Establishing Order in the Wilderness: The Founding of Lancaster County

The founding of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1729 marked a significant chapter in the expansion of colonial America, particularly within the boundaries of William Penn’s rapidly growing Pennsylvania. As the fourth county established by Pennsylvania’s legislature, following the original three—Bucks, Chester, and Philadelphia—Lancaster County’s creation was a direct response to the practical and administrative challenges posed by the increasing population and geographical expansion from the eastern shores toward the interior lands of the colony.

The roots of Lancaster County trace back to the burgeoning days of Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn in 1681 as one of the last colonies in British America. From the initial settlement, the population of Pennsylvania grew exponentially. By 1682, the population doubled with the arrival of 2,000 emigrants alongside Penn. This increase continued, and by 1700, approximately 30,000 residents inhabited the colony, reaching around 75,000 by the late 1720s. The majority of these early settlers initially occupied the province’s eastern corner but soon spread outwards in search of viable land for their homesteads. The movement towards the interior was necessitated by the limited availability of land near the initial settlement areas around Philadelphia.

The settlers expanded north up the Delaware River Valley, northwest towards the Schuylkill River Valley, and west to the Conestoga region. By 1729, approximately 3,500 settlers resided in the Conestoga area. It was from this significantly populated region that the call for a new county emerged. The settlers of the Conestoga region petitioned for the creation of a new county on February 6, 1728/9, citing the impracticality of administering such a densely populated area from a distant county seat in Chester—some eighty to one hundred miles away. This distance posed substantial difficulties in legal and civic management, weakening the “arm of justice” as residents faced challenges in addressing grievances, such as the unfair assessment of taxes and lack of essential infrastructure like bridges. Furthermore, the remoteness contributed to a lack of law enforcement, making the area a refuge for “thieves” and “vagabonds.”

Responding to these concerns, the authority to create new counties, which rested with the proprietor or his appointed agent—then Governor Patrick Gordon—moved to action. The petition (click here to see the document and read its transcription found below) was approved by the Assemblymen on May 9, 1729, and Governor Gordon officially signed it into law the following day. The county was named Lancaster, likely at the suggestion of John Wright, a prominent local leader from Lancashire, England. The initial governance structure of Lancaster County was quickly established, with the appointment of eight justices of the peace, a temporary sheriff, and a coroner. This fledgling governance framework laid the groundwork for the first elections held in the fall of 1729, which solidified the local administrative body.

The choice of Lancaster as the county seat, located in what was then known as “Gibson’s Pasture,” underscores the strategic and thoughtful planning by the early leaders. Here, the first courthouse and jail were constructed, centralizing the judicial and administrative functions essential for the growing county. Over the years, Lancaster County’s initial boundaries were redefined as the population grew and new counties were carved out of its territory, including York (1749), Cumberland (1750), Berks (1752), Northumberland (1772), Dauphin (1785), and Lebanon (1813).

The story of Lancaster County’s founding provides a compelling glimpse into the challenges and complexities of colonial administration and expansion. It highlights the adaptive strategies of early American settlers and the foundational steps toward local governance that shaped the development of what would become one of the most populous and industrious states in the Union. As such, Lancaster County stands as a testament to the dynamic and ever-evolving narrative of American history, illustrating the profound impact of governance, geography, and community in the colonial era.

County Founding Day Open House

If you would like to see the petition in person, mark your calendars for a special evening at LancasterHistory, located at 230 N. President Ave, on May 9, 2024, from 5 to 8 p.m. This event promises to be a delightful journey through the rich tapestry of Lancaster County’s history, commemorating its 295th anniversary. Click here to learn more about the event.

Open House activities include:

• Display of the “Petition for the Establishment of Lancaster County,” on loan from the Pennsylvania State Archives, for one night only.
• Curator’s Tours of Thieves & Vagabonds: A History of Law and Justice in Lancaster County, LancasterHistory’s latest major exhibition at 5:30 and 7 pm.
• “1729: The Year Lancaster Went Legit,” an illustrated presentation of Lancaster County’s geography by Ben Webber, Manheim Township Historical Society President, around 6 pm.
• Uncharted Lancaster Scavenger Hunt on the LancasterHistory campus, an activity for all ages. Click here to get a jump start on this mini-adventure.
• The debut of “Harpo’s History Explorer’s Activity Sheet: Thieves & Vagabonds Edition,” an activity for kids based on the Thieves & Vagabonds exhibition.
• No birthday celebration would be complete without cake! Join us for the birthday cake-cutting ceremony around 6:30 pm to toast 295 years of Lancaster County. Happy Birthday, Lancaster County!

Petition For The Establishment Of Lancaster County – February 6, 1728/9

Transcript

To the Honourable Patrick Gordon Esq’r Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, New Castle Kent and Sussex on Delaware and Council.

The Petition of the Inhabitants of the upperpart of the County of Chester Sheweth that by Reason of the Great Distance we live from the County Town Where Elections & Courts are held & publick Offices kept, The arm of Justice is weakened, The benefit of many Good & wholesome Laws almost if not Intirely Lost, & ye person who has Occasion to apply to them put to great and Burdensom Expense, Thieves Vagabonds & Ill people–Boldly infest our parts (Counting themselves beyond the Reach of Law) to the Disturbance of the Peace & very great Damage of the Inhabitants it being almost Impossible to take & Secure Such Villains where Justices & Constables are So thin plac’d as not one in Twenty or thirty Miles, & Assistance Difficult to be raised on Such Occasions Amongst people who would freely Serve but are Deterred by want of Ready Cash, to bear ye Charges of a Journey of Eighty or a hundred Miles to the County Jail, and as we are Mostly new Setlers far from a Market, and Trade and Commerce among our Selves Mostly by way of Barter, Money cannot be Supposed plenty. Therefore when Law Suits prove Necessary to Recover our Just Debts, the trouble and Expence of Travelling to Obtain a Writt or Sumons, having it Serv’d bringing Evidence (when needful) attending Two or three Courts, the Repealed Journeys amount to three or four hundred Miles, besides the loss of much time, all which being A ready Money Charge makes the Recovery of a Small Sum more detrimental than the loss of it, and is a very Great Oppression of the Debtor, and in debts under forty Shillings which canot be recovered without an Execution. The action Drops rather then Cause So great a Charge as would Accrue if the party be Sent to Jail, & taken from his ffriends (if any) who might Assist him, Run away Servants & Suspitious persons who often come this way to hide among us or Escape into the back parts of Maryland are Seldom taken up. The Reward for Runaways not answering the Trouble, And to far to Send Suspected Persons til they can make proof of their Clearness. Our highways are unrepaired, Townships Undivided nor Bridges Built, where they are wanted nor can our Taxes be as Regulary Laid, or our Griovance likely to be Redressed when the mean Distance to the nearest place of Appeal is at least fifty Miles, and neither Comishoner nor more then one Assessor (if that) Elected in many years within the Circle of five hundred ffamilies, These and many more Inconveniences of the like nature, & from the Same Cause which may Occur to you on a serious Reflection, we humbly offer to your Consideration, Hopeing as wee are his Majesties Leige Subjects, And Justly Entituled to all the ease & Advantages the Law will Afford, You will in Your Care for the Publick good be Ready to Redress, And in Order thereto as most of Your petitioners Liveing fifty or Eighty Miles from Chester & Some much further, and ye Bounds Yearly Enlarging, We humbly pray you would be pleased to Order A Divission line to be made between the uper and lower part of Chester County, which uper Divission when So made may be a County and Called ye County of–with Privilidge Granted to Elect Representatives, A Sheriff, & Other Officers in number and Manor as they are now Elected in Chester County, And have all other Officers, Offices powers and priviledges Equal with Other Countys, This we humbly Conceive would be the most Effectual means of Redress, of Great Ease and benefit to Your Petitioners, and no ways Prejudicial to Chester County or the province in General And for which your Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall pray &c.

N.B. The under Written names are truly Copyed out of the Original Subscription to a Petition to the Assembly by us. Jno Wright

Tho: Edwards

Pat Anderson	Caleb Pierce	David Jones	John Sickray
Ephrm Moor	Jno Walter	Thos Finball	Jno Huwoll
Hugh Scott	Alex: White	Robt Cloud	Jacob Lawson
Andrew Killbreth	Robt Allison	Jno Musgrove	Robt Ceeas
Thos: Wilkins	Gordon Howard	Jno Griffith	Alex McKeen
Wm Hayes	Jno Sterret	Rid Hastings	Samll McGomrey
Jno Killbreth	Zacharias Moor	Smll Taylor	Geo Muffet
Jno Mitchel	Jno McLean	Mat Watkins	Jno Muffet
Rid Allison	Jno Catherwood	Jno Killbreth Jur	Walter Tidiford
Jonas Devenport	Jno Miller	James Gibson	Robt Killbreth
Wm Brian	Jno Allison	Jos Konedy	Jams Arady
Hugh White	Jno Harris	Thos Hams	Wm Allison
Thos Black	Samll Scott	Thos Willsson	Samll Hunybrook
Pat Camphel	Wm. Allison	Jos Thatcher	James Doke
James Stuart	James Smith	James Killbreth Jur	Richard McLeure
Geo: Stuart	James Robison	Pat McKinley	Jno White
Wm Meben	Moses White	Samll Parker	Jno Taylor
John Wright	James Moor	John Kellsy	Thos Mitchel
Tobias Hendrix	Jon McFarland	Moses Thomson	Abraham Sott
Samll: Blunston	Thos Howard	Jam Killbreth	Jas Work
Ed. Smout	James Patison	Robt Mcferlan	Ed Dochgery
[Illegible]	Jno McCurry	Arthur Peterson	Jams Swafford
Robt Barber	Jacob Bar	Jno: Miller	John Klemsen
John Poslethwait	Samll Bar	Caleb Worley	Jno Miller
Thos Gaill	Abraham Mire	Jams Hendrix Jur	Ben Heath
Samll Taylor	Christian Moser	Geo: Holt	Thos Clark
Jno: Swift Jur	Jacob Funk	Jno Hendrix	John Boyle
Jno: Davis	Jacob Fincher	Robt Willkins	Pat Jack
Thos Owen	James Hendrix	Enock Davies	Geo: Bohnsan
Jon Linvil	Joseph Higingbotham	Tobias Hanspaker	Wm Richardson
Albortus Hendrix	Caleb Baker	Charles Jones	James Menir
Jos: Loe	Jos Minshall	Hugh Rurn	Joseph Mays
Francis Worley	Geo Middletown	Wm Hughs	Geo. Thomas
Joseph Jarvis	Casper Loughasson	Jno Fursey	John Powel
Jno Cowin	Wm Lindvil	Samll Jones	Samll Swallow
Dad: Cowin	Isaac Woodrow	Morgan Jones	Danll Cookson
Christian Stoneman	Simon Woodrow	Henry Jones	John Abbott
Danll ffree	Peter Lemon	John Jones	Samll Vernor
Jacob Miller	Christian Lemon	Francis Jones	Dad Vernor
Thos Folkins	Gabriel Carpenter	Jno: Minshall	Jon Williams
John Musgrove	Hans Grove	Evan Evans	James Gott
Henry Carpenter		Rid Moor	Wm Willson
John Howser		John Wauks	Danll Harmon
		William Willis	Rid Owen
			Thos Edwards

Resources

• Petition For The Establishment Of Lancaster County – February 6, 1728/9
• County Founding Day Open House