23d. Arrived at Colo. Philips abt. five oclock in the afternoon 16 Miles from Beason Town & near the Mouth of Cheat Rivr. The land thro’ wch. I rid was for the most part tolerably level—in some places rich—but in general of a second quality. Crossed no water of consequence except Georges Creek.1
An Apology made to me from the Court of Fayette (thro’ Mr. Smith) for not addressing me; as they found my Horses Saddled and myself on the move.
Finding by enquiries, that the Cheat River had been passed with Canoes thro’ those parts which had been represented as impassable and that a Captn. Hanway—the Surveyor of Monongahela County lived within two or three Miles of it, Southside thereof;2 I resolved to pass it to obtain further information, & accordingly (accompanied by Colo. Philips) set of in the Morning of the
1. George’s Creek flows west through southern Fayette County, entering the Monongahela River about five miles below the mouth of the Cheat River.
2. Samuel Hanway (1743–1834) became surveyor of Monongalia County 3 June 1783 with the provision that his appointment would be voided should his predecessor, who was “supposed killed by the Indians,” turn up alive, but he held the office for most of the rest of his life (, 3:265). Born in Chester County, Pa., he came to Charles City County, Va., about 1768 and later was a merchant in Petersburg. At the beginning of the War of Independence he raised and led a unit of Amelia County minutemen and then served several months as a captain of state marines before resigning his commission in Dec. 1776 (, 1:262, 2:405, 498, 506). He apparently moved to Monongalia County about the time of his appointment as surveyor ( [4], 4:45).