Non-Resident Land Owners

In reading the many aspects of Bedford County's history, I have never read of any reference to non-residents making large purchases of land here. I came upon some interesting facts while checking through some old records. I found a number of names who had bought thousands of acres of uncultivated land. My curiosity was aroused as to WHO some of these people were. By accident one or two of them were identified. However one major question sticks in my mind, WHY did some of them come from as far as Philadelphia to buy land in Bedford County?

One of those who bought land but did not reside here was:

Colonel Henry Bouquet was a Swiss officer in the English Service who was in command of Forbes' Army. He came here in the summer of 1758. It was his task to build the Fort and to build a road through the mountain wilderness.

Apparently Col. Bouquet liked this area because the various records between 1774 and 1784 show that he owned 740 acres in Bedford Township, situated on Dunning's creek, and 300 acres on Half Way Run; 1200 acres in Hopewell Township and 582 acres in Huntingdon Township.

We found other notables had become interested in Bedford County. Large tracts were purchased some of them by Edmund Miller. He owned 800 acres of land on Dunnings creek. Captain Trent and Company had obtained 300 acres located on 'Shawney Cabben Waters', and 440 acres in Colerain township. General Thompson also bought 300 acres along 'Shawney'.Another owners' name appeared quite often. He was Dr. William Smith. The uncultivated lands on which he paid taxes were; 250 acres in Colerain township, 625 acres on Dunnings creek in Bedford Township; 500 acres in Frankstown township and 3.990 acres in Huntingdon township. We were unable to identify this man until, by accident, we discovered on page 554, of the 1970-71 Pennsylvania Manual, Dr. Smith was provost of the University of Pennsylvania (in Philadelphia), and that he owned the land where the town of Huntingdon was laid out in 1767.

We also noticed Bayton, Wharton, Morgan & Company owned the following tracts in 1783- 200 acres in Bedford Township on Dunnings creek; 110 acres in Providence township; 100 acres in Cumberland Valley township; a large tract in Colerain township. Their total holdings were 4.200 acres in Bedford County. These did not include 1800 acres in Dublin township and 2.225 acres in Huntingdon Township, and approximately 9.500 acres in Frankstown township.

A little research revealed that this company of Philadelphia was a large shipping firm. It was their supplies that Colonel James Smith and his Black Boys destroyed at 'Sidelong' hill. Readers who are not familiar with the history of James Smith and his Black Boys can familiarize themselves with this fascinating story by reading about them in Chapter III, 'The First Rebels' in the 'Kernels of Greatness' which was published for Bedford County's Bicentennial.

Just exactly where these tracts of land were located which Colonel Bouquet, Captain Trent and others owned are not known. It would be an interesting fact for property owners if they had the desire, to really track their properties to that period.