| Regardless
of whether the Indians had a permanent settlement
in Johnstown, it was still considered
“Indian Country” in 1769 when Charles
Campbell of Westmoreland County became the first
owner of the land on which the town was founded. The Campbell tract generally
included that land which now makes up the 1st,
2nd, 3rd and 4th Wards. Its boundaries described
an irregular triangle, with its apex just
downstream from the point where the Stonycreek
and Little Conemaugh Rivers meet. All the
downtown area below the Haynes Street Bridge was
included.
On April 7,
1769--four days after the Campbell application--
a second warrant was taken out. This made James
Dougherty owner of the Cambria City section.
Original warrants
for other tracts that now make up the city went
to Thomas Afflick in 1788 (Minersville), Benedict
Dorsey in 1776 (Woodvale) James Flack in 1797
(old Conemaugh Borough), Jacob Stutzman and
Robert Adams in 1795 (Kernville), Martin Riley in
1787 (Osborne Section) and Peter Snyder in 1776
(Hornerstown).
These
men were not necessarily settlers or developers,
but they were the first landowners. Most tracts
changed hands several times before actual
development was begun.
|
