There have been eight new county projects for the establishment of a county along the Monongahela River
during the past century and a quarter. These were designed to take part of the territory of Washington County
lying along the Monongahela River, but none of them was successful.The first was September 11, 1799, when a number of the inhabitants of Washington and adjoining counties
met at Parkinson's Ferry, now Monongahela city, to form plans for the formation of a new county, most of which
was to be taken from Washington County. Joseph Beckett was chosen chairman and John Hoge, of Washington,
secretary. At this meeting the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:"1. That it is the opinion of this meeting that a new county ought to be established by the following lines, viz:
Beginning on the Monongahela River, at the mouth of Peters' Creek, thence up the said creek to that branch
thereof which runs from the Rev. David Phillips' farm, thence by a direct line to include the place on which James
Mitchell, Esq. now lives, thence by a like line to include the place on which George Myers, Sen., now lives, thence
to Bentley's upper mill on Pigeon Creek, thence to the Monongahela River opposite the mouth of little Redstone
Creek, thence by a direct line to the mouth of Washington's Run on the Youghiogheny River, thence down the
same to F. Moses' place, and thence by a direct line to the place of beginning.
"2. That in the opinion of this meeting the seat of justice for the new county should be established at
Parkinson's Ferry on the Monongahela River.
"3. That John Hoge, Major Devore and Captain Royall be appointed a committee to draft a petition to the
next legislature praying for the establishment of a new county."Even at that time there were many people opposed to the division of Washington County, and the measure was killed by a remonstrance against it.
The movement came up again in 1814 when Charles D’Hass laid out a new town in Carroll Township, which he called Pittsborough, on the site of the present Donora. On September 12, 1814, he advertised in The Reporter that lots were for sale in the new town of Pittsborough located in the Horseshoe bottom of the Monongahela. In the advertisement he states: "As it is in contemplation to form a new county, and from its being so very central in the contemplated county, and its handsome situation induced the subscriber to lay off a town with large lots and wide streets and alleys, with public grounds for a church and burying ground and also for an academy."
On November 12, 1814, Mr. D'Hass changed the name of the town to Columbia, and on February 15, 1815, he sold part of the plot to John Neal. It seems that the new county project was still in their minds; for on January 12, 1816, the joint proprietors notified the public that a market square, eighty by one hundred twenty feet, and a public square composed of Lot 69, both bounded by Market and Third streets, Scott and Decatur alleys, had been laid out subject to the condition that if the said square was not occupied by a courthouse and other public buildings in fourteen years; then this square was to revert to John Neal.
The new county project was brought before the people of Washington County again in 1820, and in 1822 and 1835, when it was proposed to make the county twenty miles square. The plan was brought up again in 1837 and 1838, but each time it was defeated by the people.
Again in 1849 the new county project was renewed when it was proposed to call it Monongahela County. It
went so far that year as to be presented to the legislature, and it was lost by only one vote. All we know of it at that time is contained in the following item which appeared in The Reporter on April 4, 1849: "Monongahela County was defeated by a tie vote on Monday, the 26th ultimo, was reconsidered on last Thursday, and again lost by one vote."The plan seems to have lain dormant for forty-six years before it broke out again, when in 1895 the
proposition was renewed with considerable vigor, and came very near to being successful. Charleroi, the "Magic
City," had been founded five years before, and from the start it was a booming place. It grew rapidly, and in 1895
its people revived the Monongahela County project in hopes of making Charleroi the county seat. The plan was to
take portions of Washington, Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette counties, an area containing 98,060
population, with an assessed valuation at that time of $66,000,000.The movement was headed by John S. McKean, one of the founders of Charleroi and a prominent river
politician of that time. It was not a sporadic effort as the former projects had been. A big campaign on the
barnstorming order was launched, but there was much opposition. However, it received the support of such
powerful men in state politics as M. S. Quay, Chris L. Magee, and David Martin, and it looked very much as if it
would prove successful. It was felt generally throughout this section that if the bill passed the legislature Governor
Hastings would sign it.It was planned to use the new Masonic building at Charleroi, then in course of construction; for a courthouse,
and a site for the jail was selected.E. F. Acheson, of Washington, congressman from this district and then the leading politician of Washington
County, was credited with having defeated the measure. But this is not correct. While opposed to the scheme, Mr. Acheson and Mr. Quay were not on friendly terms politically, and the former figured very little in the final defeat of the bill. Before the measure came before the legislature the break came between Mr. Quay and Governor Hastings.The opposition was not slow to take advantage of this, and it acted quickly. Frank M. Fuller, of Uniontown, then secretary of the commonwealth, who had been in favor of the scheme, was enlisted by the opposition. Mr. Fuller was on excellent terms with Mr. Quay, who was then at San Lucie, Florida, on a fishing trip. Mr. Fuller
immediately went to Florida and interviewed Mr. Quay. What passed between them will never be known, but
when the new county measure came before the legislature it was defeated. And the credit or the blame for that
defeat must be given to Mr. Fuller and not Mr. Acheson. Since then the new county scheme has rested quietly in its grave.
