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Washington County PAGenWeb 
Genealogy Project

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Township & Borough Formation in Washington County
The original 13 Townships are in red.

TOWNSHIP FORMATION NOTE
Allen 14 Jun 1853  
Amwell 15 Jul 1781  
Bethlehem 15 Jul 1781  
Buffalo 8 May 1799  
Cannonsburg 22 Feb 1802 Chartiers
Canton 10 Jun 1791  
Carrol 30 Sep 1834  
Cecil 15 Jul 1781  
Chartiers 12 Mar 1790  
Cross Creek 23 Mar 1790  
Cumberland 15 Jul 1781 Greene Co. 1802
Dickinson 15 Sep 1785  
Donegal 15 Jul 1781  
East Bethlehem 18 Jan 1790 Bethlehem
East Findley 24 Dec 1828 Findley
Fallowfield 15 Jul 1781  
Findley 6 May 1788  
Franklin 16 Jul 1787 Greene Co. 1802
Franklin 13 Aug 1855  
Greene 3 Apr 1782 Greene Co. 1802
Hanover 11 Mar 1786  
Hopewell 15 Jul 1781  
Independence 19 May 1855  
Jefferson 16 Jun 1853  
Morgan 15 Jul 1781 Greene Co. 1802
Morris 13 Mar 1788  
Mount Pleasant 12 May 1806  
North Straban 2 May 1831 Straban
Nottingham 15 Jul 1781  
Peters 15 Jul 1781  
Pike Run 8 Jan 1792  
Rich Hill 13 Mar 1793 Greene Co. 1802
Robison 15 Jul 1781  
Smith 15 Jul 1781  
Somerset 3 Apr 1782  
South Straban 2 May 1831 Straban
Straban 15 Jul 1781  
Union 31 Mar 1836  
West Bethlehem 18 Jan 1790 Bethlehem
West Findley 24 Dec 1828 Findley

BOROUGHS
Beallsville 16 Feb 1852 Pike Run Twp.
Bentleysville 2 May 1868 Somerset Twp.
California 26 Nov 1853 Pike Run Twp.
Claysville 2 Apr 1832  
Greenfield 9 Apr 1834 Pike Run Twp.
Millsborough 16 Apr 1840 Bethlehem Twp.
Monongahela City 1 Apr 1837 Carrol Twp.
Washington (town) 6 Feb 1786  
West Brownsville 2 Apr 1852 Pike Run Twp.
West Middletown 27 Mar 1823  

Source: Creigh, Alfred.

 

History of Washington County from its first settlement to the present time : first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania : with sketches of all the townships, boroughs, and villages, etc. : and to which is added a full account of the celebrated Mason and Dixon's Line, the Whiskey Insurrection, Indian warfare, traditional and local historical events.. Harrisburg, Pa.: B. Singerly, printer, 1871, c1870


 

Source: Creigh, Alfred.
"History of Washington County from its first settlement to the present time : first under Virginia as Yohogania, Ohio, or Augusta County until 1781, and subsequently under Pennsylvania : with sketches of all the townships, boroughs, and villages, etc. : and to which is added a full account of the celebrated Mason and Dixon's Line, the Whiskey Insurrection, Indian warfare, traditional and local historical events".  Harrisburg, Pa.: B. Singerly, printer, 1871, c1870.

Originally, 13 townships were formed July 1, 1781.  These were Amwell, Bethelhem, Cecil, Cumberland (to Greene County in 1796), Donegal, Fallowfield, Hopewell, Morgan (to Greene County in 1796), Nottingham, Peters, Robinson, Smith, Strabane.  Sources: Crumrine, p. 228 ;  Forrest, vol. 1, p. 459.  Also see McFarland 1910, and Crumrine 1882.


See The Genealogy Society of Southwestern PA

CURRENT TOWNSHIP AND MUNICIPALITIES MAP

Use Mouse to Roll over Image below

Washington County Pennsylvania Municipalities and Townships


 

 

Index to Atlas and other Maps Including 
"Caldwell's Illustrated Historical Centennial Atlas of Washington County, Pennsylvania"
(Condil, Ohio: J. A. Caldwell, 1876)

 

 

 

Tiny Fact: Even in the 1800s, there was a need to distinguish Washington PA from Washington, DC.  
In old newspapers, you will sometimes find reference to "Little Washington".  

Big Fact:  How do you tell in very old newspapers whether the Editor referred to Washington, D.C.?  Most often, Editors just wrote "Washington" when they meant "Washington D.C."  and they wrote "Washington, Pa." for "Little Washington".

 

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