snagswolf
July 27th, 2009, 12:04 am
Just found out about this.
Seems that in 1771 GW got the title to some land from a guy who owed him money. Then the revolution came about and George was too busy to stop by and check out the property. So some squatters came by and decided to begin living on it.
After the War, in 1784, George finally decided to stop by, and wasn't too happy with the folks living on his land. (The local legend is that he showed up drunk at a church once and was giving them hell.)
He attempted to work out a deal with the squatters, but couldn't get them to pay what he wanted. It ended up in court where GW finally won ownership.
Washington talks about the events in his diary:
"This day also the people who lives on my
land on Millers Run came here to set forth
their pretensions to it; & to enquire into my
Right. after much conversation & attempts
in them to discover all the flaws they could in
my Deed &c* & to establish a fair and up-
right intention in themselves. and after much
councelling which proceeded from a division
of opinion among themselves they resolved
(as all who lived on the land were not here) to
give me their definite determination when I
should come to the land, which I told them
would probably happen on Friday or Saturday
next."
"This being the day appointed for the Sale of
my moiety of the Co-partnership Stock
many People were gathered (more out of curi-
osity I believe than from other motives) but no
great Sale made. My Mill I could obtain no
bid for, altho I offered an exemption from the
payment of Rent 1 5 Months. The Plantation
on which Mf Simpson lives rented well viz
for 500 Bushels of Wheat, payable at any place
with in the County that I or my Agent should
direct. the little chance of getting a good of-
fer in money, for Rent, induced me to set it up
to be bid for in Wheat."
"Set out with Doct r Craik for my Land on
Millers Run (a branch of Shurtees Creek)"
I find that last line extremely cool. I grew up along Chartiers Creek (what Washingon refers to as 'Shurtees Creek'), and now I live along Millers Run, on the land that Washington disputed.
It's cool to think that the father of our country hung around in my neighborhood (even if he was ****ed off at the time).
Link to the full story. (http://books.google.com/books?id=RioTGCygpT8C&pg=PA219&lpg=PA219&dq=george+washington+millers+run&source=bl&ots=LOXI2IO4Eu&sig=nKouwADTCGSTqUer7-O3_bjwA2Y&hl=en&ei=OhRtSsXKHInOM6O9hPkG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1)
Seems that in 1771 GW got the title to some land from a guy who owed him money. Then the revolution came about and George was too busy to stop by and check out the property. So some squatters came by and decided to begin living on it.
After the War, in 1784, George finally decided to stop by, and wasn't too happy with the folks living on his land. (The local legend is that he showed up drunk at a church once and was giving them hell.)
He attempted to work out a deal with the squatters, but couldn't get them to pay what he wanted. It ended up in court where GW finally won ownership.
Washington talks about the events in his diary:
"This day also the people who lives on my
land on Millers Run came here to set forth
their pretensions to it; & to enquire into my
Right. after much conversation & attempts
in them to discover all the flaws they could in
my Deed &c* & to establish a fair and up-
right intention in themselves. and after much
councelling which proceeded from a division
of opinion among themselves they resolved
(as all who lived on the land were not here) to
give me their definite determination when I
should come to the land, which I told them
would probably happen on Friday or Saturday
next."
"This being the day appointed for the Sale of
my moiety of the Co-partnership Stock
many People were gathered (more out of curi-
osity I believe than from other motives) but no
great Sale made. My Mill I could obtain no
bid for, altho I offered an exemption from the
payment of Rent 1 5 Months. The Plantation
on which Mf Simpson lives rented well viz
for 500 Bushels of Wheat, payable at any place
with in the County that I or my Agent should
direct. the little chance of getting a good of-
fer in money, for Rent, induced me to set it up
to be bid for in Wheat."
"Set out with Doct r Craik for my Land on
Millers Run (a branch of Shurtees Creek)"
I find that last line extremely cool. I grew up along Chartiers Creek (what Washingon refers to as 'Shurtees Creek'), and now I live along Millers Run, on the land that Washington disputed.
It's cool to think that the father of our country hung around in my neighborhood (even if he was ****ed off at the time).
Link to the full story. (http://books.google.com/books?id=RioTGCygpT8C&pg=PA219&lpg=PA219&dq=george+washington+millers+run&source=bl&ots=LOXI2IO4Eu&sig=nKouwADTCGSTqUer7-O3_bjwA2Y&hl=en&ei=OhRtSsXKHInOM6O9hPkG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1)