Gilfillan’s hypothetical meeting, on March 10, 1792, was held at Couch’s Fort. Nathaniel Couch had built a stronghold on his farm to serve as a safe house for his neighbors when there was danger of Indian attacks. The site today is occupied by a McDonald’s Restaurant.
In those days this whole region was a large forest, with tiny (40 acres?) farms sprinkled in clearings about a mile apart. Gilfillan’s farm was about two miles southwest of Couch’s Fort, at the current location of St. Clair Country Club, close to the intersection of (north/south) Washington Road and (east/west) Noble’s Trace. Washington Road was a slightly improved trail linking Washington, Pa. and Pittsburgh. Noble’s Trace was constructed by Colonel Henry Noble to link his trading post on Robinson Run with McKees Port on the Monongahela River, and from there on to Hager’s Town on the Potomac.
That particular morning Gilfillan rode up Washington Road to an intersecting trail (now Fort Couch Road) and down it to Couch’s Fort. After a hearty breakfast with the Couch family, he began to welcome the folks he had invited. First to arrive were the Nevilles – General John Neville from his mansion Bower Hill, his son Presley Neville from their Woodville plantation, his son-in-law Isaac Craig from his farm on Thoms Run, and his neighbor William Lea.
General Neville considered himself the most important citizen of Allegheny County; his son and son-in-law later would be Burgesses of the City of Pittsburgh. Accompanying them was Hugh Henry Brackenridge, a necessary participant in any meeting in the county.
Brackenridge was a remarkably versatile gentleman – army chaplain, lawyer, politician, novelist, and entrepreneur – and a marvelous source of news.
From Washington County came two other distinguished guests – Colonel John Canon and Reverend John McMillan. Canon had recently laid out the village that he named for himself; McMillan, in addition to founding five Presbyterian congregations (including Bethel) had just opened an Academy in Canonsburg to prepare young men for the professions.
Next arriving were Richard Boyce, Christian Lesnett, Nicholas Hickman, and Abraham Middleswarth, all living in what is now South Fayette Township. They had forded Chartiers Creek at Wingfield Mills, picked up Alexander Fowler, and followed a trail east to Washington Road. James and William Miller came from the east, the headwaters of Peters Creek. Other closer neighbors – John Fife, Edward Sharp, Adam Patterson, Cornelius Conner, and James McLaughlin – trickled in one at a time.
At mid-morning Gilfillan welcomed all the guests and initiated the discussion with a request for comments on President Washington’s performance. “In fifty days Washington will begin the final year of his first term and prepare for his re-election in November. How do you think he has done”? The consensus was that the “Father of our Country” had indeed exceeded everyone’s expectations and that his re-election was a certainty. In fact, many people felt he should be acclaimed “President for Life”.
At this point John Canon requested an opportunity to report on the dispute the farmers in his area had with absentee landlord James Ramsey. An old Indian trail, Catfish Path, had been upgraded by the settlers; renamed the Black Horse Trail it was now the principal artery connecting Washington, Pa. and Pittsburgh. Ramsey owned the property where the Trail forded Chartiers Creek, now the south end of Washington Avenue in Bridgeville.
He proceeded to dramatically improve the ford, trucking in stone to fill the deep spots in the creek and grading the approach banks on both sides. This pleased his neighbors; his installation of a toll gate infuriated them. In response they had constructed a keelboat and loaded it with flour from Canon’s mill and, when the April rains came and raised the creek level, they were going to “worry” it downstream to McKees Rocks and the Ohio River.
This action would prove that the creek was a “navigable stream”. The State Assembly had already agreed to pass a resolution confirming that qualification once it was demonstrated. This would move Ramsey’s property line back to the high-water mark and render his tollgate non-enforceable. “And then we’re going to build a bridge (the first in Allegheny County) there”, boasted Canon.
Education was the next topic discussed, with many kudos to Reverend McMillan for his Academy, as well as to Brackenridge, whose log cabin Pittsburgh Academy established five years ago had now moved into a permanent brick building.
General Neville then took the podium and attempted to justify his continued effort to enforce the tax on the production of whiskey mandated by the Excise Act of 1791. President Washington had designated Neville Inspector of Revenue for this area, a difficult assignment because of massive opposition from local farmers.
William Miller pointed out the absurdity of the tax, nine cents per gallon for whiskey he produced for his own consumption. “General, nine cents is one hour’s wages! Unlike you, some of us don’t own slaves and must pay our hired help! Suppose I refuse to pay your tax?”
Neville replied that such a refusal would result in a federal marshal serving him a subpoena to appear in federal court in Philadelphia. “General, if you send a marshal to my house, you better be brave enough to come along with him!” At this point Gilfillan gaveled the meeting to order, declared the day’s business complete, and offered to host another meeting in a few months.
We have just described a hypothetical meeting that never occurred. Nonetheless this group of very real historical persons would certainly have found many things on which they could agree and just as many where agreement was impossible. Some things never change.