Did You Know? The Early History of McCandless Township

The following information is provided by the town of McCandless web site.

American Indians
The history of the North Hills and McCandless begins with the American Indians. The Delawares, or “Original People,” were one of the first tribes known to the European settlers in this area. These Native Americans were members of the Iroquois Nation. They navigated on paths and waterways throughout Western Pennsylvania, living in villages and hunting for food. Intricate details about the lives of these members are limited however, artifacts have been found in areas of McCandless proving their existence in our Town.

George Washington: The First Written Description of McCandless
Conceivably the first written description of MCandless came from Mr. Christopher Gist, guide of George Washington in 1753. He described both men leaving Venango Trail and following the Pine Creek to Etna. Therefore this makes Mr. Gist and Washington some of McCandless’ first early visitors. This would not be Washington’s last encounter with McCandless, though.

Sold!
During the Revolutionary War, soldiers were paid in Continental script, which quickly depreciated in value. The state then enacted legislation to make up for this depreciation by devising a plan to sell the land that it had acquired from the Indians. It was then known as the “Depreciation Lands,” which included the North Hills at the time. The soldiers either redeemed their depreciation certificates for cash or used them to buy land. The Indians did not give up their land easily, however. Unrest continued in the area until the Indians were defeated in 1794.

Moving In
James Duff was the first settler in 1795 who claimed 400 acres of land in the northern part of what was to become McCandless. His widow later sold the land for a mare and saddle. The land increased in value as a 50-acre plot, sold for $11,000 in 1875.

The second settler was then Henry Moon. Moon is noted for his log cabin build along the Pine Creek in 1796, where he lived with his family.

Development (Finally!)
Around 1800, Phillip Sarver started the movement for the first industry in McCandless, a sawmill and grist mill located along Pine Creek (popular place, huh?). Weekly mail service began in the North Hills in 1801 with relay stations in Wexford, Warrendale and Perrysville. Inns and taverns soon followed.

War
McCandless became a very prominent, strategic location during the War of 1812. An important route for transporting war materials from Pittsburgh to Admiral Perry’s forces on Lake Erie passed through the area. The road they used became known as Perry’s Overland Route. Sound familiar? 

Meeting Judge McCandless
In the 1800s McCandless was almost exclusively a farming community. The 1860 census showed a population of 1,482 residents, a number that was not to be exceeded until the late 1920s. It wasn’t until McCandless was officially created in 1851 with an act of legislature that carved it out of a shrinking PineTownship.

The township was named after Judge Wilson McCandless, who was a prominent person of the day. He was born in 1810 in Pittsburgh and graduated from the Western University of Pennsylvania (University of Pittsburgh) in the class of 1826, almost 200 years ago. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Electoral College in the presidential elections of 1844, 1852 and 1856. Twice he held the position of president of the Electoral College.

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