HISTORY OF QUEMAHONING TOWNSHIP
Quemahoning Township lies in the north-central part of Somerset County.
It
is
bounded
on west by Jenner Township, on the north by Conemaugh and Paint
Townships,
on
the
east
by
Shade Township, and on the south by Stony Creek and Somerset
Townships.
Quemahoning
Township's eastern border is formed by Stony Creek and the north-western
border
by
Quemahoning
Creek, from which the township got its name.
"Quemahoning" is an Indian word meaning "water issuing from a lick."
(A lick
is
a
place
where
salt
is found on the surface of the earth and wild animals resort to licking it up;
also
a
salt
spring
or
brook.)
Christopher Gist's Journal
Reference to Quemahoning was made by the surveyor Christopher Gist in
his
1750
report.
He
had
been commissioned in 1749 by The Ohio Company to explore and report
on
the
Ohio
Valley.
The
Ohio Company was formed in 1748 by several planters from Virginia and
Maryland
(including two
brothers of George Washington) to promote settlement of the Ohio Valley.
Gist
travelled
the
Old
Northern Indian Trail and passed through what would become
Quemahoning
Township.
His
journal
provides early information about this area. Gist also made reference to an
old
Indian
village
named
Kickenapaulin's Town which was located near the Quemahoning Creek.
This
land
was
eventually
submerged when the Quemahoning Reservoir was formed. He also
recorded
staying
in
an
old
Indian cabin which was believed to be near Kantner.
Forbes Road
There was an old Indian trail called the Raystown Path which went from
Harrisburg
to
Pittsburgh.
In 1757, during the French and Indian War (1754-1763),
Brigadier-General
John
Forbes
was
in
command of an army expedition to attack Fort Duquesne, which was held
by
the
French,
on
the
forks of the Ohio River. In July 1758, Forbes ordered Colonel Henry
Boquet
to
cut
a
wagon
road
westward from Raystown (Bedford) to Loyalhanna Creek (Ligonier).
Following
the
old
Indian
trail,
the Forbes Road was built.
Forts in Quemahoning Township
Along the Forbes Road, forts were built by Boquet's troops. One was Fort
Stony
Creek
which
was
west of the Stony Creek on what would become the Thomas Ringler farm
in
Quemahoning
Township. This was near what had been referred to by early fur traders as
"Stony
Creek
Crossings."
About six miles from Fort Stony Creek, another fortification was built at
Kickenapaulin's
Old
Indian
Town,
east of the Quemahoning Creek on land that would become Joseph
Rininger's
farm
in
Quemahoning
Township. There was also a small pallisade at Stoystown which was
believed
to
have
been
built
by
the early settlers there.
Formation of Quemahoning Township Bedford County
In 1775, Quemahoning Township was organized, by the Bedford County
Court,
out
of
part
of
Brothersvalley and part of Turkeyfoot Townships. At that time, it
included the
northern
portion
of
present-day Somerset County and part of what is now Cambria County.
Its
size
was
ultimately
reduced through the formation of new townships.
Quemahoning Township Somerset County
The portion of Bedford County west of the Allegheny Mountain was so
remote
from
the
county
seat
of Bedford, which was east of the Allegheny Mountain, that the residents
petitioned
the
Pennsylvania
legislature to organize a new county. April 17, 1795, Somerset County
was
created,
consisting
of
six townships: Brothersvalley, Turkeyfoot, Quemahoning, Milford, Elk
Lick, and
Stony
Creek. In 1795, from Quemahoning Township, James Wells was appointed as
an
associate
judge, and John Reed was elected as one of the first county commissioners.
Trostletown Bridge
The Trostletown covered bridge (pictured on Main Menu page) crossed
Stony
Creek
near
Kantner.
In 1964, the Stoystown Lions Club acquired the this bridge. In 1965 a
dedication
ceremony
was
held in honor of the Stoystown Lions Club's efforts in restoring this
historical
landmark.
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