1754 Treaty - Part Two

“Land Rush”

by Phil McGinty

The Treaty between the Commissioners of Pennsylvania and the Indians of the Six Nations was executed on July 6, 1754. These new lands purchased from the Indians which included the lands of the Juniata lay within the boundaries of Cumberland County. Curiously, the Cumberland County warrant record shows no activity on these Lands until February of 1755. In fact, the warrant records of Cumberland County show little or no activity during the months between July 1754 and January 1755.

On the first week of February 1755 this would all change. Monday, February 3rd, saw at least ninety three warrant applications processed through the Land Office. The Land Rush was on. In truth, fourteen of these warrants involved Townships and Lands not part of the 1754 Treaty. (These may have been a back log of warrants from the previous year.) Never the less, the Cumberland County Warrant Registry Index records seventy nine warrants that were issued for lands of the 1754 Purchase. These were located on the waters and valleys of the Juniata River, Sherman Creek, Kishacoquillas Creek, Cocolamus Creek, Big Mahanoy Creek, and Tuscarora Creek.

Alexander McGinty was one of sixteen settlers who applied for and received a warrant for lands on the Tuscarora Creek on this, the first day of the Rush. His lands were located upstream five miles from the Juniata River near the Tuscaroran Indian Village called “Lackans.” John Armstrong actually claimed this Indian Village, although evidence suggests he didn’t occupy this claim. The Tuscaroran Indians remained loyal to the British and would remain on this land until the 1760s.

The initial blitz of warrants over, Tuesday, February 4th, would see another twenty four warrants issued. Wednesday records seven warrants issued followed by Thursday with nine, Friday with four and Saturday finished up the week with two. All these warrants, issued Tuesday through Saturday, were issued on lands acquired in the 1754 Land Purchase. In total, the Cumberland County Warrant Registry Index records that 125 warrants were issued for Lands obtained in the 1754 Land Purchase during the week of Monday, February 3rd through Saturday, February 8th. This figure is quite dramatic when compared to the ten or so warrants that were issued during the entire period of August 1754 to February 1755.

Phil McGinty
January 5, 2008