Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

=== European settlement ===
Native Americans living or hunting in the area during the 18th century included the six [[Iroquois]] tribes of a confederacy known as the Iroquois League or ''[[Haudenosaunee]]'', the [[Lenape]], and the [[Shawnee]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Bates|1887|pp=140–143}}</ref> The Lenape lived mostly to the east, with the Iroquois to the north, and the Shawnee to the south. Their traders, hunters, and warriors traveled on the north-south route sometimes called the "Virginia path" through the [[Cumberland Valley]], from New York through what became [[Carlisle, Pennsylvania|Carlisle]] and [[Shippensburg, Pennsylvania|Shippensburg]], then through what would become [[Hagerstown, Maryland]], crossing the [[Potomac River]] into the [[Shenandoah Valley]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://msaag.aag.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/12_Marr.pdf|journal=Middle States Geographer|date=2002|volume=35|pages=101–109|title=SHIPPENSBURG AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OVERLAND TRANSPORTATION IN THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA IN THE 1700s|author=Paul Marr}}</ref>
[[Image:Kitfry-1-.jpg|thumb|300px |1751 Fry-Jefferson map depicting 'The Great Waggon Road to Philadelphia']]

Benjamin Chambers, a [[Scotch-Irish American|Scots-Irish]] immigrant, is credited with settling "Falling Spring" in 1730. He built a [[grist mill]] and [[saw mill]] by a then-{{convert|26|ft|m|adj=mid|-high}} waterfall where Falling Spring Creek joined [[Conococheague Creek]].<ref name="NatReg">{{cite web|url=https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H000885_01H.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Chambersburg Historic District|date=July 31, 1980|author=John R. Schein Jr. and Ray C. Hearne|publisher=National Park Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415130115/https://www.dot7.state.pa.us/ce_imagery/phmc_scans/H000885_01H.pdf|archive-date=April 15, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Britannica">{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Chambersburg |volume=5 |page=822}}</ref> The creek provided power for the mills, and soon a settlement grew and became known as "Falling Spring".

On March 30, 1734, Chambers received a "Blunston license" for {{convert|400|acre|ha}}, from a representative of the [[Penn family]]. European settlement in the area remained of questionable legality until the treaty ending the [[French and Indian War]] in 1763, because not all Indian tribes with land claims had signed treaties with the British colonial government.<ref name="NatReg"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Bates|1887|pp=139–140}}</ref>

The Penn family encouraged settlement in the area in order to strengthen its case in a border dispute with the [[Maryland Colony]], which had resulted in hostilities known as [[Cresap's War]]. This dispute was not settled until 1767, with the border survey that resulted in the [[Mason-Dixon line]]. Chambers traveled to England to testify in support of Penn's claims.<ref>{{Harvnb|Garrard|1856|p=12}}</ref> To maintain peace with the Indians, Penn sometimes arranged for European settlers to be removed from nearby areas. In May 1750, Benjamin Chambers helped remove settlers from the nearby [[Burnt Cabins, Pennsylvania|Burnt Cabins]], named after an incident.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chambers|1856|pp=122–125}}</ref><ref name="BAFCP">{{cite book
  | title =Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania, Volume 1
  | publisher=Heritage Books  | year =2007  | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=adtXI0PJYj8C  
  | isbn =978-0-7884-3738-0  }}p. 3</ref>

The area was first classified as part of [[Chester County, Pennsylvania|Chester County]], then [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]] (as that was created from Chester County's western area). Then Lancaster County was split, with its western portion renamed as [[Cumberland County, Pennsylvania|Cumberland County]]; finally another split (this time of Cumberland County) established Franklin County in 1784. ([[Adams County, Pennsylvania|Adams County]] adjoins it on the east).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://borough.chambersburg.pa.us/html/history.asp|title = History| publisher=borough.chambersburg.pa.us|  access-date = 2007-09-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928152635/http://borough.chambersburg.pa.us/html/history.asp |archive-date = September 28, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Great Wagon Road]] connecting [[Philadelphia]] with the [[Shenandoah Valley]] (and an east-west branch through Hagerstown and [[Cumberland, Maryland]] to the [[Ohio Valley]] known as [[Nemacolin's Path]]) passed nearby. In 1744, the road was completed through [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harris's Ferry]], [[Carlisle, Pennsylvania|Carlisle]], [[Shippensburg, Pennsylvania|Shippensburg]], and Chambersburg to the [[Potomac River]].<ref name="NatReg"/> In 1748 a local militia was formed for protection against Indians, with Benjamin Chambers named as its colonel.

Chambersburg was still considered frontier during the [[French and Indian War]]. Benjamin Chambers built a private stone fort during the war, which was equipped with two 4-pounder cannons. Fighting and troop movements occurred nearby.<ref name="NatReg"/><ref name="Britannica"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Bates|1887|pp=159–175}} Chapter III, Indian War</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.explorepahistory.com/story.php?storyId=6|title = The French and Indian War in Pennsylvania | publisher=explorepahistory.com|  access-date = 2007-09-21 }}</ref> The area's population dropped from about 3,000 in 1755 as the war began, to about 300 during the conflict. Most settlers did not return until after 1764 (when the peace treaty was signed between Great Britain and France).<ref name="Kittochtinny"/>

Because Chambers's fort was otherwise lightly defended, officials attempted to remove the cannons to prevent them from being captured by Indians and used against other forts. However, the attempted removal failed. One of the cannons still remained in 1840, when it was fired to celebrate [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] that year.<ref>{{Harvnb|Garrard|1856|pp=22–31}}</ref>

The [[John Forbes (General)|Forbes Road]] and other trails going to [[Fort Pitt (Pennsylvania)|Fort Pitt]] passed nearby as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/point/point_n715.html |title=The Point: Indian Trails to Fort Duquesne |publisher=Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh |access-date=2007-09-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005184659/http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/point/point_n715.html |archive-date=October 5, 2007 |df=mdy }}</ref> The Forbes Road developed into part of the main road connecting Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and much later into [[US 30]]. Chambersburg developed as a trading and transportation hub at the crossroads of Forbes Road and the Great Wagon Road.

Fighting continued in the area after the war. The [[Enoch Brown school massacre]] took place during [[Pontiac's War]], when Native Americans were trying to expel European Americans from the area. The  [[Black Boys]] rebelled against British troops stationed at [[Fort Loudoun (Pennsylvania)|Fort Loudon]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Bates|1887|pp=170–175}}</ref>

The town of Chambersburg was platted or laid out in 1764. Lots were advertised for sale on July 19 in [[Benjamin Franklin]]'s [[Pennsylvania Gazette (newspaper)|Pennsylvania Gazette]].

{{Blockquote|Notice is hereby given to the Public, that there is a town is laid out on Conegogig Creek, on both sides of the Great Falling Spring, where is falls into said creek, by Benjamin Chambers, of Cumberland County.  Lots may be had on reasonable terms and Firm Deeds granted for them by said Chambers: the day appointed for drawing of said lots is the 28th day of June inst.. which is a Thursday. The situation of this town is very good for water and stone, both free and marble, and sand all handy to the spot, and a well timbered part of the country adjoining it; within said town is a good Gristmill, Sawmill, and Grindstones going by water.  The articles of the Town shall be read on the day appointed for the drawing of the Lots, and the terms of the sale published by me|Benjamin Chambers<ref>{{Harvnb|Bates|1887|p=452}}</ref>}}

The first settlers were Scots-Irish Presbyterians; German Protestants came soon afterward. Relatively few [[Quaker]]s and English Protestants (who made up a large proportion of early Pennsylvania settlers generally) settled as far west as Chambersburg. However, blacks lived in Chambersburg almost from the settlement's beginning. Benjamin Chambers owned a black female slave sometime before the French and Indian War and twenty slaves were recorded as taxable property in 1786.<ref>{{Harvnb|Garrard|1856|p=13}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|M'Cauley|1878|pp=38}}</ref>

The earliest church was established by Scots-Irish [[Presbyterian]]s in 1734. Chambers gave the congregation land in 1768, for an annual rent of only a single rose. Later, the First Lutheran Church and [[Zion Reformed Church (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania)|Zion Reformed Church]] both organized in 1780 under similar terms, so these three churches came to be known as the "Rose Rent Churches".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.zionucc-chambersburg.org/| title=Zion Reformed Church| publisher=Zion Reformed Church| access-date=2007-09-21| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808203547/http://www.zionucc-chambersburg.org/| archive-date=August 8, 2007| url-status=dead| df=mdy-all}}</ref> A Catholic community organized in 1785. St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church dates its founding to members purchasing a log cabin from the expanding Catholic congregation in 1811, and the congregation continued and expanded through 1830.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Jeanne .B. Williams|title=The African Methodist Episcopal Church Moves into Central Pennsylvania|page=2|date=1996|url=https://www.lycoming.edu/umarch/chronicles/1997/3.%20WILLIAMS.pdf|website=Lycoming.edu}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6UM4AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA170|page=170|title=Prophets Of Protest: Reconsidering The History Of American Abolitionism|first1=Timothy Patrick|last1=McCarthy|first2=John|last2=Stauffer|date=March 13, 2012|publisher=New Press, The|isbn=9781595588548|access-date=March 30, 2019|via=Google Books}}</ref> The Mt. Moriah First African Baptist Church dates to 1887. The [[Old Jewish cemetery, Chambersburg|Jewish cemetery]] dates back to 1840.<ref name="NatReg"/>