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After the treaty of Fort Stanwix on November 5-1768 land in western Pennsylvania became available for settlement. The land office opened at Philadelphia April 3-1769 for grants of up to 300 acres. Twenty orders of survey were issued that day for land in present Washington County, then a part of Cumberland County.
As early as 1754 Pennsylvania and Virginia authorities were arguing over which colony Fort Pitt was in. In 1763 Pennsylvania and Maryland agreed on the southern boundry of Pennsylvania - 30 o 43.4'. Two years later Mason Dixon began to survey the line and set up markers. It started where the western extension of the line reached the west bank of the Delaware river. It then was to run west for 5 degrees of longitude (20 minutes of time) or 267 miles.
By the fall of 1767 Mason and Dixon had reached a point near Mount Morris, Greene County 244 miles west of the Delaware. With 23 miles to go they were stopped by Indians who said, No farther. This left the western boundary of Pennsylvania uncertain.
Settlers poured in from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The ambiguous charter of Virginia led that colony to claim the land west of Laurel Hill. The matter came to a head with the formation of Bedford County March 9-1771. Many claimed that Bedford County had no control over the region. Feelings intensified with the formation of Westmoreland County February 26-1773.
On December 6-1775 Virginia formed the district of West Augusta to include the southern half of Pennsylvania west to Laurel Hill. The first Virginia court was held February 21-1775. On July 25-1775 the Continental Congress addressed the inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Virginia west of Laurel Hill, expressing concern as to the boundary disagreement. On November 8-1776 West Augusta was divided into Ohio, Yohogania and Monongalia Counties.
Westmoreland County had limited control east of the Monongahela river. The Va Counties had complete control west of the river, including taxes and militia. This ended with the boundary settlement in the summer of 1780. In the period from 1776 to 1782 there was considerable agitation for settling the dispute by forming a new state west of the mountains. numerous petitions were circulated, bu the formation of Washington County March 28-1781 slowed down the action: nothing happened.
In the fall of 1782 a temporary extension of the southern boundary was made. This was made permanent in the fall of 1784 by comparing astronomical observations of the moons of Jupiter at both ends of the 5o line. The western boundary had yet to be run. It was about 80o 31.4' west longitude. In the summer of 1785 the line was run from the southwest corner of the state north to the Ohio river and a year later to Lake Erie. The northern boundary of Pennsylvania was 42o north latitude, the eastern boundary the Delaware river.
As to the land a compromise was reached. Pennsylvania had issued many orders of survey in 1769 and a number of warrants 1770-76. The land office closed December 2-1776 and did not reopen for western Pennsylvania until July 1-1784. Pennsylvania then began issuing warrants for two types of applications:
(1) those made through regular Pennsylvania channels,
(2) those made by virtue of Virginia certificates.
Virginia authorities in 1779-80 had issued certificates to persons, who, thinking they were in Virginia, had made bonafide settlements (a corn crop or one year's residence) before January 1-1778. No more than 400 acres could be claimed and proof of the date of settlement had to be made. Virginia went farther and actually made 27 surveys in Yohogania County in 1780, 20 on Pigeon Creek; and 34 surveys in the Pennsylvania part of Ohio County, 23 on Buffalo creek. By 1785 most persons seemed satisfied. They now knew in which state they were living. A more complete account of the boundary controversy can be found in Boyd Crumrine's HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
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