenty second Day of December 1764 and made
several Considerable Improvements on the same at a very great Expence, did in
the year 1766 apply to the Honourable proprietaries Land Office in Philadelphia
to have the said Land confirmed to him but at that Time could only obtain a
Warrant to have the Land Surveyed with a Clause 'On condition that he shall pay
such purchase money as the Commissioners of property shall agree upon with the
Memorialist.'
That the memorialist humbly hopes the Honourable Commissioners considering the
true State of his case will not charge him with more purchase money than is
usually paid by Settlers on vacant Land with the usual Quit Rent and Interest
from the Date of the original Settlement in 1755, as the Land was actually
settled and improve, according to the Custom of Settlers, long before the laying
out of the said Manor, and considering that it has been improved at great
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