Native Americans were the first to inhabit the Susquehanna Valley followed by a mixture of Europeans: German, Swiss, English and Ulster-Scots. Susquehannock Native Americans lived along the Susquehanna River.
Prior to the formal creation of Lancaster County in 1729, land in this area was a vast wilderness known as the ‘backcountry’. The expanding population of immigrants and great distances for residents from the existing county seat necessitated the creation of a new County, Lancaster County was formed on May 10, 1729 from a portion of Chester County .
The first Lancaster County Commissioners enlisted the services of many individuals to establish its early government. They didn’t have a courthouse so the first court sessions were held in a tavern owned by John Postlewaite near the Susquehanna River. Since Lancaster was also without a jail, Sheriff Robert Barber built the first “jail” in 1730 at his home.
Lancaster County still needed to be properly divided from Chester County so a surveyor named John Taylor was paid the sum of three pounds for “running the division line.”
On June 9, 1729, just days after Lancaster County was officially founded on May 29, eight magistrates—including county founders John Wright, Tobias Hendricks, and Samuel Blunston—gathered at Postlewaitet ’s Tavern to establish the names and boundaries of Lancaster County’s townships. This pivotal meeting laid the foundation for the county’s governance and organization.
As settlement increased, six other counties were subsequently formed from territory directly taken, in all or in part, from Lancaster County: Berks (1752), Cumberland (1750), Dauphin (1785), Lebanon (1813), Northumberland (1772), and York (1749).
As the new County prospered, the area now called Penn Square (where the Soldiers and Sailors monument is located) was chosen as the spot for the first Courthouse. It was finished in 1738. This Courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1784 and a new one was built in its place in 1787. This Courthouse became known by residents as the State House since Lancaster served as the state capital from 1799-1812. A new Courthouse was constructed in 1852 at the corner of King and Duke Streets. The Courthouse became a central hub for residents to record property deeds, wills, and civil cases as well as obtain naturalization papers and marriage licenses.
Nation’s Capital for a Day It was in that original courthouse that the Continental Congress, fleeing westward from Philadelphia to escape Lord Howe and the redcoats, held a one-day session on September 27, 1777, giving Lancaster its claim to being the nation’s capital for one day. The Continental Congress adjourned and continued their move west, settling in York, where they stayed for the next nine months.
Puzzle: All answers are in the above history.--- N40 03.ABC - W76 18.XYZ
A. The last number of the year Lancaster County was created minus-2
B. Number of 6/9/1729 magistrates minus -5
C. The first Courthouse was finished in 17(?-1)8
X. York County from Lancaster County 17(?+1)9
Y. Lancaster was Capital for a day September 2(?+1) 1777
Z. Berks County was formed from Lancaster County 175(?+6)