Squatters on George Washington’s Land

On the 29th of December 1773, William Crawford informed George Washington that ten to twelve people were living on Washington’s land on Miller’s Run [Mount Pleasant Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania].[i]

The people likely included Thomas Biggert, John Glenn, Thomas Lapsley, William Hillis, James McBride, Samuel McBride, Brice McGeehan, Duncan McGeehan, Matthew Johnson, David Reed, John Reed, James Scott, and William Steward, who reportedly settled there in October of 1773.[ii]

The resulting ejectment suit brought by George Washington against these “squatters” has been discussed nearly as thoroughly as the surviving records allow.[iii]  

What has not been thoroughly discussed is just how tenuous George Washington’s claim to the land was when the competing settlers arrived.

Update: May 2023 – Further content removed due to pending publication. Check back in the fall for publication details.

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(c) 2021, Megan Clark Young. All rights reserved.

[i] “To George Washington from William Crawford, 29 December 1773,” transcription of letter, National Archives (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-09-02-0317); from W. W. Abbot and Dorothy Twohig, eds., The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 9, 8 January 1772 – 18 March 1774 (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1994) p. 418–421.

[ii] “September 1784,” transcription of George Washington’s journal entry, 20 September 1784, National Archives (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/01-04-02-0001-0001); from Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds., The Diaries of George Washington, vol. 4, 1 September 1784 – 30 June 1786 (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1978), pp. 1–54. Also, “From George Washington to John Harvie, 19 March 1785,” transcription of letter, National Archives (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-02-02-0303); from W. W. Abbot, ed., The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 2, 18 July 1784 – 18 May 1785 (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1992) p. 442–447.

[iii] Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1882), pg. 856–860; digital images, “Historic Pittsburgh Book Collection, Univeristy of Pittsburgh (https://digital.library.pitt.edu/). Also, “Editorial Note,” Founders Online, National Archives (https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-02-02-0245-0001); from W. W. Abbot, ed., The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 2, 18 July 1784 – 18 May 1785 (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1992), p. 338–356. Also, Joel Achenbach, The Grand Idea George Washington’s Potomac and the Race to the West (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004), p. 83–105; 144–152.